Indianapolis Colts head coach Chuck Pagano, who has been on leave since Sept 26 when it was discovered he has leukemia, has been cleared by doctors and plans to return to the team for its final regular-season game against Houston next week.
Pagano will not be on the sideline Sunday in Kansas City, when the Colts can clinch a playoff spot. But all indications are he will be ready to report and fulfill all daily duties as head coach of the Colts beginning Monday.
“Hopefully we can get this victory and secure our playoff spot and turn it back over to Chuck,” interim coach Bruce Arians said.
Pagano has finished chemotherapy sessions, and whether he can return to the sidelines wasn’t his decision to make, and his planned Christmas Eve return wasn’t considered a certainty at midweek. Dr. Larry Cripe of IU Cancer Center told the Indianapolis Star there is no medical reason for Pagano not to return at this time.
The Colts are expected to structure his workload in a way that affords others more responsibility, allowing Pagano to ease back into the daily grind.
“It will be great,” quarterback Andrew Luck said. “I’m sure it will be emotional for a lot of people. But when it comes, and hopefully soon, it’ll be very nice to sort of have our head coach back.”