That’s not to say I don’t root for his success, because I do. He is one of the best men I know. But he had a chance to speak and he didn’t, in this case. Coaches always talk about personal sacrifice for the greater good. Maybe that means less taps or sharing replays. Do whatever it takes for the team to succeed. On Saturday, he could have made a real statement about the importance of equality and meritocracy by rejecting Irsay’s offer. Before you call me naive, among other things, it has been done. Two years ago the Texans had strong interest in hiring former quarterback Josh McCown as a coach. Like Saturday, he had no coaching experience beyond high school, but was extremely close to the decision makers. Instead of pursuing the opportunity, McCown told them they should consider others who had taken the time for such a shot, even citing a minority coach he had worked with. “My wife and I have been praying about it and I wanted a player to get a chance,” Saturday told me Sunday. “I’ve seen the Boones of the world go straight from television to being the manager of the Yankees. I’ve seen basketball guys go straight to the coaching job and get opportunities. I haven’t seen that in the NFL, and I told my wife , “This doesn’t just happen. It’s not something that’s just arbitrary’. And I felt very passionate and convinced that if I step up and do a good job, and people can see the way ex-players can lead a group of guys… “I don’t pretend to be the smartest coach on the staff; I pale in comparison and shuffle [sic] without words. But I know how to lead men, whether it’s coaches, players or an organization. And I know a bunch of men who are like me that I’ve lived with, broken bread with, played with and against. And I want us to have a chance. I want the players to have a chance. I had no idea if (Irsay) was going to go with me, but I told my wife that I felt the Lord leading me here. The other side for me personally is that I care about this organization. This is not just a job. This is the organization in which I lived and my adult life was forged. My wife and I have all our children here. I told them the first day, it’s not just about the players, it’s not just about the coaches — although I love them and their families, and I understand the position they’re in — but, bro, the equipment room, the relationships with media, the training room, I love them and I care about them. I know I can help them and help this organization turn around and get the direct [sic] they need Maybe I’ll get over it and some owners will turn around and say, “Hey, maybe we’re giving kids opportunities and maybe it starts with people who have played for the organization.” “ That sounds good in theory, but different candidates typically don’t have the type of personal relationships with NFL owners that Saturday has with Irsay. That being said, I will continue to wish nothing but success for Saturday, because he is a good man. And he’s someone who can lead (yes, I know a lot more about being a successful coach, but getting others to follow is the first step). Listen to Jonathan Taylor, who rushed for 147 yards and a score on 22 carries, when asked what Saturday brought to the team. “It gave us passion,” he said. “Whenever he talks to us, whenever he’s on the field, you can just feel the passion he has, given the history he has with this organization. It’s not about getting a lot of wins. It’s not about him. He just wants to see the the men and women of the Indianapolis Colts to succeed, the entire organization, whether it’s the kitchen staff that gets us the right food, or the equipment staff that makes sure we’re ready to go.”
