Colts owner Jim Irsay admitted he thought about making a splash. But late Monday night, he said he came to the conclusion that making steady progress with the guys he already had was a better idea.
“Waking up this morning, I’m always hopeful for continuity,” Irsay said, via Stephen Holder of the Indianapoils Star. “I could have walked someone in that door tonight or tomorrow night and have them walking in with eight figures a year, . . . and making a big splash. If that was the best for us, believe me, I would do it.
“This guy is a great coach. You don’t have to go too far to ask a lot of people about what he’s done.”
The surprise of the move isn’t just keeping Pagano, but that he’s now tied to General Manager Ryan Grigson, whose contract was extended to the same term in an effort to keep them on the same page.
“It was getting together and getting in there and getting honest,” Irsay said. “Getting everything right and getting a clear vision going forward.”
To get to that point, there were separate meetings with Irsay and Pagano, Irsay and Grigson, and most importantly, Pagano and Grigson.
It was literally putting two guys who don’t like each other in a room until they work it out. Now that they emerged together, we’ll see if it works.