Colts fire linebackers coach Jeff FitzGerald

The Indianapolis Colts opted to keep head coach Chuck Pagano for continuity's sake, but they are undergoing massive changes on his coaching staff.  They will have at least a new defensive coordinator (Ted Monachino), new safeties coach, new secondary coach, new running backs coach, new tight ends coach, and new strength and conditioning coach.  They might have a new offensive line coach as well, and now it sounds like they'll need a new linebackers coach.

As first reported by FOX Sports' Alex Marvez, the Colts have fired linebackers coach Jeff FitzGerald.  The team has since confirmed the move, saying they "parted ways" with FitzGerald.  The move comes just one day after the team's hiring of Ted Monachino as defensive coordinator, and considering the fact that Monachino was the linebackers coach in Baltimore, it makes sense he'd want his own guy running that position in Indianapolis.

FitzGerald was hired by the Colts in 2012 as a part of Chuck Pagano's initial coaching staff, and during his time in Indianapolis he coached guys like Jerrell Freeman, D'Qwell Jackson, Pat Angerer, Erik Walden, and others.  While Jackson made his first career Pro Bowl while playing for FitzGerald in 2014, perhaps the most notable accomplishment of FitzGerald's time in Indianapolis was Jerrell Freeman, who was signed out of the CFL and has started for the Colts over the past four seasons.  Before coming to Indianapolis, FitzGerald spent four seasons as the Bengals' linebackers coach (2008-2011), four seasons as the Ravens' linebackers coach (2004-2007), three seasons as the Cardinals' linebackers coach (2001-2003), and two seasons as the Redskins' linebackers coach (1998-1999).  During his time in Baltimore, he became just the second linebackers coach in NFL history to have four of his players make the Pro Bowl in the same season (Ray Lewis, Bart Scott, Terrell Suggs, and Adalius Thomas).