Ryan Grigson, General Manager
Owner & CEO Jim Irsay and the Colts organization were meticulous and dedicated in the extensive search for the team’s next general manager. Throughout numerous high-quality candidates, Ryan Grigson emerged as the soundest choice based on his proven track record and leadership qualities in past personnel positions. Irsay and the organization made Grigson’s hiring official on January 11, 2012.
“I picked Ryan because I felt that he had a vision, that he had an intelligence, that he had a depth of perception and awareness and that he was capable of taking it up to the next level,” said Irsay. “I couldn’t be more excited. I think as we go forward Ryan is a riser. He is a guy who is going to continue to get better. He has all the tools and all the talent to continue to rise up to this next level of being a general manager.”
Grigson comes to the Colts following a nine-year stint with the Philadelphia Eagles, most recently as the director of player personnel from 2010-2011. He began his NFL scouting career as the national combine scout and area scout for the St. Louis Rams (1999-2003). Grigson then joined the Eagles as a regional scout (2004-2005) prior to being elevated as the team’s director of college scouting (2006-2009).
“My goal is to bring this team back to where it was, and build off of that and do great things,” said Grigson. “I am confident based on where I’ve come from, how I came up in this business, making every little step along the way, and learning valuable lessons with every one of those steps leading up to becoming a general manager today."
In Grigson’s short tenure with the team, he has already made several decisions which will greatly impact the future of the franchise, including the hiring of a head coach and the drafting of the team’s next franchise quarterback.
Just weeks after accepting the general manager position, Grigson, in conjunction with Jim Irsay, selected Chuck Pagano, a 28-year coaching veteran to lead the Colts. Pagano spent the last four seasons with the Baltimore Ravens and served as the team’s defensive coordinator in 2011. Over his last four years with the Ravens, the defense ranked second in the NFL in net yards allowed, second in points per game allowed and third in pass defense. It was Pagano’s energetic persona, exceptional coaching prowess and intelligence that swayed Grigson’s decision.
With a roster that has seen numerous changes from the 2011 campaign, Grigson was next responsible for bringing in a free agent class that featured a mix of veteran leadership, experience and depth. He brought in the likes of Cory Redding and Brandon McKinney who will make an immediate impact on the defensive line as well as safety Tom Zbikowski. All three played under Coach Pagano in Baltimore. Grigson made additions to the offensive line having acquired Winston Justice in a trade and signing Samson Satele and Mike McGlynn. He added depth to the quarterback position, executing a trade for Drew Stanton and strengthened the wide receiver corps with the acquisition of Donnie Avery.
Perhaps Grigson’s most significant move in the offseason came within the 2012 NFL Draft. With the first overall selection, the Colts chose quarterback Andrew Luck who is primed to be the team’s next franchise quarterback. Luck compiled an impressive career at Stanford, leaving the school as the most accurate passer in team history (67 percent). As a two-time Heisman Trophy finalist, he established a new Cardinal career record with 82 touchdown passes while ranking fourth in school history with 713 completions. In total Grigson added eight offensive players through the draft, including tight ends Coby Fleener (second round) and Dwayne Allen (third round), wide receiver T.Y. Hilton (third round), running back Vick Ballard (fifth round), wide receiver LaVon Brazill (sixth round), offensive guard Justin Anderson (seventh round) and quarterback Chandler Harnish (seventh round). He also brought in defensive tackle Josh Chapman (fifth round) and linebacker Tim Fugger (seventh round) on the defensive side of the ball.
As a college talent evaluator with Philadelphia, Grigson was responsible for the draft selections of running back LeSean McCoy (2009), wide receivers Jeremy Maclin (2009), DeSean Jackson (2008) and Jason Avant (2006), tight end Brent Celek (2007) and defensive tackle Trevor Laws (2008). Both Jackson (two) and McCoy (one) were selected to the Pro Bowl. McCoy was the second leading rusher in the NFC in 2011 (1,309) while setting Eagles’ franchise records for overall touchdowns (20) and rushing touchdowns (17).
Serving as the Eagles director of player personnel for the last two seasons (2010-2011), Grigson was instrumental in the signing of free agents, cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, defensive end Jason Babin, running back Ronnie Brown and defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins. He also helped orchestrate a trade which sent quarterback Kevin Kolb to the Arizona Cardinals for cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and a second round selection in the 2012 NFL Draft. The free agent class along with Rodgers-Cromartie combined to start 56 games while Babin ranked third in the NFL with 18.0 sacks, earning his second career Pro Bowl nod.
