INDIANAPOLIS – It's officially over for Chuck Pagano in Indianapolis.
The precipitous and painful slide that began with a 38-point thumping in the AFC Championship Game just three years ago, a team then gifted with a young and healthy phenom at quarterback, primed to duel with the mighty Patriots atop the AFC for years to come, culminated Sunday following the Indianapolis Colts' 22-13 season-ending victory over the Houston Texans.
Owner Jim Irsay has fired Pagano after six seasons as head coach, a league source told IndyStar, the last three of which failed to produce a playoff appearance.