Colts' 2023 Head Coach Candidate: Ejiro Evero
The Indianapolis Colts enter the 2023 NFL offseason in need of a new head coach. Former Head Coach Frank Reich did an admirable job in his 4.5 years with the team, leading the Colts to a 40-33-1 record despite having to work with a new starting quarterback every season.
Ultimately, it came time to move on from Reich as the team stagnated and hit a wall under the him in recent seasons. While the Colts may not be the greatest destination across the league, they should be able to generate a decent amount of interest for one of the 32 most coveted positions in the sport.
In this series, I will dive into a handful of the coaching candidates that the Colts could/should interview during their search and break down their background/qualifications for the job. Next up, is Denver Broncos' Defensive Coordinator Ejiro Evero.
Background in the Football
Ejiro Evero played his college ball at UC Davis, where he was a productive safety in his four years with the team. He went undrafted in the 2004 NFL Draft, and he signed on with the Oakland Raiders soon after. That would be the only year that Evero spent in the NFL as a player, as he didn't make the Raiders' 53-man roster and opted to head back to UC Davis as an assistant coach.
Coaching Qualifications
Evero spent the first two seasons of his coaching career at his alma mater (UC Davis). Following the 2006 season, he made the jump to the NFL as a defensive quality control coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He spent three years with the team, working alongside some great defensive minds in Raheem Morris, Gus Bradley, and Monte Kiffin.
He made a quick pit stop as the special teams coach of the University of Redlands in 2010, before returning to the NFL in 2011. He joined Jim Harbaugh and his staff for the next five seasons, working in a variety of roles for the team. He began his stint with the team as a quality control coach.
From 2012-2013, Evero jumped over to the offensive side of the ball and learned as an assistant under coaches such as Greg Roman and Tom Rathman. He shifted back to the defensive side of the ball from 2014-2015, learning under coaches such as Vic Fangio and Ed Donatell.
Evero left the 49ers in 2016 to work as a defensive quality control coach with the Green Bay Packers. He joined Mike McCarthy's staff and was able to learn under an veteran defensive coordinator in Dom Capers. He spent a year with the team before heading out to Los Angeles to work under Wade Phillips.
Evero learned from the best in his four seasons as the Los Angeles Rams' safeties coach. He initially worked under Wade Phillips from 2018-2019 but then gained even more experience under Brandon Staley in 2020. He also spent a season working under his old colleague in Raheem Morris once Staley got the Los Angeles Chargers' head coaching job.
Nathaniel Hackett was named as the Denver Broncos' head coach prior to the 2022 season, and Evero received his first chance to be a defensive coordinator in the NFL. The Broncos' season was an abject disaster from the start, but Evero had the team's defense as one of the top units in the league for a majority of the year.
His defensive squad did wear down late in the season, but they still finished 15th in points allowed and 8th in total yards allowed on the year.
Potential Staff Connections
Evero has been coaching around the NFL since 2007, so his connections are pretty strong compared to other candidates in this series. Still, here are a few that could make sense for him. The * marks coaches that he'd likely look to bring with him as coordinators.
Offensive Coordinator
Brian Griese, San Francisco 49ers QB Coach: Played under Evero with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2008.
Thomas Brown*, Los Angeles Rams Passing Game Coordinator: RB coach with the Los Angeles Rams from 2020-2021.
Zac Robinson, Los Angeles Rams QB Coach: Assistant QB coach with the Los Angeles Rams from 2019-2021.
Chris O'Hara*, Minnesota Vikings QB Coach: Offensive assistant with the Los Angeles Rams in 2021.
Greg Roman, Baltimore Ravens Offensive Coordinator: Offensive coordinator with the San Francisco 49ers from 2011-2014.
Defensive Coordinator
Gus Bradley, Indianapolis Colts Defensive Coordinator: LB coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2006-2008.
Vic Fangio, Denver Broncos Former Head Coach: Defensive Coordinator with the San Francisco 49ers from 2011-2014.
Joe Whitt Jr*, Dallas Cowboys DB Coach: Passing game coordinator with the Green Bay Packers in 2016.
Eric Henderson*, Los Angeles Rams Defensive Line Coach: DL coach with the Los Angeles Rams from 2019-2022.
Chris Shula*, Los Angeles Rams Passing Game Coordinator: LB coach with the Los Angeles Rams from 2019-2021.
The Bottom Line
Ejiro Evero is young, upcoming head coach candidate that has one of the more impressive resumes this cycle. He has worked under some of the best defensive coaches of the last twenty years, and that experience showed in his one year stint with the Broncos.
It may be one cycle too early for Evero in 2023, but I would be more than happy with him as the Colts' head coach.
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