Colts extend Pagano’s contract despite disappointing season

INDIANAPOLIS -- An 8-8 season was enough to save Chuck Pagano's job, as the Indianapolis Colts gave their head coach a contract extension Monday night.

Pagano's contract was due to expire at the end of the league year in March.

After a long day of meetings with players, his coaching staff, and then team owner Jim Irsay, Pagano remains as the head coach.

Pagano finished his fourth season in charge in Indianapolis, and the team reached the playoff the first three years. He has a 40-23 regular-season record with the Colts, 3-3 in the postseason.

Despite a 30-24, regular-season-ending victory over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, it was a disappointing year for Indianapolis. Injuries to the team's top three quarterbacks hindered the Colts' offensive production.

Starter Andrew Luck was sidelined for nine games, including the final seven. Backup quarterback Matt Hasselbeck led the team to a 5-3 record before injuries ended his season.

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.

Both played well enough against Tennessee that Indianapolis was able to avoid a losing season.

Defensively, Indianapolis was inconsistent in 2015. The Colts allowed 30 or more points in three games, losses to New England (34-27), Pittsburgh (45-10) and Jacksonville (51-16).

The barrage of points given up in the road loss to the Jaguars was particularly significant.

In the wake of the Titans game, Pagano reviewed the season and how his team battled through adversity.

"You find a way to pick yourself up time and time again to finish on a great note, a winning note and get to (.500). You're talking about a group that has won over 40 games and 20 division games and set a record for 16 straight division (victories)," he said.

"Say what you want about whatever, (but) it's tough to win football games."

Was there anything Pagano would do differently to get better results?

"I think once you have some time to really sit back and look at everything and digest everything, I have zero regrets," Pagano said. "I take no days for granted. I'm grateful. I'm grateful for this football team.

"I just look at the injuries and when you lose, you're going to have some injuries. But when you have it at the quarterback position and you lose your star quarterback.

"But when you have a guy come in and again go 5-3 and then have two guys come in off the street and in three days win a football game for you, it's just a phenomenal job done."