Bill Cowher calls the Colts’ hiring of Jeff Saturday a ‘disgrace’

The shocking decision by Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay to fire Frank Reich, and replace him with consultant Jeff Saturday as the team’s interim coach, left the NFL world stunned. While Saturday, the former center, has experience coaching at the high school level, he has never served as a coach, in any capacity, in the collegiate or professional ranks.

Earlier this week, former offensive tackle Joe Thomas blasted the move, offering this incredible quote in his capacity as an analyst with the NFL Network: “This is the most egregious thing I’ve ever seen in the NFL, and I went 1-31 my last two years.”

On Sunday, as part of the CBS pregame show, former Pittsburgh Steelers coach — and Hall of Famer — Bill Cowher joined the chorus of those questioning the decision.

And Cowher did not hold back.

In what looked to be a prepared statement — Cowher seemed to be checking his notes at ties — the former head coach talked at length about how coaching is not a profession, but a lifestyle. He discussed how Saturday was offered a position as an assistant in Indianapolis multiple times, but turned down those jobs to focus on his television career, and to spend time with his family.

Cowher then talked about how Saturday mentioned last week how he viewed the opportunity in Indianapolis as a chance to build his resum, and then asked about the assistants already on staff, and their resumes.

He then concluded, by calling the move “a disgrace to the coaching profession:”

Saturday will finally take the field as a head coach late in the day Sunday, as the Colts travel west to take on the Las Vegas Raiders.

It seems the entire NFL world will be watching, to see how his debut unfolds.