Colts bring back offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski

On the same day the Indianapolis Colts hired a new defensive coordinator in Ted Monachino, they brought back their offensive coordinator.  The team announced today that they have signed Rob Chudzinski to return to the role, meaning he will officially be back in 2016.

Chud took over the Colts' offensive coordinator duties midway through the 2015 season when the Colts fired Pep Hamilton, and during Chudzinski's time as offensive coordinator the Colts went 5-3.  In his first game as coordinator, the Colts beat the then-unbeaten Denver Broncos and their top-ranked defense thanks in large part to a great performance by Andrew Luck.  That was Chud's only game with Luck under center, however, as the quarterback was injured and wouldn't return.  Despite that, Chudzinski worked with a number of different quarterbacks to replace Luck and still managed to keep the offense somewhat functioning (though at many times it was very ugly).  During his time as offensive coordinator, the Colts went 5-3.

The interim tag has now been removed and Chud is officially the team's offensive coordinator.  He will have the offseason and training camp to install his system the way that he wants it, as last year he was handicapped by taking over Hamilton's offense mid-season, meaning he was unable to make many significant changes.  It will be interesting to see what changes, but at the very least it should provide consistency for Luck.  He's familiar with Chudzinski, who already is his third offensive coordinator through four seasons in the NFL.  It likely will also keep Clyde Christensen as quarterbacks coach, so the Colts will be able to maintain continuity around their franchise player.  The move also gives Chuck Pagano his guy as the offensive coordinator, which in addition to the hiring of Ted Monachino this afternoon as defensive coordinator should hopefully help the coaching staff become more unified.

Chudzinski enters his third season with the Colts and first as offensive coordinator.  He was hired in 2014 as a special assistant to head coach Chuck Pagano and then was brought back in 2015 as the associate head coach despite interest from other teams for their offensive coordinator openings.  Midway through the 2015 season, then, Chud took over the coordinator duties and will return in that role in 2016.  Before coming to the Colts, Chudzinski was the head coach for the Cleveland Browns for one season (2013), going 4-12 before he was fired after his first season.  Before that, he was the offensive coordinator of the Carolina Panthers for two seasons (2011-2012).  He was the tight ends coach and assistant head coach for the San Diego Chargers from 2009-2010, while he was the offensive coordinator of the Cleveland Browns from 2007-2008.  Chud has also spent extensive time serving as a tight ends coach during his career and also spent time coaching at the University of Miami, first as a tight ends coach and then as offensive coordinator (he won a national title as their offensive coordinator in addition to one as a player).