Former Ravens defensive coordinator and Indianapolis Colts head coach Chuck Pagano has been hospitalized with leukemia, according to multiple reports Monday morning.
The illness is considered “very treatable’ as Pagano will be hospitalized for the next six weeks while undergoing treatment, according to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen. The Colts had a bye in Week 4, but Indianapolis Star columnist Bob Kravitz reports Pagano had been complaining of unusual fatigue and went for blood workup during the bye week.
Indianapolis offensive coordinator Bruce Arians will serve as interim coach while Pagano focuses on treatment and recovery. The Colts have called a 10:30 a.m. press conference to offer more information about Acute promyelocytic leukemia, the form with which Pagano has been diagnosed.
In 2011, Pagano guided the league’s third-ranked defense in his only season as the defensive coordinator in Baltimore. Prior to that, the 51-year-old served three years as the Ravens secondary coach under John Harbaugh.
Wildly popular with his defensive players, Pagano often drew comparisons to former Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan during his tenure in Baltimore.
