INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indianapolis Colts announced Sunday evening they hired their new General Manager: Chris Ballard.
Ballard comes to the Colts from the Kansas City Chiefs, but has focused on personnel and scouting in the NFL for more than 15 years.
Team owner Jim Irsay introduced him at a press conference Monday, calling him the "best candidate in the 21st Century."
Ballard said he was drawn to Indianapolis because of the loyal ownership, the tradition of the team and its history. Watch the full press conference in the video player at the top of this story or below.
He joined Kansas City as their director of player personnel in 2013, then was promoted to director of football operations in 2015. Before that, he was with the Chicago Bears for 12 years as a member of their scouting team.
During Ballard's time with the Chiefs, they have been one of the AFC's most consistent squads, winning at least nine games each year and earning a No. 2 seed in the playoffs this season.
With Ballard in Kansas City, the Chiefs drafted Pro Bowlers Travis Kelce (TE), Marcus Peters (CB) and Tyreek Hill (KR/WR).
As a scout for the Bears, Ballard built a roster that reached the Super Bowl in 2006 (a game the Colts won) and a defensive unit that was known as one of the toughest in the game.
Ballard has been a coveted GM candidate over the past few years among teams across the league.
A press conference is expected some time Monday to introduce Ballard, but a time was not released as of Sunday evening.
We have hired Chris Ballard as the Colts General Manager: https://t.co/YxMpIAxMBV pic.twitter.com/wIcpseC4zC
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) January 29, 2017
The Colts interviewed six candidates after dismissing Ryan Grigson from the position earlier this month.
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