While the team is obviously coming off a disappointing 8-8 season and missed the playoffs, it appears the Colts are willing to give it another shot with their head coach-which is the right move.
Advertisement
The Colts will also be retaining general manager Ryan Grigson.
However, despite all that, it seems Pagano and the Colts were able to work through their differences. Grigson had reportedly undermined Pagano when he wanted to discipline certain players and even insisted that former running back Trent Richardson play to create a narrative that it was a good trade to send a first-round pick to Cleveland in 2013.
The Colts announced Monday night that they have agreed to a four-year contract extension with Pagano, who has been the team’s head coach since 2012.
“Sometimes you have to go through rough times to be able to build and have something staring you in the face at the end”, Grigson said at the news conference. Words can’t describe how I feel.
“He has given his heart and soul every day since I’ve been here under him”, Luck told reporters.
Grigson’s supporters have questioned Pagano’s ability to get his players to execute. They talked of continuing a journey that began following the seismic 2011 season and 2-14 record and firing of coach Jim Caldwell and president Bill Polian.
“When I look at the old regime, the old era, you look at those first four years”, said Irsay.
“Say what you want about whatever, (but) it’s tough to win football games”.
The Colts responded by winning 11 games in each of the next three seasons, reached the playoffs all three times, won three playoff games, captured division titles in 2013 and 2014 and reached last season’s AFC championship game. “If that was the best for us, believe me, I would do it”.
Once embattled coach Chuck Pagano went from the proverbial hot seat to a four-year contract extension. After a season from hell that began as a Super Bowl-or-bust mission, but was blown off track when Luck suffered a lacerated kidney among other injuries, Irsay knew better than to blow it up and start over again.
So it went. The owner steadfast in his conviction and steadfastly embracing Pagano and Grigson. There’s no doubt in my mind we have the right stuff here to win a world championship.
After third-string quarterback Charlie Whitehurst was hurt in his only extended game action in the next-to-last game of the season, the Colts added two quarterbacks – Josh Freeman and Ryan Lindley – five days before the Titans game.
Advertisement
“That’d be great”, Luck said Monday. He got me and my family through a trying time, and I can never repay that debt. That’s a statement more powerful than the “I hope my coach stays” rhetoric to the media from players on teams whose underachievement led to their chief being axed. He has a 40-23 regular-season record with the Colts, 3-3 in the postseason. “He’s always been a bastion of good coaching”.
