Colts fire GM Grigson
Published 1:30 am Saturday, January 21, 2017
Associated Press
INDIANAPOLIS — Ryan Grigson spent everything he could to bring another Super Bowl title to Indianapolis.
He paid a heavy price for coming up short.
On Saturday, Colts owner Jim Irsay fired his general manager after five up-and-down years that ended with Indy missing the playoffs in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1997-98.
“We are in the business of professional football and that is the business of winning,” Irsay said during a 20-minute news conference at the team headquarters. “It’s about winning and you do everything you can to make sure you are in the position to win, period.”
After almost three weeks of silence from the Colts, the assumption was that Irsay would again surprise Colts’ fans by keeping Grigson and coach Chuck Pagano for another season.
Instead, Irsay took time to analyze his own franchise and sought advice from outsiders such as former Super Bowl-winning coach and current ESPN commentator Jon Gruden. Eventually, he reached the same conclusion fans did weeks earlier — a change was needed.
So a little more than a year after announcing Grigson and Pagano had both received contract extensions through the 2019 season, Grigson is out.
Grigson’s blunt personality didn’t always mesh with Pagano.
Irsay even acknowledged last summer he asked the two men to resolve their differences before giving them new deals. On Saturday, Irsay said they got along better than the public believed and cited a statement issued later by Pagano as evidence.
Irsay even acknowledged last summer he asked the two men to resolve their differences before giving them new deals. On Saturday, Irsay said they got along better than the public believed and cited a statement issued later by Pagano as evidence.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity Ryan gave me,” Pagano said. “We shared many great memories, moments and victories together over the past five years.”
