What did former Colts coach Frank Reich have to say about his firing?
With time to reflect on what wasn’t, Reich didn’t hide his disappointment about how his time went and ended in Indianapolis.
Earlier this week the now former Colts head coach was relieved of his duties. Following a period of silence, he’s now spoken out for the first time since his dismissal from the team.
Former Colts coach Frank Reich breaks silence on his firing
Following the heavy 26-3 loss against the New England Patriots in NFL’s Week 9, the Colts slumped to a 3-5-1 record on the season and with that, seemingly decided that enough was enough. Not long after, the franchise confirmed that after more than four seasons in charge, Frank Reich was going to be dismissed from his post. Needless to say, it was an outcome that left Reich feeling “disappointment and hurt.”
“It hurts,” Reich told CBS 4 Indy. “It hurts to have it happen in the middle of the season. But I understand the business side of things. I have a tremendous amount of respect for Mr. Irsay and I’ve come to trust his instincts and his knowledge of the game. I just know he’s doing what he thinks is best for the team. I can live with that. I gave my heart and soul to the job, to the guys, to everything I did there. I didn’t take anything for granted.”
Was the Colts decision a surprise to Frank Reich?
Speaking on the specifics of the moment when he received the news, Reich said that he got a call “at about 10:45″ on Monday morning from Colts owner Jim Irsay, who delivered the notice. Interestingly, Reich didn’t specify whether or not he could see it coming, though it’s worth noting that the Colts had lost three straight games and questions were beginning to be raised about their offense. On the other hand, there seemed to be a degree of decisiveness in Irsay’s words during an introductory press conference for interim coach Jeff Saturday. The Colts owner said he had witness things “go from bad to worse and I thought it was time and it was necessary to make the change.”
Frank Reich’s Colts tenure by the numbers
Reich has left the Colts with a record of 40-33-1 during the regular season and 1-2 in the playoffs. In truth, though it wasn’t all gloom and doom during Reich’s time, it’s at quarterback where the Colts have truly been performing poorly. Consider for a moment, that Reich started a different QB in Week 1 of each of his five seasons in charge.
“To fall short of those goals of winning championships, starting with a world championship, is very disappointing when you’re the head coach,’’ Reich said. “You have mixed emotions. You feel like, ‘OK, there were different circumstances and dynamics and challenges that you faced.’ But as a coach and as a player and as a competitor, you say, ‘That doesn’t matter. We’ve still gotta obtain our goals.’ When Mr. Irsay and Chris (Ballard) hired me, I had no misrepresentations. Those were the expectations.” With regards to what happens now, Reich has stated that he intends to spend time with his family, however, he has not ruled out a return to the NFL. “I think you keep all your options open,” he said. “Obviously my desire is to be a head coach. I love the game. I love everything about the game, so you keep all of your options open.”