Indianapolis Colts

Report: Jim Irsay wants Jon Gruden as Colts head coach

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 4:37 p.m. ET

Sports Illustrated, SI Wire/Sports Illustrated

Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay wanted to make a push for ESPN analyst and former coach Jon Gruden to become the Colts' next head coach but he turned the idea down, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Irsay has also toyed around with the idea of making Peyton Manning the team's head of football operations, according to FOX Sports' Jay Glazer.

Irsay has denied any discussion with Irsay to Schefter but WTHR's Bob Kravitz reports that Irsay met with both Manning and Gruden recently.

Gruden prefers his role as a Monday Night Football analyst partly due to the coaching restrictions of the NFL's collective bargaining agreement, Schefter reports.

The Colts finished the season with an 8–8 record and missed the playoffs for a second consecutive year.