ESPN considering bringing back Saturday after disastrous Colts stint

Former Indianapolis Colts interim head coach Jeff Saturday. Robert Scheer/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

ESPN considering bringing back Jeff Saturday after disastrous Colts stint

By Jason Clinkscales | Last updated 7/25/23

ESPN is interested in a reunion with former Indianapolis Colts head coach Jeff Saturday, according to the latest from New York Post media reporter Andrew Marchand.

Marchand spent most of his paywalled column talking about the network's thinking around adding The Pat McAfee Show to its radio schedule, but he tossed in this interesting tidbit towards the end.

ESPN would like Jeff Saturday to return, and while Saturday would like to come back, sources say it is still up in the air whether it will happen or not. Last year, Saturday famously departed ESPN to become the interim coach of the Colts. After winning his initial game, he lost seven in a row. He was still considered for the full-time job, but did not receive it. Now, he could return to be an ESPN analyst; however, in light of recent layoffs and ESPN’s focus on watching the budget, it is in question if it will work out.

The potential move makes a lot of sense for both sides, even in light of ESPN's staff reductions. Saturday was well-regarded at ESPN, to the point that even while taking issue with Irsay's decision to hire him, his then-former colleagues couched their criticism with affection for him.

While ESPN has a massive team of analysts, Saturday wasn't gone long enough to have forgotten the ropes on the TV side.

In terms of infamy as someone who worked on TV before taking over a leadership role for a team, the re-hiring Saturday is ever-so-slightly reminiscent of when ESPN added Matt Millen after his infamous reign as president of the Detroit Lions in the 2000s.

Saturday didn't spend as much time on TV or football management, of course, but fans may certainly find the decision to bring him back to their screens rather curious because of how poorly the Colts played when he took the job. (Also, Millen was considered the heir apparent to the late John Madden before the Lions offered him the job.)

Perhaps a better comparison would be Barry Melrose, the former NHL head coach who spent a ton of time on TV before briefly taking over as the bench boss for the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2008. Melrose was fired after just 16 games before returning to television.

More must-reads: