The Indianapolis Colts hired Chuck Pagano, the defensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens, as their coach Wednesday.
The addition of Pagano is the latest part of the massive overhaul of the Colts this offseason. He replaces Jim Caldwell, who was fired after three seasons as part of a housecleaning that also cost Bill and Chris Polian their jobs as the team’s top football executives. With Peyton Manning injured and out for the year, the Colts sank to 2-14, less than two years after their most recent Super Bowl appearance.
Pagano was the Ravens’ defensive coordinator for just one year — he was the secondary coach before that — but the unit allowed the third-fewest yards and points in the league this season.
Pagano inherits a team with significant questions and Manning’s future very much uncertain. The owner, Jim Irsay, is expected to make the decision about whether Manning will return — not the new general manager, Ryan Grigson, or Pagano — and the two are expected to meet to discuss Manning’s future after the Super Bowl, which is Feb. 5 in Indianapolis.
Manning is due a $28 million bonus in March, but the Colts are expected to select Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck with the first pick in the draft. That will make Pagano’s selection of an offensive coordinator especially intriguing. He runs an aggressive 3-4 defense, and that probably means the defensive roster will be overhauled, too, because Pagano’s style favors bigger players, rather than the small, fast ones the Colts employed under Tony Dungy and Caldwell.
"It’s difficult to leave the Ravens, but I couldn’t pass up on this great opportunity," Pagano told the Ravens’ website. "I’m just thrilled and so excited."
Steelers’ Clark replaces Ed Reed
Pittsburgh Steelers safety Ryan Clark will replace injured Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed on the AFC Pro Bowl roster.
Clark, a 10-year veteran, led the Steelers with 100 tackles this season, adding one interception. He’ll join quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, kick returner Antonio Brown and linebacker James Harrison on the AFC team.
The 33-year-old Reed is dealing with ailments that include a nerve impingement in his neck, a sore shoulder and a sprained left ankle.
The Ravens lost to New England last Sunday in the AFC title game. Since that time, several Baltimore players have withdrawn from the Pro Bowl: outside linebacker Terrell Suggs (undisclosed), defensive tackle Haloti Ngata (thigh) and running back Ray Rice (family reasons).
Fullback Vonta Leach, middle linebacker Ray Lewis and guards Marshal Yanda and Ben Grubbs are still slated to play.
Rivers happy for Chow
Philip Rivers’ path to the Pro Bowl included one season playing for new Hawaii head coach Norm Chow.
The San Diego Chargers quarterback was a freshman at North Carolina State when Chow served as the Wolfpack’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2000. Rivers broke N.C. State’s single-season records in completions, attempts and touchdown passes while passing for 3,054 that year. Rivers has since developed into one of the NFL’s top quarterbacks and was selected to his fourth Pro Bowl this season.
"He was great, he got me jump-started in my career my freshman year at N.C. State," Rivers said Wednesday. "He’s certainly been a great assistant, great coordinator at many places for a long time, has a great history of quarterbacks. For him to get his opportunity here at this university, I know it’s exciting for him and he’ll do a great job."
Paying tribute to troops
Fans looking to score autographs shouldn’t bother showing up to the Kapolei High football field today.
For the first time ever, AFC and NFC practices for the Pro Bowl will be held on a military base at Hickam’s Earhart Field, hosted by Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.
Both practices are open to all military affiliated personnel and families who have base access.
The NFL and its official military appreciation sponsor, USAA, partnered to refurbish Earhart Field.
After practice, players will participate in an afternoon of volunteer activities as part of the NFL PLAY 60 Community Blitz.
Parking is available along Kuntz Avenue across from the Arts & Crafts Center.
Upcoming practices will be held at the Ihilani Resort on Friday and Aloha Stadium on Saturday.
Sideline tweeting allowed
The NFL is relaxing its social media policy and allowing players to tweet before and during Sunday’s game.
The league said it will set up a computer on each sideline where players can use Twitter.
The players can tweet from their phones before the game and at halftime. Facebook and other popular social media platforms are not included.
The existing policy bans players from tweeting 90 minutes before games all the way until they fulfill their postgame media obligations.
The Pro Bowl experiment is not being considered for the regular season or playoffs, the NFL said.
The players will be tweeting with the hashtag #ProBowl.
