Indianapolis Colts Rumors: Could Mark Richt Be an NFL Coaching Option After Leaving Georgia?

Following his mutual decision to leave the Georgia Bulldogs, could Mark Richt's name begin coming up in Indianapolis Colts rumors as an option to be an NFL head coach to take over for Chuck Pagano?

There is no question that Pagano has been on the hot seat throughout the majority of the season. Pep Hamilton has already been fired and there are many believe that Jim Irsay is already planning to make a move at the head coach position next. Pagano hasn't been able to live up to the hype this season, but the team is now sitting at 6-5 and are legitimate playoff contenders still.

Richt was an absolute legend at the college level and there is no denying that he would make a great NFL coach. A team like Indianapolis would be a perfect fit for him, as they could offer him a lot of control and a roster already set to compete with him leading the way.

During his 15 seasons as the head coach of the Bulldogs, Richt compiled a 145-51 record.

Indianapolis isn't going to move on from Pagano just to hire another no name head coach. They are going to want to bring in a big name and Richt would be the type of name that Irsay would be looking to bring on board.

To answer the original question, the answer is an obvious yes. Richt will likely want to continue his coaching career and won't necessarily limit his options to college football. After such a prestigious career at Georgia, there is a chance that he is both ready for a jump to the next level as well as cautious about joining another school.

At 55 years old, Richt still has a lot of time left as a football coach. He could be a long-term pickup for the Colts and it would be very intriguing to see whether or not his system would work at the NFL level.

Assembling the right coaching staff around him would be a must for the Colts. They would want to bring in an offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator that have experience who could help Richt get on his feet in the NFL. There are plenty of coaches around that could do just that for him.

If the Colts want to make a bold move this offseason that could pay off in a big way for them, hiring Richt could be the big step forward that they need to make.