Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano will be the next head coach of the Indianapolis Colts, the team has announced.
Colts Owner & CEO Jim Irsay, along with General Manager Ryan Grigson will be at a Wednesday afternoon press conference to make the hiring official.
Pagano, 51, was with the Ravens this season, when Baltimore came within a few points of returning to the Super Bowl. Pagano's defense was a major reason for the Ravens' success, as the team allowed just 266 points in 2011, second fewest in the AFC to the Steelers.
He was previously the Ravens secondary coach for three seasons. The well-traveled coach has been with the Browns and Raiders in the NFL and the Miami Hurricanes, East Carolina, UNLV, Boise State and Southern California.
Blunt and humorous, Pagano should be a hit with the media such as a comment he made when taking over the Ravens defense.
"I had a great experience, or sentence [with the Raiders]," Pagano told reporters. "Well, I can't say sentence, a two-year sentence in Oakland. And congratulations to Hue Jackson, it's well deserved. And he will earn every cent that they pay him. It won't be much, but he will earn every nickel. But I had a great experience out there. And two years was plenty."
—The Oakland Raiders have hired Denver defensive coordinator Dennis Allen as their new head coach. Allen has already said good bye to some Broncos staff members, The Sports Xchange has learned.
New Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie reportedly offered the job to Allen on Tuesday night in a second meeting between the two, this one in Mobile, Ala., where both are attending the Senior Bowl practices.
Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey offered praise for his former defensive coordinator.
"He knew how to get us ready." Bailey said. "I give him a lot of credit for the success we had this year. (He's) serious about the business. He's one of the most intense coaches I've had. It was a pleasure working with him."
—Roger Goodell's contract as NFL commissioner has been extended five years through the 2018 season, according to a SportsBusiness Journal report.
Goodell has been credited for the new Collective Bargaining Agreement and television deals that are helping the NFL prosper.
It's not known if Goodell received a pay raise as part of the new contract, though SBJ reportedhe made about $10 million per year under the previous terms.
—A year after paying customers weren't seated for the Super Bowl at Cowboys Stadium due to chairs that weren't ready as of game-time, the NFL still plans to add 5,000 temporary seats for the Feb. 12 game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
The move brings the capacity for the Giants-Patriots game to 68,000, still among the smallest venues ever for the Super Bowl, according to a report in SportsBusiness Daily.
—The Santa Clara City Council on Tuesday night voted 5-2 to reject a referendum for an opposition group's petition to put the proposed San Francisco 49ers stadium project back on the ballot.
Elections officials verified the group's petition to put the project back on the ballot on Monday, but Councilman Pat Kolstad said voters already had their say on the matter.
"Over 14,000 voters in Santa Clara have already spoken to us on this issue," said Councilman Pat Kolstad, according to the San Jose Mercury News. "If all (our votes) could be referendable, the will of the people would never get done."
—Lions backup offensive tackle Johnny Culbreath was arrested on a marijuana charge in South Carolina on Monday, according to a report in The Times and Democrat.
Culbreath faced a simple possession of marijuana charge in Orangeburg County, settling the case by paying a $412 fine.
—The season may be long over for the Minnesota Vikings, but Jared Allen is still making an impact for his team.
Allen, who set a franchise standard with 22 sacks for the Vikings, was named the Sporting News Defensive Player of the Year the magazine reported Wednesday. Allen, who came within a half-sack of breaking Michael Strahan's all-time mark for the Giants, edged DeMarcus Ware of the Dallas Cowboys by just two votes.
—Pittsburgh Steelers nose tackle Chris Hoke announced his retirement Wednesday.
The 11-year Steelers veteran was an undrafted rookie free agent out of BYU in 2001. Pittsburgh recorded a 17-1 mark in his 18 career starts when he filled in for Casey Hampton in rare injury situations.
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