FanHouse HowardMudd

Training camps have wrapped up, the NFL season is right around the corner, and it's still hot as sin outside. But instead of cooling you off with a warm island song, FanHouse break out ye old heat check for our 2009 NFL Season Previews. " We'll rate each club in 5 categories on a scale of 1 to 10, high score wins.

For most franchises, 12 wins is a banner year; one they can hang their proverbial hats upon. For the Colts, 12 wins is a certainly. They have won at least 12 games in each of the last six seasons. They have also had Tony Dungy as their head coach for the past seven years, but now he's gone. In 2009, the Colts will look for some continuity. Can it be provided by the Jim Caldwell administration?

Over the past decade, the Indianapolis Colts have been one of the most successful franchises in sports. Some constants (Peyton Manning, for example) are easily identifiable to the casual football fan, while others are not. Howard Mudd is part of the latter group.

Mudd is a 67-year-old offensive line coach. He has been with the Colts since 1998. Along with offensive coordinator Tom Moore -- who also started with the Colts in '98 -- Mudd retired in May due to concerns with the NFL's pension plan. The Colts then brought both back under different titles, though they will hold the same duties this upcoming season. For Mudd, 2009 will be his last season as a football coach.

The Indianapolis Colts are one of the premier franchises in the NFL at the present. Since 1999, they've made the playoffs and won 10 games in all but one season. They've won at least 12 games in the past six. They've had offensive coordinator Tom Moore and offensive line coach Howard Mudd in place during that entire timespan. Tony Dungy was the head coach for the past seven. All three have now departed.

Their replacements are Jim Caldwell (head coach), Clyde Christensen (offensive coordinator) and Pete Metzelaars (offensive line coach). Translation: The Colts just drastically downgraded at three very important coaching positions.

The Indianapolis Colts have already had to replace their head coach this off-season. Now they're in danger of losing two of their most important assistants as well.

Former Cowboys and Dolphins head coach Jimmy Johnson appeared on the Mike and the Mad Dog radio show on Friday to talk about a wide variety of NFL-related topics, including Patriotgate.

And Johnson reiterated his previous statement that he believes what the Patriots did -- violating NFL rules by videotaping the opposing coaches' signals -- is commonplace. Johnson also said he did it himself.

Specifically, Johnson said Howard Mudd, the Colts' offensive line coach, "was the best in the entire league at stealing signals" when Mudd was an assistant to Marty Schottenheimer with the Kansas City Chiefs from 1989 to 1992.

Johnson and Patriots coach Bill Belichick are buddies -- Johnson says during the interview that the two of them go fishing together every off-season -- so it's no surprise that Johnson would try to minimize Belichick's transgressions. But it is a surprise that Johnson would name Mudd specifically. Johnson didn't claim that Mudd still does it, but the accusation is now out there, and Mudd will be asked to respond.

Hat tip: Pro Football Talk.