Chuck Pagano to Return as Colts Head Coach: Latest Comments and Reaction

As Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay fielded questions about his decision to fire general manager Ryan Grigson on Saturday, he announced head coach Chuck Pagano will return to the sideline next season, per the team's official Twitter account:

Pagano recently completed his fifth season with the Colts, but it's the second straight year in which his job security has been questioned.

Indianapolis went 8-8 for the second consecutive season in 2016 after three straight 11-5 campaigns that included playoff appearances.

Early in the 2015 season, after a slow start and a falling-out with Grigson, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (h/t Kevin Patra of NFL.com) reported the coach had "doubts" that the team was going to bring him back in 2016.

Shortly after the 2015 campaign, during which quarterback Andrew Luck was limited to just seven games because of injuries, ESPN.com's Mike Wells reported the organization was getting ready to relieve Pagano of his duties. 

Instead, Pagano was rewarded with a four-year extension through the 2019 season.

Even with a healthy quarterback, however, the Colts could not improve in 2016. Luck didn't have much of an opportunity to succeed, as a sieve-like offensive line allowed him to get sacked 41 times in 15 games. Only Tyrod Taylor of the Buffalo Bills was brought down more in 2016.

Despite his efforts to change the schemes in the trenches, Pro Football Focus ranked Pagano's offensive line 25th in the NFL.

Unlike last offseason, Pagano was confident that he'd return to the team in 2017.

"I don’t have any reason to believe that I wouldn’t be [back]," he told the media Jan. 2, per Kevin Bowen of the team's official website.

With a new general manager leading the front office, the Colts have an opportunity to reshape the roster and bring in more talent for Pagano to work with. 

But if he and Indianapolis don't improve in 2017, his seat could heat up once again.

Stats courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.com.