The Indianapolis Colts today renewed a contract with Head Coach Chuck Pagano.
Pagano has achieved a 41-23 record over his four seasons (2012-15) in Indianapolis. His .641 winning percentage ranks fourth among active head coaches in the NFL. Pagano's 41 wins over the last four seasons are the fifth-most in the league. He led Indianapolis to three consecutive 11-win seasons from 2012-14 as he became only the second head coach in NFL history to earn 11 wins in each of his first three seasons with a team. Pagano also became the third head coach in Colts history to reach the playoffs in each of his first three years. Under his guidance, the Colts set an NFL record in 2015 with 16 consecutive wins within their division dating back to 2012. Pagano posted consecutive 6-0 records in the AFC South division in 2013 and 2014 and has sent 10 Colts to the Pro Bowl.
In 2015, Pagano guided the Colts to an 8-8 record. In Week 5 at Houston (10/8), Indianapolis won their 16th consecutive game within the AFC South division to set an NFL record as the Colts finished with a winning record in the division (4-2) for the fourth-straight year. T.Y. Hilton (1,124 receiving yards and five touchdowns) recorded his third consecutive 1,000-yard receiving season and Frank Gore (967 rushing yards and six touchdowns) totaled the most rushing yards for a Colts running back dating back to 2007. The defense recorded five touchdowns, which tied for the most in a single season in franchise history (1975 and 1994). The unit ranked tied for sixth in the NFL with 17 interceptions. Indianapolis' special teams unit ranked first in the league in kickoff touchback percentage (87.0), second in gross punting average (47.7), fifth in net punting average (41.7) and third in the AFC in kickoff return average (24.3). The Colts only allowed 156 kickoff return yards on the season, which set an NFL record.
The Colts went 11-5 in 2014, including an appearance in the AFC Championship Game, and sent seven players to the Pro Bowl. Indianapolis manufactured one of the best offensive seasons in franchise history, recording its highest single-season totals for net yards (6,506, third in the NFL) and net passing yards (4,894, first in the NFL). The Colts scored 458 points, which was the second-highest yearly total in team history and the team's 28.6 points per game average ranked sixth in the league. Andrew Luck set a single-season franchise record with 4,791 passing yards while setting career highs in completions (380), passing touchdowns (40, first in the NFL) and passer rating (96.5). Mike Adams tied for the NFL lead in takeaways (seven), while Vontae Davis ranked tied for third in the league in passes defensed (18). On special teams, Vinatieri and McAfee became the fourth punter-kicker duo from the same team to both be named to The Associated Press NFL All-Pro team as each earned Pro Bowl honors.
In 2013, the Colts registered their second consecutive 11-5 season as Indianapolis became the first team to finish a season with the least amount of turnovers (14) and penalties (66) in the NFL since 2002. The club also finished with a franchise-low in turnovers and fumbles lost (four). The season was highlighted by the Colts AFC Wild Card Playoff victory against the Kansas City Chiefs. The Colts trailed by 28 points (38-10) with 12 minutes remaining in the third quarter. Indianapolis manufactured five touchdown drives to mark the second-largest comeback in NFL postseason history. It was also the first time a team (regular season or postseason) won a game in regulation after trailing by as many as 28 points.
Pagano's grit and vision for the Colts was more evident than ever in his first season as head coach in 2012. Just three games into the season he was diagnosed with a curable form of leukemia. Despite the odds, Pagano's team rallied to a 9-3 record to secure a playoff berth and extend the season for their coach. He returned for the Colts regular season finale and clinched a 28-16 victory over the Houston Texans as the Colts achieved an 11-5 record. The 11-5 record was a nine-win improvement from the 2011 campaign, which tied for the third-largest one-year turnaround in NFL history.
