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Colts owner Jim Irsay trying to reach extension with Chuck Pagano before season

Stew Milne-USA TODAY Sports

Indianapolis Colts head coach Chuck Pagano has steered his club to the playoffs in each of his three seasons, but still hasn't secured a contract extension. 

That may change before the start of the 2015 season. 

Colts owner Jim Irsay said both parties may reach a long-term agreement before the regular season gets underway. 

"I really feel positive about Chuck and what he's done for us. There's no question that he's accomplished a lot since he's been here," Irsay said Friday at the Chuckstrong Tailgate Gala, via ESPN's Mike Wells. "And, obviously, we're here for this gala because he had that illness in 2012. Really, it's only been kind of two years almost that he’s been coaching. He's done a very good job. Nothing rules out that we couldn't have an extension done before the season. If not, we can still, I'm sure, probably work things out."

Pagano's teams have sported identical 11-5 records in all three years of his regime. He fought through a leukemia diagnosis in 2012 and his cancer went into remission in November of the same year. 

The gala was hosted by Pagano to draw awareness towards cancer research. 

Pagano didn't agree to a one-year deal earlier in the off-season, ostensibly to seek out a long-term contract with the Colts. 

"There were some efforts to talk about it and we just didn't get there," Irsay said. "Sometimes that happens and people have different opinions these days. If you go back to the old days, there were no agents involved. ... Again, we're real positive about Chuck Pagano and the things he's done and it's not a sign of anything extremely negative. We just haven't gotten anything done in terms of a long-term contract."

Indianapolis made a number of moves to improve its running game and front seven, and is poised to be one of the top contenders in the AFC once again. Beloved by his players, and armed with a roster that could challenge for a Super Bowl, Irsay may be wise to reach an agreement sooner than later. 

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