The Colts public relations staff of Steve Campbell, Matt Conti, Christian Edwards, Pamela Humphrey and interns Hayden Clark and Kaila Lewis won the 31st Rozelle Award. The Colts public relations staff also won this award in 1996.

They were nominated for how they helped both local and national media get access, especially with the unexpected retirement of quarterback Andrew Luck before the season.

“The news broke in the second half of a preseason game the night before the presser was originally scheduled,” said Mike Wells, the Indianapolis PFWA chapter vice president.

“But just like the demeanor of general manager Chris Ballard and coach Frank Reich, the Colts PR staff didn’t get rattled. They put together a press conference that night at Lucas Oil Stadium that featured Luck, Reich, Ballard and owner Jim Irsay. It ran so smoothly that you would have thought it was scheduled for that night.”

Other nominees for the Rozelle Award were the Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos, New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Colts general manager Chris Ballard also

from the PFWA for his cooperation with the media.

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The award, named for the NFL commissioner from 1960-89, is given to the club public relations staff that consistently strives for excellence in its dealings and relationships with the media. Rozelle himself was a publicist for three years with the Rams.

Pittsburgh’s PR department is led by communications coordinator Burt Lauten, assisted by Dominick Rinelli (public relations/media manager), Ryan Scarpino (public relations assistant), and Christian Edwards (media relations intern).

”I have been around some good public relations staffs through my years covering sports, and I will place the one Burt Lauten heads in Pittsburgh with the best of them,” said Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter Ed Bouchette. ”Burt has been one of those PR people who `get it.’ ”

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AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL

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