It took Chuck Pagano less than nine months to instill his fighter’s mentality and hopeful spirit in the Indianapolis Colts.
He will need both to survive the biggest battle of his life — a bout with leukemia.
In a somber news conference Monday, the Colts announced that their new coach had been hospitalized for cancer treatment and probably would not return to full coaching duties this season. He will be replaced on an interim basis by offensive coordinator Bruce Arians.
“He will do fine,” Arians said, his voice cracking as he recalled his own fight with prostate cancer in 2007. “I know him. He’s a fighter. He’s survived tough times already in his life. As a cancer survivor myself, I know that these first few days are really hard on you but as he and I talked yesterday, it’s just a matter of time.”
Pagano’s physician said the coach will be treated with chemotherapy and drugs — a process that usually requires patients to spend four to five weeks in the hospital.
LOCKER DAY-TO-DAY
Former UW quarterback Jake Locker has no structural damage to his left, non-throwing shoulder and coach Mike Munchak says the Titans quarterback will be day-to-day this week.
Locker dislocated his shoulder Sunday early in a loss to Houston when he was sacked by Texans cornerback Glover Quinn in an injury Munchak said resulted from the quarterback slamming back into the turf, not from the hit itself.
Munchak said the Titans (1-3) will know more in the next couple days whether or not Locker will play Sunday at Minnesota (3-1).
“It’s similar to last time,” Munchak said of Locker, who first hurt his shoulder in the season opener against New England. “The MRI was very similar. It popped out, and they popped it back in. He’s real sore right now, so they’re just waiting a couple of days to get a full examination.”
NO TEBOW FOR NOW
New York Jets coach Rex Ryan insists it is not time for a quarterback change, no matter who thinks it might benefit his team if Tim Tebow stepped in for Mark Sanchez.
The Jets coach said that switching quarterbacks is not the move that will jump-start the team, even after an embarrassing 34-0 loss to the 49ers on Sunday.
New York made one move Monday, signing former Lions cornerback Aaron Berry to a two-year deal, according to the player’s agent.
Berry will provide much-needed depth to a Jets secondary that lost its star cornerback, Darrelle Revis, to a torn ACL last week.
X-rays were negative on receiver Santonio Holmes’ foot, injured Sunday during the San Francisco game. Still, Holmes is expected to be sidelined for at least a few weeks.
EXTRA POINTS
Broncos middle linebacker Joe Mays was suspended a game and fined $50,000 for his hit on Texans quarterback Matt Schaub. Mays’ hit sent Schaub’s helmet and a chunk of his left ear flying. … Injured Steelers linebacker James Harrison and safety Troy Polamalu practiced but it’s unclear whether the former Defensive Players of the Year would be able to start Sunday against Philadelphia. Harrison has been slowed by a left knee injury and Polamalu missed the last two games with a strained right calf. … The Broncos placed center J.D. Walton on injured reserve with a broken and dislocated left ankle. Walton was hurt in the Broncos’ win over Oakland when Raiders defensive end Jack Crawford inadvertently crashed into Walton’s legs as Crawford was making a tackle on running back Lance Ball.
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