Indianapolis Colts Fire Head Coach Jim Caldwell And What That Means For The Cincinnati Bengals

by Josh Kirkendall on Jan 17, 2012 2:58 PM EST in Coaching News

According to multiple reports, the Indianapolis Colts have "relieved" head coach Jim Caldwell of his duties on Tuesday, opening another vacant head coaching position in the NFL. Currently the Oakland Raiders, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Miami Dolphins are without head coaches.

Ryan Grigson, hired last week as the Indianapolis Colts general manager replacing Bill Polian, was tasked with a choice regarding Jim Caldwell, according to ESPN reports. Does Grigson want to keep Caldwell or move on? Much like Reggie McKenzie in Oakland, Grigson let Caldwell go on Tuesday.

There is brief history between Grigson and the Cincinnati Bengals.

Bengals offensive line coach Paul Alexander worked out and recommended Grigson, an offensive lineman out of Purdue, to the Bengals. The team drafted him in the sixth round (175th overall) during the 1995 NFL draft, but he was released before the regular season.

We're completely conjecturing, but if the Indianapolis Colts rebuild their coaching staff -- which tends to happen when a general manager and head coach are replaced during the same offseason -- there stands a chance that they're in a need for several position coaches. Grigson's introduction into the NFL with an old coach like Paul Alexander, there could be a chance that the impression was favorable enough to attempt a coup from the Cincinnati Bengals.

The one caveat?

Alexander signed a three-year contract in January of 2010 with one year remaining. The Colts would have to ask for permission if Indianapolis Grigson wants to invite his former offensive line coach to the Colts in either a parallel move or a promotion. And the fact they denied Philadelphia's request to interview Kevin Coyle last year for their defensive coordinator position, it's probably not likely that the Bengals would allow Alexander to move on.

Regardless the opening for another head coach might implore teams like the Dolphins and Buccaneers to make their decisions on their own vacant head coaching positions sooner rather than later. After all the Indianapolis Colts have one of the best quarterbacks in our generation with another quarterback that's being prognosticated as the next great quarterback. How can a team like Miami, Tampa Bay or Oakland compete with that?

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If the Colts want Paul Alexander...

… I say we send them over and maybe even throw in a draft pick as a thank you for taking him! We need fresh blood coaching that O-line. How Collins doesn’t get more reps in the game and how we kept Livings over Mathis (plus a number of other very questional moves by Alexander) are a few of the reasons we could and should do a lot better.

by JML MD on Jan 17, 2012 3:04 PM EST reply actions 4 recs

+1000000

by biggie22 on Jan 17, 2012 3:05 PM EST up reply actions

THIS

and a REC

by Oregonbengalsfan on Jan 17, 2012 3:08 PM EST up reply actions

Isn't Mathis now regarded as one of the top Guards in the NFC?

It’s a shame.

Cincy Jungle: Where the Rocky Mountains are in the Pacific Ocean

by sexsalad on Jan 17, 2012 3:11 PM EST up reply actions

Yes he is....

by pemci on Jan 17, 2012 3:15 PM EST up reply actions

Mathis talk

Its always easier to play the hindsight 20/20 game with players in the NFL. Everyone on here seems obsessed with this idea that Mathis was a prenial probowler that the bengals just ignored. Yes he had a great season this year but he only had one season of 15 starts and that was in 2006 with Carolina a team that later cut him and he only lasted a season in Miami.

It’s easy for fans to look back after a player finally breaks out and wonder why there team got rid of him but we all dont know what else may have been going on. Maybe after being cut by his third team and only getting a minimum salary offer Mathis finally stepped it up, or maybe he finally ended up with a coach in a system he was a good fit. Look at Justin smith he was a good DE here but didn’t fit out DC’s system so he struggled put in a different system he excelled. Alexander can’t change his whole system so one OL out of 10 can play better

by Engelj06 on Jan 17, 2012 3:17 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

But this isn't hindsight

We were screaming for Mathis to play before he went to the Eagles. Same with Collins and we’re going to wind up losing him because Anderson won’t play him. Anderson needs to go

by Oregonbengalsfan on Jan 17, 2012 3:20 PM EST up reply actions

+1

personally

I don’t want to see Marvin fired, I want him to be promoted to G.M. while handing the reigns over to Zimmer as head coach and hiring Jack Del Rio as Defensive Coordinator. Who Dey!!!

by joeb69 on Jan 9, 2012 8:18 PM EST replyactions 2 recs

by joeb69 on Jan 17, 2012 3:46 PM EST up reply actions

Everyone still see's how much better Mathis is than Livings

I still think Mathis playing with a mobile QB,makes him look better,not to say he wouldnt have still
been the best guard on this team

"A team is more than a group of individuals,its a group of individuals that come together to make a team"

by keithp on Jan 17, 2012 4:29 PM EST up reply actions

but...

