Colts Coach Pagano Picks a Fight with Steeler Nation

Turns out that former Ravens assistant coach Chuck Pagano is picking a fight with Steeler Nation with his new team – the Colts.

Yesterday at practice, Colts safety Tom Zbikowski alerted Pagano there was a fan with a Steelers jersey in the grandstands.

Pagano jogged over to the grandstand before the workout to have the fan, Zach Simmons put on an Andrew Luck jersey instead.

“He (Zbikowski) saw it and said, `Look coach we got to do something about that,'” Pagano said. “I went over there. He’s a huge (Bruce) Arians fan, obviously, and Mewelde Moore. So with a little bit of coaching and a brand new Andrew Luck jersey, I said, `Look, you’ve got to put this jersey on. If you do it, you get to stay, if not we’ve got to escort you out of here.'”

Simmons played along, but not without a counteroffer. He wore the jersey because he wanted to get the attention of Colts offensive coordinator Bruce Arians, who had the same job with the Steelers last season, as well as running back Mewelde Moore, who was with Pittsburgh in 2011.

“It took some prying; it wasn’t easy,” Pagano said. Simmons agreed, then met Arians and Moore after practice.

“He wanted to see practice and Bruce and them afterward, so it was a good deal,” Pagano said.

Simmons was unsure if Pagano was serious about the “or else” part of the proposition, but the coach didn’t hesitate when asked if the fan would have been escorted out.

“Absolutely,” Pagano said. “He was a Steelers fan. I would have gotten a lot of cheers out of these people.”

Funny thing is, Pagano may be the one escorted out after the Colts are awful again for the next few years.