Indianapolis Colts coach Chuck Pagano praises Bruce Arians for Colts success – NFL News
Indianapolis Colts coach Chuck Pagano has showered a heap of praise on interim coach Bruce Arians who has led the team to ten convincing victories in the regular season to claim a playoff berth in his (Chuck) absence while he was under treatment for leukaemia.
Arians was given the head coaching role at the time Pagano took an indefinite leave from the Colts because of his blood cancer with regular season into week five.
Since being installed as an interim head coach, Arians led the team to ten wins, which were dedicated to the ill coach and now with the team progressing into the second round he is handing over the role back to Pagano.
Pagano managed to fight the disease in four rounds of chemotherapy and finally returned to work on Monday (Dec. 24). While Arians relieved the charge as an interim coach, the head coach was full of praise for him because of his successful coaching stint.
He said:
"I asked him if he would take over the reins and what a masterful, masterful job you did, Bruce. You carried the torch and all you went out and did was win ballgames, you got our 10th win yesterday and you got us into the playoffs and you did it with dignity
and you did it with class. I can't thank you enough."
Later, owner Jim Irsay confirmed that Pagano was officially back into head coaching role, and said the decision was taken after he sounded to be ready to accept the challenge.
Irsay said:
"I know Chuck is ready for this challenge. I know the time is right for him to grab the reins and get the head coaching cap on and begin the journey.”
The first assignment for Pagano is the final game of the season against the Houston Texans, although a win or loss will not have as such impact on the Colts’ position on the points table. They are already through to the playoffs through first wildcard opportunity
from the American Football Conference (AFC).
A win nevertheless will give them an opportunity to settle score of an earlier loss they were handed down by the Texans.
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