During Grigson’s 13 years in the NFL, he has been part of teams that have made the playoffs on nine occasions, including three trips to the Super Bowl, while enduring only two seasons below .500. He has helped mine the talent on rosters that have gone a combined 131-76-1 during the regular season over the course of his career.
A native of Highland, Indiana, Grigson played collegiate football at Purdue University and was a captain of the Boilermakers during the 1994 season.
Grigson was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the sixth round (175th overall) of the 1995 NFL Draft. He was released by the Bengals in training camp and picked up by the Detroit Lions where he spent the majority of the season on the active roster before being placed on Injured Reserve. Grigson played with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League in 1997 prior to retiring. He was a pro scout for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the CFL in 1998 as well as an assistant coach for McPherson College that same year. Grigson made a stop with the Buffalo Destroyers (AFL) as the team’s player personnel coordinator/assistant coach before starting with the St. Louis Rams.
Grigson and his wife, Cynthia, have five children, Sophia, Noah, Luke, Levi and Ava.
What They Are Saying About Ryan Grigson
Philadelphia Eagles Head Coach Andy Reid:
“I have the utmost confidence in Ryan and not just because he’s an ex-offensive lineman. You’re talking about a guy who is a Purdue graduate and you have to have a little aptitude to go to Purdue. You’re looking at a smart guy. (He) has a phenomenal work ethic and he’s as honest as you can imagine. You will know exactly where you stand with Ryan. Whether you’re a player on the Colts, whether you’re in the front office or a coach. I think that will help him when it’s all said and done. It’s going to be tough for him his first year. He wouldn’t be in that position if it wasn’t going to be a tough situation. You don’t get jobs in this league unless there’s been an issue prior to (it). He’s following a legend and someone who I have the utmost respect for. That’s not an easy thing. But (Ryan) is wired right to do that because of his work ethic and honesty. He’ll bring in tough players. He’s going to bring in guys who love to play the game. I’ve been with him in too many drafts not to know he loves those guys that enjoy the grit and nastiness of this sport. I think today is the day that the Colts start to rise. It’s an opportunity on draft day for him to really make a mark on the future of the Indianapolis Colts, which is one heck of an organization.”
Philadelphia Eagles General Manager Howie Roseman:
“Although we will miss Ryan personally and professionally we could not be happier for him. He has been a great advisor to me and somebody I have leaned on to bounce ideas off of many times over my career. He leaves no stone left unturned in his efforts to find good players and we were lucky to have him here in Philadelphia. In addition to his skills as a talent evaluator, we can’t say enough about Ryan as a person. He is one of the best family men I have come across in the NFL and we wish him, Cynthia and his children all the best.”
Cleveland Browns General Manager Tom Heckert:
"Ryan is one of the hardest workers and best evaluators I have been around. He has always done a great job of putting the whole process together to find players. He knows how to judge character, work ethic and what he sees on tape to come up with the right players. I think Indianapolis will be in great hands for years to come."
Houston Texans General Manager Rick Smith:
“Ryan has feel and savvy. He understands social dynamics. I never really felt like Ryan was outside of himself, or that he was trying to be something other than that what he was. That’s an important thing, in my opinion, to leadership. You have to know when to assert yourself and you have to know when to step back. You have to know when to talk and when to just lead by example. He certainly has that.”
Cincinnati Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Line Coach Paul Alexander:
"There are some guys who can sit at a horse race and watch the horses walk by before the race and pick the winner by the way it walks. They say Paul Brown (the Bengals founder) could tell if a guy could play by the way he tied his shoes. I've always sensed that's how Ryan is. I think he’s a great evaluator of talent. He’s able to see the big picture. I think the guys he has recommended for St. Louis and Philadelphia over the years have knocked it out of the park. I would anticipate that he will be astute enough to keep the players he believes are worthy and be able to bring in new players who he feels are worthy also.”
Former NFL fullback and Purdue teammate Mike Alstott:
“He’s going to work hard, there is no question about that. He is going to do whatever it takes to win. I know that, in whatever responsibility he has. That’s what I saw in him when I was with him at Purdue. Whatever it took, extra time, coming in early, staying late, he did it. He worked harder than anyone else to get the job done.”
Former Purdue Head Coach Jim Colletto on Grigson’s experience at Purdue:
“The players had great respect for him. I don’t think there would be a player on the Purdue teams that he played on who doesn’t have a lot of respect for Ryan. Then he had the injury he had to fight through when he got hurt against Minnesota and he was sick and in the hospital for a long, long time. He’s persevered through a lot, and you won’t find anyone who has a bad word for him, or who doesn’t have respect for him.”