Mathis is just one in a long line of coaching failures by Paul Alexander. I am sure he is a great guy but I believe that fresh ideas (and talent evaluation) are needed badly among some of our position coaches especially along the O-line.

by JML MD on Jan 17, 2012 3:22 PM EST up reply actions

we can even take up a fan collection to buy alexander a 1 way plane ticket to indy for his interview

"the bengals are not a west of the 104 longitude team."

by palewook on Jan 17, 2012 4:00 PM EST up reply actions

I'm in!!

by Ben-GAL on Jan 17, 2012 4:15 PM EST up reply actions

Truck Driver here

my route goes to Indy daily…I got this one peeps.

personally

I don’t want to see Marvin fired, I want him to be promoted to G.M. while handing the reigns over to Zimmer as head coach and hiring Jack Del Rio as Defensive Coordinator. Who Dey!!!

by joeb69 on Jan 9, 2012 8:18 PM EST replyactions 2 recs

by joeb69 on Jan 17, 2012 6:20 PM EST up reply actions

Tressell anyone?

AMAS

by AMAS85 on Jan 17, 2012 3:04 PM EST reply actions

Highly Unlikely,, but it's a thought..

I represent the Bengals of Cincinnati with extreme passion and prejudice and make no apologies for it!

by Law1951 on Jan 17, 2012 3:18 PM EST up reply actions

I'll take him,there always a chance he's just a college guy

Anything is better than Caldwell,he has to be the biggest token in the history of the league

"A team is more than a group of individuals,its a group of individuals that come together to make a team"

by keithp on Jan 17, 2012 4:31 PM EST up reply actions

Alexander is also Assistant Head Coach

So the only promotion available would be to head coach.

To be OC only would be considered a lesser role, and OC and Assistant Head Coach in Indy would be considered a parallel move despite the fact he’s just line coach + AHC here.

Personally, I highly doubt that the Bengals actually refused Coyle permission to interview in Philly. I suspect that they told Coyle the Eagles had called and he declined because he knew he would be replacing Zimmer in a year anyway. So the Bengals “declined” on his behalf.

by Skyhook on Jan 17, 2012 3:05 PM EST reply actions

Please take him!!!!

by biggie22 on Jan 17, 2012 3:06 PM EST reply actions

+10000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

"What we do in this life echoes in eternity"

Maximus*

by gratefulmax on Jan 17, 2012 3:25 PM EST up reply actions

Does Paul Alexander need a ride down to Indy?

My car is fueled and ready to go….

by pemci on Jan 17, 2012 3:08 PM EST reply actions

Hell,

he can just about have my car if it’ll get him out of Ohio!!

by JML MD on Jan 17, 2012 3:09 PM EST up reply actions

I'm sending a Limo!!

"What we do in this life echoes in eternity"

Maximus*

by gratefulmax on Jan 17, 2012 3:26 PM EST up reply actions

I’ll split it with you lol

by Robert DeLeon on Jan 17, 2012 4:08 PM EST via Android app up reply actions

I thnk ZIMMER...

I think it’s possible they could want ZIMMER and he would pull Alexamder along with him.

I represent the Bengals of Cincinnati with extreme passion and prejudice and make no apologies for it!

by Law1951 on Jan 17, 2012 3:10 PM EST reply actions

The crazy thing is

I’d actually be fine with them taking Zimmer as long as he took Alexander with him

by biggie22 on Jan 17, 2012 3:18 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah..

I just can’t imagine anyone tasking Alexander as a new HC over Zimmer… “That dog don’t hunt!”

I represent the Bengals of Cincinnati with extreme passion and prejudice and make no apologies for it!

by Law1951 on Jan 17, 2012 3:21 PM EST up reply actions

No I was saying would be HC

by biggie22 on Jan 17, 2012 3:37 PM EST up reply actions

Shhhhhhhhhhhhh everyone.........

we should only be talking about how great he is……..wink, wink…….and how we would just HATE to lose a talent evaluator like him……..wink, wink. Please don’t take him, would be terrible if Collins started playing like he should have been all along. Also, please don’t sign Nate Livings as a FA…..wink, wink. What a loss that would be too! lol

"The next person you see that throws something, point em out! You don’t live in Cleveland, you live in Cincinnati!"
- Sam Wyche

by The Van Buren Boys on Jan 17, 2012 3:15 PM EST reply actions 2 recs

hahahahahaha!!!!!

nice…

I represent the Bengals of Cincinnati with extreme passion and prejudice and make no apologies for it!

by Law1951 on Jan 17, 2012 3:16 PM EST up reply actions

Wink, Wink.

"What we do in this life echoes in eternity"

Maximus*

by gratefulmax on Jan 17, 2012 3:28 PM EST reply actions

spags interviewed monday in indy for their dc position under caldwell

https://twitter.com/#!/AdamSchefter/status/159365907372716032

wonder if they’ll offer spags the HC job instead?

"the bengals are not a west of the 104 longitude team."

by palewook on Jan 17, 2012 4:04 PM EST reply actions

You hit it dead on

Manning essentially runs the offense,Spaggs would be a good combination
They could still take Alexander,and let Manning hide him,in the same way he id Caldwell

"A team is more than a group of individuals,its a group of individuals that come together to make a team"

by keithp on Jan 17, 2012 4:37 PM EST up reply actions

Here's a good upgrade for OLine Coach

Reese Morgan Iowa has done a fantastic job at producing high quality Oline players over the past few years. http://www.hawkeyesports.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/morgan_reese00.html

by messjunk on Jan 17, 2012 6:45 PM EST reply actions