Here’s what Chuck Pagano said about this year’s Colts team
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The AC Golf Classic was on Monday and former Colts head coach Chuck Pagano was there to participate. News 8 sports reporter Angela Moryan caught up with him to talk about what he thinks of this year’s Colts team.
Anthony Richardson is the player that excites him the most, given what he saw in a small sample size last season.
Richardson played in only four games, but had seven total touchdowns (three passing and four rushing) and threw just one interception.
Pagano is also excited about the addition of Adonai Mitchell. Mitchell, a wide receiver from Texas, was taken in the second round of the 2024 NFL draft.
When asked how he would coach a guy like Mitchell, Pagano said “I don’t think you have to do anything.” He said he would just let him go, and also added that he has the best wide receivers coach in the league in Reggie Wayne.
Shane Steichen is heading into his second year with the Colts. He had a successful first year, going 9-8 and finishing a win shy of making the playoffs. He was also eighth in NFL Coach of the Year voting.
When Pagano was asked about what he learned from year one to year two, he had quite the response.
“I don’t know if I learned anything to be honest with you,” Pagano said, laughing. “I might still be on the job if I would have paid attention to some of that stuff.”
Pagano also said Steichen will know his players better and his players will know his system better. Pagano mentioned that having consistency at the coordinator positions will help as well, with not much changing from a schematic standpoint.
An area of concern heading into the season is the defensive backs. But Pagano is not worried about they safeties.
He also said with the scheme and types of coverages that Colts defensive coordinator Gus Bradley runs, as long as the pass rush continues to get home (the Colts were fifth in the league with 51 sacks in 2023), it will make it easier for the young cornerbacks.
And at this point in the summer, Pagano is just looking forward for football to be back.
“I can’t wait for training camp to get started. I can’t wait for all the narratives, all the storylines, everything like that.”
The Colts start their season on September 8 against the Houston Texans at Lucas Oil Stadium.