Indianapolis Colts

Colts owner Jim Irsay says Chris Ballard is best GM candidate in 21st century

Published Jan. 30, 2017 7:57 p.m. ET

Nunzio Ingrassia

Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay definitely doesn’t have buyer’s remorse regarding his new general manager. Irsay gushed over his new addition, Chris Ballard, during an introductory news conference Monday, one day after Ballard was hired.

“I was thinking about this, and I think I can say it with some expertise and some wisdom is that I really feel, to me, Chris is the best candidate for general manager that has come about so far in the 21st century,” Irsay said, via the Associated Press. “That’s how impressed we were with him. His energy, his experience, his vision.”

The Colts better hope Irsay is right about Ballard, who replaces Ryan Grigson. Indianapolis is coming off its second consecutive 8-8 season after making the playoffs each of the previous three years, and Grigson was the one to go when he and coach Chuck Pagano didn't have the best working relationship and the on-field results leveled off.

"There was no other option. It was Chuck Pagano," Ballard said when asked about sticking with Pagano. "Chuck Pagano is a good football coach in the NFL -- three 11-5 seasons, went to the AFC championship game. It's tough to win in this league, and he's won 49 games."

Getting quarterback Andrew Luck some help on the offensive line will likely be one of Ballard’s top priorities. Luck was sacked 41 times last season, the second time in his career he has been sacked that many times.