Colts Promote Multiple Football Operations Personnel

Thursday the Indianapolis Colts promoted several of their front office staff as they prepare for the 2018 NFL season. Under second-year GM Chris Ballard the organization’s face lift of the front office’s personnel department has been widely accepted as fans appreciate some distance created from the staff from the past regime.

While the acquisition of these behind-the-scene contributors has been widely lauded, Ballard has now taken the steps to move them further up the ranks.

Ed Dodds Moves Up to Assistant GM

Dodds was brought in last season as the Colts’ vice president of player personnel after spending the bulk of his NFL career with the Seattle Seahawks (2007-16) in which he experienced a very successful decade that includes 5 division titles. Dodds was one of Ballard’s first additions after his hire and was widely considered to be a strong move to beef up the organization’s staff.

Dodds sports a heavy background in scouting which complements Ballard’s professional trajectory, not to mention them both spending time at Texas A&M Kingsville (Dodds’ alma mater) from where he graduated in 2003.

Brian Decker Earns Role as Director of Player Development

Decker was also added last season by Ballard, and was perhaps the most interesting with his background in the military as well as multiple professional sports. Decker was officially hired as Player Personnel Strategist in which he had previously worked to gauge player viability, based on his time doing similar work selecting and assessing the acquisitions of future Green Berets.

Decker’s unique interviewing skills were used to bring him into the league in Cleveland and under Ray Farmer he was allowed to put those skills to work in Combine interviews. Decker’s promotion suggests that his unique approach is being embraced in Indianapolis, and that Ballard sees a strong future in his helping him build a perennial contender with the right kind of players.

Anthony Coughlan Jumps to College Scouting Coordinator from Personnel Assistant

Like Dodds and Decker, Coughlan is entering his second season with the team. Coughlan is getting a nice bump on his desk’s nameplate in his sophomore season under Ballard as well. Hired as a player personnel assistant, Coughlan has been elevated to College Scouting Coordinator for the 2018 season.

Coughlan is making a quick name for himself with some impressive programs, and appears to fall in line with Ballard’s attempt to acquire some rising stars to the staff. Coughlan worked in public relations with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2015, and was brought in coming off the role as scouting assistant in 2016 at Ohio State.

Jon Shaw Rises to Assistant Director of Pro Scouting

One of the carryovers from the past regime, and even the one before that, is Jon Shaw who has spent 13 years with the Colts. Shaw, like most of this group, has built a long scouting background after joining the club in 2006 as an intern. Shaw has slowly climbed the ladder internally, and has earned a large promotion and is now working even closer with the top of the Colts’ decision-making totem.

Ballard continues to assemble the some of the brightest, young minds in hopes of constructing and maintaining one of the best football operations units in the league.