Chuck Pagano Reportedly Ordered to Follow Front Office Lineup Decisions

The Indianapolis Colts are a far cry from the team 10 months removed from an AFC Championship Game appearance that entered 2015 with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations.

Pro Bowl quarterback Andrew Luck leads the league with 12 interceptions, and the Colts' once-reliable defense ranks fourth-worst with 404.9 yards per game. 

To make matters worse, coaches are reportedly being dealt lineup decisions from the front office, according to Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star, citing numerous NFL sources and unidentified players in the report:

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This has been a recurring source of irritation for [head coach Chuck] Pagano and his coaches. During the past several weeks, and even dating to last season, there have been instances in which, sources said, players approached Pagano or his assistants with suggestions or requests, only to be told they could not act on the ideas because of forces beyond their control.

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The Colts called a players-only meeting last week to distance the distractions of a rift between the coaches and front office, per Holder. 

The report surfaced three days after the Colts fired offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton, a decision made by Pagano, according to Michael Marot of the Associated Press. Pagano's move may have manifested in an effort to save his job. His contract is up at the end of the season, and he turned down a one-year extension in March.