FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sunday 4 December 2022
JEFF SATURDAY SPEAKS TO TONY DUNGY ON TONIGHT’S “FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA”
“What a whirlwind. I still find it hard to breathe. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it.” – Saturday to accept the Colts’ interim head coaching job
“My life was changed because of the Indianapolis Colts, and to pay it back in any way…that was the ultimate decision maker.” – Saturday
“That’s my job – to create and cast vision, direction and then hold the guys accountable…” – Saturday in his role
Coverage of Colts-Cowboys begins with Football night in America at 7 p.m. ET; Followed by 8:20 PM ET Kickoff on NBC, Peacock and Universo
STAMFORD, Conn. – 4 December 2022 – Ahead of tonight’s matchup against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night footballInterim head coach of the Indianapolis Colts Jeff Saturday spoke with Hall of Fame head coach Tony Dungywho was the Colts’ head coach for seven seasons and won Super Bowl XLI, for Football night in Americawhich begins at 7 PM ET on NBC and Peacock.
Saturday, who played for Dungy in downtown Indianapolis, discussed his whirlwind hiring in Indianapolis, the response to him taking the job, what he’s learned so far and more. Click here to watch the full interview, parts of which will be shown tonight FNIA. Following are the highlights from the full interview:
On taking the Colts’ interim head coaching job
“What a whirlwind. I still find it hard to breathe. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it, it’s been a ton of fun, but again, just unexpected and then I’m trying to catch up and figure it out on the fly. It’s had challenges, some of which I’ve enjoyed and some of which have been a little different than I expected.”
About discussing the job offer with his wife, Karen, and ultimately accepting it
“She said, ‘Are you crazy? (laughs) Are you sure, are you crazy?’ … I think that’s what it ultimately boiled down to (for) me is that I just care about this organization. I don’t think people can understand how much you care about something that you have been in. You know, my adulthood was forged here in this building… It was our family away from our family for so long and so everybody knew and just the belief that I felt that if I can go and help somebody way, that’s what I felt strongly about. I told the guys when I got here, it’s because I care… My life was changed because of the Indianapolis Colts, and so to pay it back in some way.. . that was the final decision maker.”
On what he thought he could bring to the team
“Accountability. Because I consulted with them…I kind of knew what was going on. And I just knew my personality, from an energy perspective, from an accountability perspective. My biggest concern was probably the coaches and how would they react to this ?So I felt pretty strongly that I could get the players to buy in because I’ve lived that life and I know how important it is. What I didn’t know was the side that you (Dungy) lived on, from your (coaching) life.”
On what he told the coaches in his first meeting
“I hope you all understand, I’m here to empower you… I’m not the smartest coach by any means, I don’t pretend to know things I don’t know. I’m going to ask you for help, I’m going to ask you your opinion, and I don’t have a problem if you look at me and say, “Hey, that’s not right, or I see it in a different way.” And I take it from you, it doesn’t mean that I will change my mind (laughs), right? Because I learned it from you (Dungy), we had many discussions where you would listen to me and you would shake your head and say, ‘I understand, I respect your thoughts. I don’t have going to do it that way.’”
On his leadership with players and coaches
“I made sure everyone felt comfortable that we’re in this together and that this is a team. I believe wholeheartedly that my job is to support them from a day-to-day perspective, from an organizational perspective, that’s my job — to create and throw visions, direction and then hold the guys accountable as much as I can to do that. make sure they do what the coaches ask them to do.”
About evaluating players and his expectations for this team
“You and I both know that when you get the competition going, enthusiasm and energy quickly follow. I’m not a script look guy. I want to put people in the most uncomfortable positions they can be in. Whether it was you or Jim Caldwell, I have seen these processes work and my conversation with all of them, to coaches and players, is that this process matters. It’s not magic, it’s not going to happen tomorrow, is it? From an expectations perspective, I have very realistic expectations. There’s a lot of work to be done, but the process matters… It’s simple, but it’s not easy. That’s really the conviction I have for what I do.”
On his biggest surprise since taking the job
“Distractions. And when I say that, I mean it as kindly as possible, but these things (laughs), right? It’s all this, it’s all the extra stuff you’re asked to do that takes you out of meetings. And then probably the biggest thing I’ve had to learn – and I was told that by (Colts GM Chris) Ballard, Mike Tannenbaum told me this many guys Bill Polian – They said the expectations you have from your players, to be able to instill that in your players, because it is not the norm. So if you have expectations that these guys are going to do it this way, you have to teach them and train them because it’s not second nature.”
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Football night in America is hosted by Mary Taylor and has a Hall of Fame head coach Tony Dungytwo-time Super Bowl champion Rodney Harrisonformer NFL head coach Jason Garrettformer NFL quarterback Chris SimmsNFL Insider Mike Florioand pioneer in the fantasy sports industry Matthew Berry. This week’s show is also co-hosted by Jac Collinsworth.
Football nightthe most watched study program in sports since its debut in 2006, starts every Sunday at 19 A.M. The coordinating producer of FNIA is Matt Casey. FNIA is directed by Kaare Numme.
–FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA–