Ryan Grigson, General Manager
Owner & CEO Jim Irsay and the Colts organization were meticulous and dedicated in the extensive search for the team’s next general manager. Throughout numerous high-quality candidates, Ryan Grigson emerged as the soundest choice based on his proven track record and leadership qualities in past personnel positions. Irsay and the organization made Grigson’s hiring official on January 11, 2012.
“I picked Ryan because I felt that he had a vision, that he had an intelligence, that he had a depth of perception and awareness and that he was capable of taking it up to the next level,” said Irsay. “I couldn’t be more excited. I think as we go forward Ryan is a riser. He is a guy who is going to continue to get better. He has all the tools and all the talent to continue to rise up to this next level of being a general manager.”
Grigson comes to the Colts following a nine-year stint with the Philadelphia Eagles, most recently as the director of player personnel from 2010-2011. He began his NFL scouting career as the national combine scout and area scout for the St. Louis Rams (1999-2003). Grigson then joined the Eagles as a regional scout (2004-2005) prior to being elevated as the team’s director of college scouting (2006-2009).
“My goal is to bring this team back to where it was, and build off of that and do great things,” said Grigson. “I am confident based on where I’ve come from, how I came up in this business, making every little step along the way, and learning valuable lessons with every one of those steps leading up to becoming a general manager today."
In Grigson’s short tenure with the team, he has already made several decisions which will greatly impact the future of the franchise, including the hiring of a head coach and the drafting of the team’s next franchise quarterback.
Just weeks after accepting the general manager position, Grigson, in conjunction with Jim Irsay, selected Chuck Pagano, a 28-year coaching veteran to lead the Colts. Pagano spent the last four seasons with the Baltimore Ravens and served as the team’s defensive coordinator in 2011. Over his last four years with the Ravens, the defense ranked second in the NFL in net yards allowed, second in points per game allowed and third in pass defense. It was Pagano’s energetic persona, exceptional coaching prowess and intelligence that swayed Grigson’s decision.
With a roster that has seen numerous changes from the 2011 campaign, Grigson was next responsible for bringing in a free agent class that featured a mix of veteran leadership, experience and depth. He brought in the likes of Cory Redding and Brandon McKinney who will make an immediate impact on the defensive line as well as safety Tom Zbikowski. All three played under Coach Pagano in Baltimore. Grigson made additions to the offensive line having acquired Winston Justice in a trade and signing Samson Satele and Mike McGlynn. He added depth to the quarterback position, executing a trade for Drew Stanton and strengthened the wide receiver corps with the acquisition of Donnie Avery.
Perhaps Grigson’s most significant move in the offseason came within the 2012 NFL Draft. With the first overall selection, the Colts chose quarterback Andrew Luck who is primed to be the team’s next franchise quarterback. Luck compiled an impressive career at Stanford, leaving the school as the most accurate passer in team history (67 percent). As a two-time Heisman Trophy finalist, he established a new Cardinal career record with 82 touchdown passes while ranking fourth in school history with 713 completions. In total Grigson added eight offensive players through the draft, including tight ends Coby Fleener (second round) and Dwayne Allen (third round), wide receiver T.Y. Hilton (third round), running back Vick Ballard (fifth round), wide receiver LaVon Brazill (sixth round), offensive guard Justin Anderson (seventh round) and quarterback Chandler Harnish (seventh round). He also brought in defensive tackle Josh Chapman (fifth round) and linebacker Tim Fugger (seventh round) on the defensive side of the ball.
As a college talent evaluator with Philadelphia, Grigson was responsible for the draft selections of running back LeSean McCoy (2009), wide receivers Jeremy Maclin (2009), DeSean Jackson (2008) and Jason Avant (2006), tight end Brent Celek (2007) and defensive tackle Trevor Laws (2008). Both Jackson (two) and McCoy (one) were selected to the Pro Bowl. McCoy was the second leading rusher in the NFC in 2011 (1,309) while setting Eagles’ franchise records for overall touchdowns (20) and rushing touchdowns (17).
Serving as the Eagles director of player personnel for the last two seasons (2010-2011), Grigson was instrumental in the signing of free agents, cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, defensive end Jason Babin, running back Ronnie Brown and defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins. He also helped orchestrate a trade which sent quarterback Kevin Kolb to the Arizona Cardinals for cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and a second round selection in the 2012 NFL Draft. The free agent class along with Rodgers-Cromartie combined to start 56 games while Babin ranked third in the NFL with 18.0 sacks, earning his second career Pro Bowl nod.
During Grigson’s 13 years in the NFL, he has been part of teams that have made the playoffs on nine occasions, including three trips to the Super Bowl, while enduring only two seasons below .500. He has helped mine the talent on rosters that have gone a combined 131-76-1 during the regular season over the course of his career.
