Chuck Pagano agrees to 4-year contract extension with Indianapolis Colts

But when New Orleans beat Atlanta and Houston defeated Jacksonville 30-6, the Colts were eliminated from playoff contention. Shortly after the Colts’ two recently-signed quarterbacks each one threw for a touchdown in a 30-24 season-ending success over Tennessee, players from both teams urged their house owners to maintain the coaches.

And with speculation still swirling about the coach’s future Monday afternoon, the players continued lobbying in support of Pagano.

Colts players have a lot of respect for Pagano (many tweeted their excitement over the news that Pagano would stay), who built a good reputation as a defensive assistant with the Baltimore Ravens before Indianapolis hired him. The Colts took a chance and the hire paid off. In his first season, Pagano lost in the AFC Wild Card Game, then lost the AFC Divisional Game in 2013 and finally the AFC Championship Game was lost in 2014.

The Colts must start anew and most figured they’d do it without Pagano, whose professional fate had seemed all but sealed when he ordered a fake punt with embarrassing results in the DeflateGate rematch this season against the Patriots. “I am super excited that he got another four years”. Grigson had one year left on his deal. “It’s important to be thoughtful and lean on continuity when you can”. “Look, if that was the best for us, believe me, I would do it. [But] this guy is a great coach”. This season was a train wreck, not because the Colts failed to make the playoffs, but because of everything else that happened. All sides referenced the issues but said everyone has come together for what is in the best interest of the organization.

A lot of that friction stems from the fact that Pagano has no say over personnel and didn’t even get to pick his own staff. When the Colts hired Pep Hamilton as offensive coordinator, they did it because Grigson wanted him, not Pagano.

“Again, when I look at the old regime, the old era, you look at those first four years and you have two out of four seasons that were losing seasons”. I’m proud of the organization, and I’m proud of the way we fought back. “But I think it was a great year in terms of a bunch of guys coming together, dealing with adversity and just never giving up”.

“If you think I’m going to let someone bully my head coach, you’re wrong”, Irsay said.

However, in a statement published on the Colts’ official website, the club made it abundantly clear why they have chose to stick with the current set-up for the foreseeable future. “We’ve been through the ringer together, but we’re still focused on one goal, winning a championship”. “We they came out, (Chuck) said, ‘I want to make sure I’m tied at the hip with Ryan, (so) when we get to the mountaintop we’re there together'”.

“What we went through this year and that adversity, I believe from Andrew Luck to myself to coach Pagano, that adversity is what’s going to springboard us to greatness because that’s life”.

And now, he has a little more time to prove he can become a magnificent coach.