Why Brian Callahan Has an Edge in Colts Head Coaching Search
The Indianapolis Colts have held one of the most extensive coaching searches in recent memory.
When the clock finally struck zero on a miserable 4-12-1 season, general manager Chris Ballard got to work to find who would lead this team into the future. The goal was not to be the first team with a new head coach but instead finding the best head coach for the Colts.
“We’ve got a very detailed process put together on the traits and attributes we’re looking for in the head coach,” Ballard said in January. “Don’t care which side of the ball. And then to be patient and take your time and make sure we have a thorough interview with everybody. Consistent, thorough – I don’t care if it takes until mid-February to hire the head coach. It’s about getting it right.”
Sitting here on February 7, the Colts still do not have a head coach. 13 candidates have interviewed for the position, with seven of those spending 16-18 hours with the Colts through two rounds. The Colts are gaining as much information as possible on every candidate, with the candidates also gathering information on the franchise.
In an extensive interview process like this, candidates are always searching for ways to stand out above the rest. What a coach has been able to accomplish on the field largely speaks for itself. But other factors can certainly help give a prospective coach an edge.
Brian Callahan has that edge, and it is specific to the Colts and the man who will be making the final decision on this head coaching search, owner Jim Irsay.
Callahan, the current offensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals, got his start as an NFL coach 13 years ago. His father, Bill, has been a longtime offensive line coach in the league and even led the then-Oakland Raiders to a berth in Super Bowl XXXVII. But Brian never used his dad as a crutch, instead wanting to carve out his own path in the NFL.
Callahan started with the Denver Broncos as an offensive assistant in 2010, climbing to quarterbacks coach by 2015. His time with the Broncos just so happened to cross paths with that of a Colts legend, who was finishing his career in Denver: Peyton Manning.
Manning and Callahan formed a very tight bond together with the Broncos. Although Callahan was not a veteran coach, he spent copious hours with Manning as they poured over film and dissected what Manning could improve on as he entered the twilight of his career. Manning spoke publicly about Callahan and their work together back in 2015.
"I mentioned Brian Callahan because he has been huge for me this year," Manning said before Super Bowl 50. "He's going to be a top offensive coordinator, maybe a head coach like his dad, at some point in the near future."
Now, why is this important? As every Colts fan knows, Irsay has an affinity for his former star quarterback. He considers Manning to be a son of his, and Irsay is eternally grateful for what Manning has done for this city and the franchise. There is a reason a statue of Manning stands tall outside of Lucas Oil Stadium in downtown Indianapolis.
The two continue to speak regularly to one another. Irsay has assuredly spoken with Manning about the coaching search and his opinions on who would be a good hire for the Colts. It is hard to imagine Manning would not vouch for Callahan in this instance.
More smoke has been building around Manning’s push for Callahan to become the next head coach of the Colts. Albert Breer of SI.com, who is as plugged in as anyone on the national scene, recently detailed that Manning could have an influence on Irsay in deciding the next head coach.
There is background here, too, that’s worth noting. Callahan is close with Peyton Manning (he was with Manning in Denver), and Manning’s word still carries a lot of weight with the Irsays; and Callahan’s dad, Bill, was on the coaching staff at Wisconsin when Ballard was a receiver there in the early 1990s.
The other part of this is Ballard, who will be sending his recommendations to Irsay where the owner will make the final call. Ballard has a connection to Callahan’s father, and while that may carry some weight, it is not nearly as important as the plan Callahan has for how he would lead this team moving forward.
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One of the biggest parts in all of this is finding a head coach with a plan for the Colts’ next quarterback. It is all but certain the Colts will take a quarterback with their first pick in this spring’s NFL Draft. But, once again, it is about getting the quarterback right and making sure there is a plan in place for him to be successful.
“We understand the magnitude of where we’re at in the draft and we understand the importance of the (quarterback) position,” Ballard explained. “To get one that actually you can win with and to be right is the most important thing. Not, if we take one or not – being right.”
Not only will the plan around the quarterback be important, but being able to win with whoever the quarterback is will be key. Ballard has always been a proponent of success not being all about the quarterback, and he has continued to echo that.
“You’ve got to be able to find a way to win. So it’s going to be very important whether it’s an offensive coach, defensive coach or special teams coach – the ability to build a plan around how we’re going to win, what our identity is going to be and how we’re going to win with who is playing quarterback is important. I think there is a way to win every game. I think you just look across the league right now and teams that might not be getting superstar quarterback play, but solid quarterback play are finding ways to win.”
Callahan’s work with quarterbacks rivals that of any of the other candidates. He has not only helped Manning, but achieved success with guys like Matthew Stafford, Derek Carr, and Joe Burrow. He understands the quarterback position well and helps bring out the best in whomever he is coaching.
Callahan is known as a players’ coach. Since he became the offensive coordinator for the Bengals in 2019, he has routinely gone to his players and asked for their input on what they like best and how he can put them in the best position to succeed. Players love that from a coach, and the ability for a coach to adapt to his players rather than making them adapt to his scheme is what great coaches do.
Callahan has the backing of Manning, who has voiced his approval to Irsay. He has a plan in place to lead the Colts, which is vital for what Ballard wants in his next head man.
As the Colts are expected to name their next head coach soon, do not be surprised if Callahan is the guy. Football is all about finding an edge, and Callahan’s may just be the winning combination.
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