The Indianapolis Colts are turning to an experienced in-house executive after firing general manager Chris Ballard.
According to NFL insider Tom Pelissero, assistant GM Ed Dodds will oversee the personnel department for the remainder of the season. Head coach Shane Steichen and football staff outside of personnel will report directly to ownership.
Colts assistant general manager Ed Dodds will lead the team’s personnel department for the rest of the season, sources tell @ringer @netflixsports.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 19, 2026
A candidate for several GM jobs in recent years, Dodds now takes over a 2-4 Colts roster with 22 days to the trade deadline.… pic.twitter.com/6upPSSkKHo
So, who is Dodds?
The Kingsville, Texas, native joined Indianapolis in 2017 as vice president of player
personnel and earned a promotion to assistant GM in 2018. Previously, Dodds spent 10 seasons (2007-16) with the Seattle Seahawks, climbing from pro personnel to senior personnel executive.
He helped the organization through two Super Bowl appearances, including its Super Bowl XLVIII victory.
His NFL career began with the Oakland Raiders in 2003 following a stint as a student coach at Texas A&M-Kingsville, his alma mater.
Dodds has also attracted considerable interest around the league. He interviewed twice for the Tennessee Titans' GM opening in 2025 and interviewed with the Carolina Panthers, Los Angeles Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders for GM positions in 2024.
He now inherits a 2-4 Colts team approaching the Nov. 10 trade deadline. While Dodds will oversee personnel operations in the interim, owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon has said Indianapolis will conduct a thorough search for its next permanent general manager.
This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: Who is Ed Dodds? Meet Colts exec taking over after Ballard firing
