The Indianapolis Colts today announced numerous promotions within its football operations.
Nick Bayh has been named strategic football analyst. He is entering his second year with the Colts after spending the past season as a personnel assistant. Prior to joining the Colts, Bayh was a military intelligence officer for the United States Army Reserve. He also served as a business analyst for McKinsey & Company. Bayh graduated from Harvard University with a bachelor's degree in economics and received his MBA from Harvard Business School.
Mikey Blazejowski has been elevated to assistant sports science/analytics. He is entering his second season with the Colts after serving as sports performance intern in 2022. Prior to Indianapolis, Blazejowski was the director of sports science (football and women's lacrosse), strength & conditioning graduate assistant and graduate strength & conditioning intern at his alma mater, Springfield College. He also served in previous football internships at the University of Tennessee, University of Minnesota, XFL, Vanderbilt and University of Massachusetts Amherst. Blazejowski earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from Springfield College.
Matt Conti has been named vice president of football communications. He is entering his 13th season with the Colts. Conti previously served as senior director of football communications (2021-22), director of football communications (2018-20), assistant director of communications (2013-17) and football communications manager (2011-12). He helped lead the staff that won the 2019 Pete Rozelle Award, given by the Professional Football Writers of America to the NFL's top communications team. Prior to Indianapolis, Conti spent time with the Atlanta Thrashers (2010), Atlanta Falcons (2007-09) and Cleveland Browns (2005-06). He is a graduate of Penn State University.
Kyle Davis has been elevated to head athletic trainer. He is entering his 16th season with the Colts and previously served as associate athletic trainer (2021-22), assistant athletic trainer (2010-20) and athletic training seasonal intern (2008-09). Davis earned a bachelor's degree in athletic training from East Central University in 2006 and a master's degree in education from ECU in 2008.
Christian Edwards has been named director of football communications. He is entering his ninth season with Indianapolis after previously serving as assistant director of communications (2018-22) and public relations assistant (2015-17). Prior to joining the Colts, Edwards served as a media relations intern with the Pittsburgh Steelers (2014) and Denver Broncos (2013). In Indianapolis, Pittsburgh and Denver, he was a member of the media relations staffs that won the 2019, 2015 and 2014 Pete Rozelle Awards, given by the Professional Football Writers of America to the NFL's top communications team. Edwards graduated from the University of North Florida.
Joe Fonderoli has been elevated to vice president of operations. He is entering his 18th season with the Colts and most recently was the team's senior director of events and operations (2018-22). Fonderoli previously served as director of events (2015-17), director of special events (2013-14), marketing manager (2010-13) and marketing assistant (2006-2010). He is a graduate of Ball State.
Dave Hammer has been named senior head athletic trainer. He is entering his 40th season with the Colts and has served as head athletic trainer for the last 14 years (2009-22). Hammer previously was associate head athletic trainer/team services (2006-08) and assistant athletic trainer (1984-2005). From 1994-2005, he served on the NATA Honors and Awards Sub-Committee. Hammer also served on the Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society Executive Board from 1997-2002 and currently serves on the PFATS NFL Scouting Combine Committee. He was a member of the undergraduate athletic training curriculum at West Virginia from 1977-1982 and a graduate assistant at Syracuse from 1982-84 while earning a master's degree. Hammer spent the 1981 training camp as a member of the Colts summer staff, along with serving with the club during parts of the 1981-83 seasons. The Colts athletic training staff was honored in 1990 as the Pro Football Athletic Training Staff of the Year by PFATS. Hammer was named the IATA Professional/Clinical Athletic Trainer of the Year in 2012 and was inducted as a member of the WVU Jasper N. Deahl Honors Society in 2013.
Andrew Hoyle has been elevated player personnel scout. He is entering his sixth season with the team and most recently served as a scouting assistant (2020-22). In 2019, Hoyle interned with the team's sports science department after serving as an operations assistant during the offseason. He got his start with the Colts as an equipment intern in 2018. Hoyle earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from Florida State. He served as an athletics business office assistant (2018) and student equipment manager (2016-18) at Florida State while working towards his degrees.
Melainey Lowe has been named director of football operations. She is entering her third season with the team after serving as football operations assistant (2022) and football operations intern (2021). Lowe earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from Saint Mary's College. She previously served as a football equipment manager at the University of Notre Dame (2018-2020) working exclusively with wide receivers and tight ends. Lowe spent the 2020-21 season overseeing the equipment manager program and assisting the Irish's defensive staff.
David Thornton has been elevated to vice president of team engagement. He served as director of player engagement for Indianapolis for the last 11 seasons. As a player, Thornton spent nine years in the NFL, four of which with Indianapolis from 2002-05 and the last five with the Tennessee Titans from 2006-2010. In 121 career games (102 starts), he totaled 730 tackles, 5.0 sacks, five interceptions, 10 forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and 25 passes defensed. In 2007, with the Titans, Thornton was named the team's Ed Block Courage Award recipient. The following season, he was voted the club's Walter Payton Man of the Year, a distinction he also earned twice with the Colts. During his career, Thornton was also nominated for the NFLPA's highest honor, the Byron "Whizzer" White Award on four occasions while receiving the President's Volunteer Service Award in 2008. He served in a number of leadership roles while playing which included defensive captain, NFL Player Advisory Board member and NFLPA Player Representative. Thornton graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
