Peyton Manning has interesting take on Colts hiring Jeff Saturday

The Indianapolis Colts officially announced that former center and current NFL analyst Jeff Saturday has been named as their interim head coach. The news came shortly after they announced they were firing head coach Frank Reich.

Saturday's former teammate Peyton Manning gave his opinion on the Colts' new interim head coach during the pregame show for Monday Night Football in Week 9 of the 2022 NFL season.

“I was surprised. I didn’t know anything about it... I talked to Jeff. It’s a big challenge. Jeff’s made of the right stuff. He was the ultimate teammate. My locker was right next to him. He’s a high-character guy. He’s a great leader.

"He’s going to have to rely on these players to kind of get him comfortable and try and get a win there in Indianapolis. A win there could solve a lot of things. Hopefully, he can get in there and help the Colts get turned around.”

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Peyton Manning clearly has confidence in Jeff Saturday following their time together with the Indianapolis Colts. The quarterback-center relationship is one of the most important in the NFL, with Manning and Saturday being a prime example of how it can lead to success.

Manning also added that he was a bit shocked Saturday was given the interim head coaching job. His shock was shared by Saturday, who mentioned it during his introductory interview.

“Shocked would be an understatement,” Saturday told reporters, per the Indianapolis Star. “We had a conversation and it escalated quickly. He asked me and my wife. [Colts owner Jim Irsay] told me he was going to meet with [general manager] Chris [Ballard] about it. As the day progressed, we finally came to a conclusion. It was a 12-hour whirlwind. It was a late call.”

Jeff Saturday has no NFL coaching experience, nor has he ever coached at the NCAA level either.

The Colts fired Frank Reich after a disappointing 3-5-1 record in the first half of the 2022 NFL season. Rather than going with a proven candidate to take over as their interim head coach, owner Jim Irsay chose to go with a legendary former player from their franchise.

Jeff Saturday's NFL career with the Indianapolis Colts

Jeff Saturday spent 13 NFL seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and was the starting center for 12 of them. The 2005 NFL season is when he really elevated his game to an elite level. Starting that year, he was selected to three consecutive All-Pro teams, as well as being chosen for five Pro Bowls in six seasons.

Saturday, along with Peyton Manning, helped the Colts win a Super Bowl ring and two AFC Championships. He spent all but his final season in Indianapolis. He joined the Green Bay Packers for his last year in the NFL, where he was selected to his sixth Pro Bowl.