Indianapolis Colts head coach Chuck Pagano, whose battle with a curable form of leukemia during the 2012 season touched many across the NFL and helped raise research funds, has been selected as the 2013 George Halas Awardwinner by the Professional Football Writers of America (PFWA).
Pagano, the 44th Halas Award winner, is the third NFL head coach and third member of the Colts franchise in Indianapolis to receive the honor from the writer’s association that includes all the top dog beat writers and columnists in the field.
The Halas Award is given to a NFL player, coach or staff member who overcomes the most adversity to succeed. The award is named for Halas, a charter member (1963) of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, who was associated with the Chicago Bears and NFL from their inception in 1920 until his death in 1983 as an owner, manager, player and promoter. Halas won 324 games and six NFL titles in 40 seasons as a coach.
Pagano, who was in his first season as Colts head coach, was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia and hospitalized at the IU Health Simon Cancer Center in Indianapolis on Sept. 26 during the team’s bye week. The Colts named Bruce Arians as interim head coach as Pagano spent almost a month in the hospital. Arians did an awesome job guiding the Colts and their young QB named Andrew Luck until Pagano attended the Nov. 4 home game against Miami and spoke to the team.
The Colts responded by winning that game 23-20 over the Dolphins. He told the team after the game, “My vision that I’m living is to see two more daughters get married, dance at their weddings and then hoist that Lombardi Trophy several times.”
The next day, it was announced that Pagano was in remission, but he would continue to go through chemotherapy. He saluted the crowd during an emotional public appearance Nov. 25 from Colts Owner and CEO Jim Irsay’s suite in Lucas Oil Stadium during the Colts’ victory over Buffalo.
The Colts organization coined CHUCKSTRONG during Pagano’s absence, and sales proceeds from t-shirts and wristbands with the slogan went toward leukemia research. A collection benefitting research was held prior to an October home game, and several Colts players, including quarterback Andrew Luck, shaved their heads in support of their coach.
He was given clearance to return to coaching Dec. 20, and a healthy Pagano was back on the sideline for the Colts’ final regular-season game Dec. 30 at home against Houston. The Colts finished a remarkable turnaround from 2-14 the season before to 11-5 and earned an AFC Wild Card playoff berth.