Colts head coach Chuck Pagano is winning his battle with leukemia.
On Monday, Dr. Larry Cripe, Pagano’s physician, told The Associated Press that the illness which has sidelined Indy’s head coach for more than a month was in “complete remission.” Cripe said a morning exam showed Pagano’s white blood cell count and bone marrow tests were normal as he prepares to start a second round of chemotherapy.
Over the past few weeks of the 2012 NFL season, the Colts’ coaching staff and their players have been dealing with all sorts of emotion with their head coach admitted to the hospital with this awful disease.
Fortunately, after more than month of battling for his life, Pagano may be back on the sidelines for Indianapolis in the near future. Pagano is about to undergo his second round of chemotherapy this week that could last up to as much as six weeks.
During Pagano’s time in hospital, the Colts have been red-hot with a three-game winning streak heading into Week 10’s matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday night. Andrew Luck and company have turned things around in the wake of Pagano’s illness and might be worthy of clinching a playoff spot in AFC at season’s end.
Indianapolis currently sits in second place in the AFC South division with a 5-3 record. The Houston Texans will be incredibly tough to pass at this point in time sitting atop the division standings with an impressive 7-1 record, but anything is possible with these two division rivals set to meet in two of the last three weeks of the season.
It remains uncertain if Pagano will be return to the team at some point this season, but the Colts are optimistic with a target date of Dec. 30.
