Chuck Pagano facts for kids
Pagano with the Baltimore Ravens in 2009
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| Baltimore Ravens | |
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| Position: | Senior secondary coach |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | October 2, 1960 Boulder, Colorado, U.S. |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Fairview (Boulder) |
| College: | Wyoming |
| Career history | |
| As coach: | |
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| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Head coaching record | |
| Regular season: | 53–43 (.552) |
| Postseason: | 3–3 (.500) |
| Career: | 56–46 (.549) |
| Coaching stats at PFR | |
Charles David Pagano (born October 2, 1960) is an American football coach. He is currently the senior defensive assistant and secondary coach for the Baltimore Ravens in the National Football League (NFL).
Pagano was the head coach for the Indianapolis Colts from 2012 to 2017. He also worked as a defensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens and Chicago Bears. He was an assistant coach for the Oakland Raiders and Cleveland Browns too. After retiring in 2021, he returned to coaching in 2025. Chuck is the older brother of coach John Pagano.
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Playing Football
Chuck Pagano played football in high school and college. At Fairview High School in Boulder, Colorado, he was a strong safety for three years.
He then played strong safety for four years at Wyoming. He earned a degree in marketing in 1984.
Coaching Career
College Coaching
Pagano started his coaching journey in college football. He was a graduate assistant at the University of Southern California (USC) from 1984 to 1985. Then he moved to the University of Miami in 1986.
He coached linebackers at Boise State University from 1987 to 1988. After that, he coached defensive backs at East Carolina University (1989) and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) (1990). In 1991, he became the defensive coordinator for UNLV. He later returned to East Carolina to coach defensive backs and linebackers.
In 1995, Pagano went back to the University of Miami. He coached the secondary (defensive backs) and special teams. During his time there, his defensive backs were considered the best in the nation in 2000. His teams also blocked many kicks, including a school record 12 blocks in 1996.
He later coached at North Carolina in 2007.
NFL Coaching
Cleveland Browns
In 2001, Pagano joined the Cleveland Browns as their secondary coach. He helped the Browns' defense become very strong against passing plays. In 2001, his secondary made 28 of the team's 33 interceptions. A rookie cornerback, Anthony Henry, led the league with ten interceptions that year.
Oakland Raiders
After leaving the Browns in 2004, Pagano coached the defensive backs for the Oakland Raiders for two seasons. In 2006, the Raiders' defense was excellent. They allowed very few passing yards and total yards per game. This ranked them among the top defenses in the league.
Baltimore Ravens
Pagano joined the Baltimore Ravens coaching staff in 2008. He was the defensive secondary coach for three seasons. In 2011, he was promoted to defensive coordinator.
Under Pagano, the Ravens' defense was one of the best in the NFL. They were strong at stopping both running and passing plays. Their pass defense improved a lot, moving from 21st to 4th in the league for passing yards allowed. They also had 17 interceptions that year.
Indianapolis Colts
On January 25, 2012, Chuck Pagano became the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts had a tough season in 2011, winning only 2 games.
During the 2012 season, Pagano was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia, a type of cancer. He had to take a break from coaching to get treatment. Bruce Arians stepped in as the interim head coach. The team rallied together and played incredibly well, finishing with an 11–5 record. This was a huge improvement from the previous year. The team and fans showed their support for Pagano with a movement called "CHUCKSTRONG." Many players and cheerleaders even shaved their heads. Pagano returned to coach the final game of the regular season after his cancer went into remission.
In 2013 and 2014, Pagano led the Colts to an 11–5 record each year. They won their division and made it deep into the playoffs. In 2014, they reached the AFC Championship Game. They lost to the New England Patriots. Before that game, the Colts had told the league that the Patriots might have been using under-inflated footballs.
The Colts missed the playoffs in 2015 and 2016, finishing 8–8 each season. Quarterback Andrew Luck was injured in 2015, which made it harder for the team. Pagano was given a four-year contract extension after the 2015 season.
In 2017, Luck was injured again and did not play any games. The Colts finished with a 4–12 record. Pagano was fired on December 31, 2017, after the season ended.
Chicago Bears
On January 11, 2019, Pagano became the defensive coordinator for the Chicago Bears. His defense was strong, helping the Bears start the 2019 season with a 3–1 record. They finished the year with the eighth-ranked defense in the league.
In 2020, the Bears' defense continued to be good early in the season. They started 5–1. However, the team later struggled. The Bears finished 8–8 again but made it to the playoffs. They lost in the Wild Card Round.
On January 13, 2021, Pagano announced his retirement from coaching. He said he wanted to spend more time with his family.
Baltimore Ravens (Second Time)
On January 28, 2025, Chuck Pagano returned to the Baltimore Ravens. He was hired as their senior secondary coach.
Media Work
After retiring from coaching in 2021, Pagano started working in media. He appeared on The Pat McAfee Show and hosted a segment called "Coach P's Keys." He continues to be a football expert on ESPN.
Personal Life
Chuck Pagano is married to Tina, and they have three daughters. He is a Christian.
His nephew, Carlo Kemp, is also a football player. Chuck's younger brother, John Pagano, is also a football coach in the NFL.
Head Coaching Record
| Team | Year | Regular season | Postseason | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won | Lost | Ties | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result | ||
| IND | 2012 | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 2nd in AFC South | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost to Baltimore Ravens in AFC wild card game |
| IND | 2013 | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 1st in AFC South | 1 | 1 | .500 | Lost to New England Patriots in AFC Divisional Game |
| IND | 2014 | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 1st in AFC South | 2 | 1 | .667 | Lost to New England Patriots in AFC Championship Game |
| IND | 2015 | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 2nd in AFC South | – | – | – | – |
| IND | 2016 | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 3rd in AFC South | – | – | – | – |
| IND | 2017 | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 3rd in AFC South | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 53 | 43 | 0 | .552 | 3 | 3 | .500 | |||
