Caldwell cut loose by Colts

January 18, 2012|DAILY NEWS WIRE REPORTS

INDIANAPOLIS fired head coach Jim Caldwell yesterday, a little more than 2 weeks after the Colts' worst season in 2 decades.

"This is obviously a big transitional time for us, but I know we're excited moving forward and it's hard when you say goodbyes to some people," team owner Jim Irsay said. "But it's part of the business."

The day after a season-ending loss at Jacksonville assured Indy of the No. 1 draft pick in April with a 2-14 mark, Irsay fired team vice chairman Bill Polian, the architect of the Colts' success, and his son, Chris, the handpicked general manager. He then hired Eagles director of player personnel Ryan Grigson as Indy's new GM.

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Caldwell, who ends his Colts' tenure 26-22 overall, may not have expected the move.

On Monday, he interviewed former St. Louis head coach Steve Spagnuolo for the Colts' defensive coordinator position.

 

Noteworthy * 

A person familiar with the meeting told the Associated Press that former Rams head coach Steve Spagnuolo has agreed to interview with New Orleans today for the club's defensive coordinator job. Gregg Williams, who was the defensive coordinator the past three seasons, joined Jeff Fisher's new staff in St. Louis. Spagnuolo, was head coach in St. Louis the past three seasons and was fired in January.

* Atlanta hired Mike Nolan as its defensive coordinator. Nolan spent the past two seasons as Miami's defensive coordinator. Before that he served 4 years as San Francisco's head coach.

* Jeff Fisher was formally introduced as the new coach of the St. Louis Rams after signing a 5-year contract. Fisher, who was not with a team last year after coaching the Titans franchise for 17 seasons, said reports that Miami was his first choice were not true. He will reportedly be paid $7 million per season. In an unrelated matter, Fisher said he stopped to help at an accident scene after interviewing Brian Schottenheimer, recently fired by the Jets, for the offensive coordinator position in Tennessee on Sunday. Fisher said he stayed with a 13-year-old boy who was hurt until medical personnel arrived. He said the boy was in stable but critical condition.

* Chicago interviewed San Diego director of player personnel Jimmy Raye about its general manager job. The Bears are looking to replace the fired Jerry Angelo.

* Miami has asked interim coach Todd Bowles and Denver offensive coordinator Mike McCoy to come back for second interviews for the team's head-coaching job, league sources told NFL.com. Bowles, who played safety at Temple, replaced Tony Sparano in Week 15 of the season.

* Denver quarterback Tim Tebow turned down an offer to join the CBS as an analyst for Sunday's Baltimore at New England AFC Championship Game.

In other news, Broncos tailback Willis McGahee and left tackle Ryan Clady have been added to the AFC's Pro Bowl roster. McGahee replaces injured Houston running back Arian Foster and Clady replaces injured Miami tackle Jake Long. The Pro Bowl will be played Jan. 29 in Honolulu.

* Pittsburgh assistant Kirby Wilson remains in critical condition with burns on more than 45 percent of his body. The team released a statement from Wilson's family saying the 50-year-old also was severely burned during a Jan. 6 fire at his town house in a northern Pittsburgh suburb.

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