INDIANAPOLIS – Bubba Ventrone is taking another step toward a career objective.

The Indianapolis Colts’ special teams coach is interviewing Wednesday for the team’s vacant head coaching position, according to NFL Network.

General manager Chris Ballard is leading the search, and has sought permission to interview at least five individuals outside of the organization.

Permission wasn’t necessary with Ventrone, and he’s an eager candidate.

“Yeah, I do aspire to be a head coach at some point, whenever the time is right in the right situation, whatever that may be,’’ he said last month.

It was thought Ventrone, 40, might get the interim head coaching position when the Colts fired Frank Reich. Instead, the team opted for long-time franchise icon Jeff Saturday.

The Colts also plan on interviewing Saturday.

Ventrone has been the Colts’ special teams coordinator since 2018 and oversaw a phase of the team that produced three All-Pros (Ashton Dulin, George Odum and Luke Rhodes).

It remained productive this season despite losing punter Rigoberto Sanchez to a torn Achilles’ during training camp and switching placekickers. Incumbent Rodrigo Blankenship was waived after missing a game-winning 42-yard field goal attempt in overtime of the season-opening 20-20 tie at Houston and replaced by Chase McLaughlin. McLaughlin converted 30-of-36 field goal attempts and all 21 PATs. He was 9-of-12 on attempts of at least 50 yards, and the nine successful 50-yarders set a franchise record.

Ventrone believes his special teams’ responsibilities that require him to be involved in every facet of the team is one of his strengths for any head coaching position.

“I feel I’m in tune with both the offense, defense, because I coach the field goal and field goal block units, so I know all the personnel,’’ he said. “I know all the players pretty well.

“They are all in my meetings every week. I have pretty good relationships with all those players. So I feel like relative to the offensive or defensive coordinator, I actually have those guys in my meetings with installs. I have those guys around me and I coach all of them the entire season.’’

Candidates from outside the organization include offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn of the Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen, Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris and Denver defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero.

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You can follow Mike Chappell on Twitter at @mchappell51.