Colts owner Jim Irsay: Ryan Grigson has surpassed Bill Polian
By Jesse Reed
Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay has a penchant for making eyebrow-raising comments, and he did so once again speaking about current general manager Ryan Grigson.
Many figured head coach Chuck Pagano and Grigson would be goners after the team’s mediocre season. However, Irsay ended up signing Pagano to a four-year extension to keep him, and Grigson’s job is safe, too.
Not only that, but it appears Irsay thinks the world of the GM.
“Bill Polian has gone into the Hall of Fame,” Irsay said Monday night, via Mike Wells of ESPN.com. “Ryan has outdone him.”
Most people who have covered the Colts and the NFL in general have marveled at just how inept Grigson has been the past few years. From his ill-advised deal to trade a first-round pick for Trent Richardson to his continued inability to protect Andrew Luck to his failure to stock the defense with talent, Grigson is generally viewed as overrated.
On top of that, stories came out this past week, via Bob Kravitz of WTHR Sports, about Grigson’s continued meddling. He reportedly had control over which players Pagano was allowed to play and over disciplinary measures.
These are typically the domain of the head coach, and many wondered if it might be better for Irsay to let Grigson go and keep Pagano, rather than the other way around.
But Irsay shocked everyone, keeping both men on board.
Then this statement kind of served as a cherry on top of this dysfunctional NFL brass sundae.
Granted, Irsay was talking about Polian’s first four years compared to Grigson’s first four years, but it’s still hard to stomach the comparison. Sure, he made the right (and obvious) choice to draft Luck over Robert Griffin III, and he did draft some talented receivers to play alongside him, but the rest of the roster is a mess.
That said, Irsay is the man with the checkbook. He can pretty much say whatever he wants to say.
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