 |
| Pagano was diagnosed with leukemia on Oct. 1. (US Presswire) |
Nearly three months after Chuck Pagano was diagnosed with leukemia, and almost two months after doctors announced he was in remission, the Colts coach is set to return to work.
Following Sunday's win over the Chiefs, interim coach Bruce Arians confirmed that Pagano would return Monday, according to Fox59.
“It’s hard to imagine what it will be like,” Colts guard Joe Reitz said via the Indianapolis Star. “When everything happened to Chuck, (Arians') message all along was, ‘Let’s extend the season for Chuck. That’s what we did today. You can’t ask for a better Christmas present than to go on the road, get a victory, get ourselves in the dance.”
Pagano's doctor, Larry Cripe, told the Star last Thursday that "Medically, he's 99 percent recovered from my standpoint. I have placed him on no restrictions. ... He's working out, doing well, eating well, buffing up," Cripe continued. "You've got to look good on that sideline, right?"
It's great news for an organization that has played inspired football all season. Coming off two wins a year ago, owner Jim Irsay cleaned house -- from the front office to the coaching staff to the team's franchise quarterback, Peyton Manning -- and now Indianapolis is 10-5 and has the No. 5 playoff seed sewn up.
For more NFL news, rumors and analysis, follow @EyeOnNFL on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and subscribe to the Pick-6 Podcast on iTunes. You can follow Ryan Wilson on Twitter here: @ryanwilson_07.
