Amid whispers of a rift between Colts coach Chuck Pagano and general manager Ryan Grigson, the men claim they're working together swimmingly.
"It's hard enough to win in this league when everyone's getting along," Grigson said, per Stephen Holder of The Indianapolis Star. "You've got no shot if you're not. It makes no sense for us to be going in opposite directions. That's not the case. Trust me. At the end of the day, we always do what's best for the horseshoe. Period."
Pagano agreed, saying: "We have no egos around here. Everybody checks them at the door every day they come to work. Players, coaches, myself, Ryan. The only thing that matters is the 'shoe and what's best for the 'shoe."
Still, questions about Pagano's future remain a subplot heading into the regular season. Despite three straight playoff appearances, the coach turned down a one-year contract extension this offseason and finds himself marching into the final year of his deal.
The Star also noted that "whereas lineup decisions are generally the domain of a team's coach, Grigson does insert himself into such situations." The newspaper pointed to Grigson switching centers twice last season, writing of the "perception in NFL circles that Grigson is calling most of the shots at Colts headquarters."
"Is there going to be some fireworks at times? Absolutely," Pagano said. "Every single room I've been in as a defensive coach for 28 years, whether as coordinator or a position coach, offensively, there's going to be some fireworks in those rooms. Okay? But at the end of the day the only thing that matters is what is best for the 'shoe, and what is best for the team."
The so-called 'shoe is lodged under the microscope in 2015. Despite its recent success, Indy's top two men are being counted on to tug this team past the rival Patriots and beyond the AFC into Super Bowl 50 -- anything less could trigger changes.
