The Colts hir Chris Ballard as GM

[Coltsalr]

This is just so weird.

Did Irsay insist on Pagano and Ballard just decided that the job with the Colt sis so great that he'll live with such a ridiculous demand? I mean, this guy turned down an interview with the 49ers, so he seems like he was picky about his job.

Did Ballard just decide that Pagano is a worthy candidate for hire? I guess if there's one thing Pagano does do well, it's interview for his own job. He apparently sold Irsay quite well in 2012, he got him to extend him after the 2015 season and he apparently duped Ballard as well? The Chiefs whooped our asses 30-14 at home this year, it's not like Ballard would have come away from them game impressed by what he saw from the opposing sideline.

Is this just them making nice before he's evaluated/possibly fired? I mean, okay fine, but they could have toned the rhetoric a bit. Jim Caldwell thought he was staying in 2012, but if there's one thing that Irsay/Grigson did right, they weren't talking about him publicly being back. If Pagano is canned, this will be an abrupt about-face and the Colts will likely face come PR backlash for it (which I would argue would be certainly worth it).

Like I said, this is just...weird...