A native of Highland, Indiana, Grigson played collegiate football at Purdue University and was a captain of the Boilermakers during the 1994 season.
Grigson was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the sixth round (175th overall) of the 1995 NFL Draft. He was released by the Bengals in training camp and picked up by the Detroit Lions where he spent the majority of the season on the active roster before being placed on Injured Reserve. Grigson played with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League in 1997 prior to retiring. He was a pro scout for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the CFL in 1998 as well as an assistant coach for McPherson College that same year. Grigson made a stop with the Buffalo Destroyers (AFL) as the team’s player personnel coordinator/assistant coach before starting with the St. Louis Rams.
Grigson and his wife, Cynthia, have five children, Sophia, Noah, Luke, Levi and Ava.
What They Are Saying About Ryan Grigson
Philadelphia Eagles Head Coach Andy Reid:
“I have the utmost confidence in Ryan and not just because he’s an ex-offensive lineman. You’re talking about a guy who is a Purdue graduate and you have to have a little aptitude to go to Purdue. You’re looking at a smart guy. (He) has a phenomenal work ethic and he’s as honest as you can imagine. You will know exactly where you stand with Ryan. Whether you’re a player on the Colts, whether you’re in the front office or a coach. I think that will help him when it’s all said and done. It’s going to be tough for him his first year. He wouldn’t be in that position if it wasn’t going to be a tough situation. You don’t get jobs in this league unless there’s been an issue prior to (it). He’s following a legend and someone who I have the utmost respect for. That’s not an easy thing. But (Ryan) is wired right to do that because of his work ethic and honesty. He’ll bring in tough players. He’s going to bring in guys who love to play the game. I’ve been with him in too many drafts not to know he loves those guys that enjoy the grit and nastiness of this sport. I think today is the day that the Colts start to rise. It’s an opportunity on draft day for him to really make a mark on the future of the Indianapolis Colts, which is one heck of an organization.”
Philadelphia Eagles General Manager Howie Roseman:
“Although we will miss Ryan personally and professionally we could not be happier for him. He has been a great advisor to me and somebody I have leaned on to bounce ideas off of many times over my career. He leaves no stone left unturned in his efforts to find good players and we were lucky to have him here in Philadelphia. In addition to his skills as a talent evaluator, we can’t say enough about Ryan as a person. He is one of the best family men I have come across in the NFL and we wish him, Cynthia and his children all the best.”
Cleveland Browns General Manager Tom Heckert:
"Ryan is one of the hardest workers and best evaluators I have been around. He has always done a great job of putting the whole process together to find players. He knows how to judge character, work ethic and what he sees on tape to come up with the right players. I think Indianapolis will be in great hands for years to come."
Houston Texans General Manager Rick Smith:
“Ryan has feel and savvy. He understands social dynamics. I never really felt like Ryan was outside of himself, or that he was trying to be something other than that what he was. That’s an important thing, in my opinion, to leadership. You have to know when to assert yourself and you have to know when to step back. You have to know when to talk and when to just lead by example. He certainly has that.”
Cincinnati Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Line Coach Paul Alexander:
"There are some guys who can sit at a horse race and watch the horses walk by before the race and pick the winner by the way it walks. They say Paul Brown (the Bengals founder) could tell if a guy could play by the way he tied his shoes. I've always sensed that's how Ryan is. I think he’s a great evaluator of talent. He’s able to see the big picture. I think the guys he has recommended for St. Louis and Philadelphia over the years have knocked it out of the park. I would anticipate that he will be astute enough to keep the players he believes are worthy and be able to bring in new players who he feels are worthy also.”
Former NFL fullback and Purdue teammate Mike Alstott:
“He’s going to work hard, there is no question about that. He is going to do whatever it takes to win. I know that, in whatever responsibility he has. That’s what I saw in him when I was with him at Purdue. Whatever it took, extra time, coming in early, staying late, he did it. He worked harder than anyone else to get the job done.”
Former Purdue Head Coach Jim Colletto on Grigson’s experience at Purdue:
“The players had great respect for him. I don’t think there would be a player on the Purdue teams that he played on who doesn’t have a lot of respect for Ryan. Then he had the injury he had to fight through when he got hurt against Minnesota and he was sick and in the hospital for a long, long time. He’s persevered through a lot, and you won’t find anyone who has a bad word for him, or who doesn’t have respect for him.”
The Indianapolis Colts will be hosting the third annual Blue Evening at the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center for Blue Ladies members. A Blue Evening is an exclusive event for Blue Ladies members only.
