Recovery from cancer: Chuck Pagano likely to join Indianapolis Colts by end of month – NFL News
The Indianapolis Colts have been allowed by the doctors to decide return of their coach Chuck Pagano after he had fourth and last session of chemotherapy with all rounds going successfully.
It is expected that owner Jim Irsay in consultation with Pagano will decide the comeback timeline for the coach, which some analysts see happening on 30th of this month when the Colts play final game of the season.
Pagano had the last phase of the therapy on Tuesday after which he was cleared by the doctor that medically he is fit to return but that will be decided depending how he feels about the comeback.
The Indianapolis Star cited Dr. Larry Cripe of IU Simon Cancer Centre saying:
"I'm fully supportive and I have my fingers crossed that he'll be there on the sideline if that's where he wants to be."
He added:
“Medically, I think it's very possible and I think the coach will make the decision about how he's feeling and whether he's up to the task. Then, the organization will make a decision."
The Colts could not have expected better news than return of their coach in shorter span. Pagano’s health had become the team’s worry all of sudden earlier in the season when he was diagnosed with Leukaemia. He was immediately hospitalised for the treatment and has had four rounds of chemotherapy.
During his treatment he kept visiting the team as a morale booster, and the Colts players and coaches who in his support shaved their heads, raised funds and did other things, kept him honoured with consecutive wins. The team are well on the course for the playoffs, which if happens will be a great surprise for him after recovering from cancer.
Interim coach Bruce Arians who has dedicated the team’s victories under his reign to the ill coach has already committed to relieve the main coaching role to Pagano as soon as he appears on the sideline to take over his role back.
It appears all is going in favour of the Colts this year, after they finished a miserable season a year earlier. They have a brand new and very talented quarterback, who was much awaited after Peyton Manning’s exit, a brand new coach who has almost been given another life and if they are able to make the playoffs it will be a huge achievement of the team in a span of a year.
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