Bill Cowher Slams Colts For Jeff Saturday Hiring

Count Bill Cowher as one of those vehemently opposed to Jeff Saturday being the interim head coach of the Indianapolis Colts.

A lot has been made of the Colts' decision to hire Saturday as their interim head coach despite no coaching experience aside from at the high school level.

Cowher ripped into the owner Jim Irsay's decision to hire the former Colts' center-turned-analyst on Sunday.

"I played in the Nationa Football League for five years. I went on to become an assistant coach — right from playing to coach — and I was an assistant coach for 7 years," Cowher said. "Blessed to be able to go on to Pittsburgh and become a head coach for 15 years. I'm speaking on behalf of the coaching profession."

Cowher went on to say that he knew for a fact that the Colts had offered Saturyda an assistant coaching job multiple times, but that Saturday turned those offers down to work in TV and to spend time with his family. He also touched on how Saturday had been working with the Colts as a consultant from his home in Atlanta.

"Now to find out on Monday, he's now the head coach of the new Indianapolis Coach," Cowher said, so frazzled he started taking on Yoda-like syntax for a moment. "Overseeing a staff that he chose not to choose... because of a lifestyle."

Bill Cowher spent 15 years as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers and was very upset that the Colts hired Jeff Saturday. (Photo by Dan Beineke/NFLPhotoLibrary)

Cowher Mad Colts Job Didn't Go To An Assistant

He then mentioned how Saturday talked about using the opportunity to finish out the season as a resume builder and to see if he can coach in the NFL.

"I say to that, what about the assistants on the staff right now?" he said before rattling off some current Colts assistant coaches.

Cowher called the decision to hire Saturday over others with more coaching experience a "disgrace to the coaching profession."

It's easy to see where Cowher is coming from as the seemingly self-appointed Grand Poobah of NFL Coaches. There's a ladder coaches typically climb to head coaching gigs.

Still, by Irsay's own admission that's precisely why he hired Saturday. If it doesn't work, Saturday will get shown the door too.

But who knows? maybe it'll work. If it doesn't, Saturday will get shown the door and they'll hire a coach who meets Bill Cowher's criteria.

Follow on Twitter: @Matt_Reigle