Colts' Ballard: Irsay will make final call on coach, Saturday among candidates
General manager Chris Ballard said Tuesday that he'll lead the Indianapolis Colts' head coaching search but owner Jim Irsay "will make the final call," according to team reporter JJ Stankevitz.
Ballard confirmed interim head coach Jeff Saturday is among the candidates for the full-time role.
"He's smart. He's a good teammate. And he's a leader," said Ballard. "Those things are real."
Asked about Saturday's 1-7 record, which included seven straight losses to end the season, Ballard said the former center faced an uphill battle after replacing Frank Reich halfway through the campaign.
"We put him in a tough spot. I'm not judging him by that," Ballard said. "The things I did like, he stayed positive, he kept working, held the team accountable, wasn't afraid to hold players accountable."
Saturday vowed earlier in the week that there would be "significant change" in Indianapolis if he earns the job.
The AFC South club is also reportedly set to interview Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, and Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen.
The Colts also requested to speak to Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, a source told Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.
Indianapolis was widely expected to challenge for a playoff spot this season after going 9-8 in 2021 and replacing Carson Wentz with Matt Ryan.
But the team limped to a 4-12-1 record and became the victim of the biggest comeback victory in NFL history when the Minnesota Vikings erased a 33-0 deficit Dec. 18.
"Look, I failed. I'm not going to sit up here and make excuses," Ballard said. "I failed a lot of people. Highly disappointed about where we're at, how the season went."
With Ryan seemingly unlikely to return and Sam Ehlinger and Nick Foles failing to impress, the Colts are expected to target a quarterback early in the 2023 draft. They currently own the No. 4 pick.
Ballard said he's prepared to be aggressive and trade up for a quarterback he's convinced of while also acknowledging the significance of anointing a player the new face of the franchise.
"We gotta be right," he said. "We understand the magnitude of where we're at in the draft, and we understand the importance of the position. To get one that you can win with and be right is the most important thing."
The Colts have a 45-52-1 record and two playoff appearances in six seasons under Ballard.