Colts Offensive Coaches Retire

ProFootballTalk.com is reporting that the Colts are going to be without a few assistants next season.

Colts offensive line coach Howard Mudd and offensive coordinator Tom Moore have filed their retirement papers, the Indianapolis Star reports.

The news comes from owner Jim Irsay.

“We’ve made it through a number of transitions in the past and we’ll make it through this one,’’ Irsay said. “I’m very pleased with the direction we’re headed.”

The reason(s) for the moves still aren’t completely clear. Though the Colts haven’t and won’t be opting out of the league-run pension plan, multiple league sources have told us that the ability of coaches over the age of 65 to take their retirement benefits as a lump sum could be jeopardized if the plan collectively falls below 80-percent funding.

Another league source disagrees. “Federal law requires the plans to be 80-percent funded,” the source said. “And the plan certainly doesn’t discriminate against someone based on age. If you’re vested, you’re vested and the team has paid in for you. Everyone takes the lump sum.”

Meanwhile, another source tells us that Mudd’s retirement relates to his interpretation of the pension issue (correct or incorrect), but that Moore wanted to go when coach Tony Dungy retired, and that Moore has seized upon the pension issue as a way to avoid appearing disloyal.

Bottom line? If the Colts wanted to keep these guys, they’d find a way to persuade Moore and Mudd to stay — even if it meant giving them more money.

Here is the discussion thread.

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