Bluegrassrivals

The Indianapolis Colts fired coach Jim Caldwell on Tuesday, the team announced.

The Colts hired Ryan Grigson as their new general manager last week and said they would have a decision on Caldwell's future by the middle of this week. The team has called a 4 p.m. ET news conference.

It's the second big move since the Colts' miserable 2-14 season ended. The day after the season ended, owner Jim Irsay fired team vice chairman Bill Polian and Polian's son, Chris, Indy's general manager.

Caldwell opened his career by winning his first 14 games, the most in NFL history by a rookie head coach, and leading Indianapolis to the Super Bowl. He won an AFC South title in his second season.

Caldwell, hired in 2009, had a 26-22 record as the Colts' coach. His teams were 2-2 in postseason. He was one of 11 coaches hired after the 2009 season and becomes the latest to get fired. The only two coaches still in their jobs from the Class of 2009 are the New York Jets' Rex Ryan and the Detroit Lions' Jim Schwartz.

Franchise quarterback Peyton Manning missed the entire season after having his latest neck surgery Sept. 8 -- a procedure that has clouded his future with the franchise. Without him, the Colts unraveled, finishing 2-14 and missing the playoffs for the first time in a decade, but they're in line to draft Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck with the No. 1 pick in April.

Owner Jim Irsay and Grigson must decide whether to pay four-time league MVP Manning a $28 million bonus in March, allow him to walk away as a free agent or redo the five-year, $90 million contract to make it more salary-cap friendly.

Though Manning has started throwing with teammates and players believe Manning is improving, Irsay must determine whether it's worth taking a significant cap hit to rebuild around a 35-year-old quarterback who has had neck surgery three times in less than 24 months. If he is healthy, a big if, Irsay has promised to bring back Manning and make another Super Bowl run.

Manning had good reasons to want Caldwell back. Aside from the franchise quarterback, Caldwell and offensive coordinator Clyde Christensen understand the Colts' offense better than anyone, and Caldwell helped Manning achieve his greatest successes. Before Caldwell became quarterbacks coach in 2002, Manning was an elite player with a losing record in the playoffs. With Caldwell, Manning won all four of his MVP awards, two AFC crowns and his only Super Bowl ring.




http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/747190...-14-season

I think this puts the nail into Manning's career with the Colts. Look for Jim Cladwell to sign on as an assistant with a team pretty quickly and in March, when Peyton is released, that will be the odds-on favorite to sign Manning.

I don't think this will change anything when it comes to Peyton Manning and the Colts. I think Manning stays and they draft Luck...

If the Colts were smart, they would trade him while he still has value. A team desperate enough and willing to take a chance with is neck might give a first round pick.

Think about how much money they had to pay him this year, now add 25million to that after march deadline and he still might not play. What would you do?

This is getting more dramatic by the day, lol.

I think people are blowing his neck injury way out of proportion. He'll play next season. If I could afford it, I'd definitely keep one of the best QB's of all-time and draft Luck. One hell of a teacher for the kid...no reason to be in a huge hurry.

Damnit.. I swear to gosh.. Stupid stuff

Jarons Wrote:If the Colts were smart, they would trade him while he still has value. A team desperate enough and willing to take a chance with is neck might give a first round pick.

No way the Colts will trade Manning. If they trade him they'll still have to pay a lot of money to him. That's y trading isn't an option.

It's so rare to find a good QB, much less one of the best in the history of the league. I think it would be completely ridiculous and stupid to get rid of a proven winner for an unproven rookie..just doesn't make sense.

What makes this so stupid is the Colts did it after Jeff Fisher got a new job. Fisher to the colts would have been nice..

I do not believe they will do anything with Manning. He has been the face of the Colts for years and with a new coach coming in, they need Manning...

This is what the administration worked for all season.

ekff Wrote:No way the Colts will trade Manning. If they trade him they'll still have to pay a lot of money to him. That's y trading isn't an option.

Short term yes they would pay a lot. Way I am looking at it is that you do not know what he is going to be like coming back from his surgury. Why not sell high (get high draft picks) and build for the future. Whole team is old, why not just start rebuilding.

how many more years does Manning have on his current contract?

ekff Wrote:What makes this so stupid is the Colts did it after Jeff Fisher got a new job. Fisher to the colts would have been nice..

Fisher would've been perfect for the Colts...perfect for any team really, he's that good. But he'd fit perfectly there with all those vets and Peyton.

Keep manning, draft Blackmon.

I'm with the trade before his value goes any lower. Look at Cleveland-Washington-Jack and get a few draft picks. If you could get Cleveland or Washington to get him, you could possibly pick up Luck and Blackmon in the same draft.

Jarons Wrote:Short term yes they would pay a lot. Way I am looking at it is that you do not know what he is going to be like coming back from his surgury. Why not sell high (get high draft picks) and build for the future. Whole team is old, why not just start rebuilding.

Because Manning MADE the colts... Everything he has done for Indy, I say give him a chance next year. He Peyton comes back and Colts finish 7-9 or 6-10 next year then start rebuilding, but you have to give Manning a chance. He's earned it...

Nothing Trivial makes a great argument. WOW! Luck to throw to Blackmon, Wayne and Clark!