Make wishtv.com your home page

Chuck Pagano reveals which Colts player will receive the most gifts from ‘Santa Pagano’

Pagano on Franklin

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Indianapolis Colts are 8-6, tied atop the AFC South while holding on to the seventh and final AFC playoff spot after a win against the Pittsburgh Steelers last Saturday night.

Sunday on Christmas Eve, the Colts will play the Atlanta Falcons, and former Colts head coach Chuck Pagano is in the holiday spirit.

In a conversation with News 8 Sports Director Anthony Calhoun, the former Colts coach revealed which player will be receiving the most presents from “Santa Pagano.”

Pagano, the Colts coach from 2012-2017, loved what he has seen from the Colts defense of late, especially after holding the Steelers to just two touchdowns in the 30-13 win last weekend.

On “Countdown to Kickoff,” Indy’s only hour-long Colts pregame television show, Pagano raved about one particular player on the defense.

“You know who gets all the Gabagool this Christmas?” Pagano said. “Zaire Franklin. He leads the league in tackles, he’s a tackling machine with 149 combined tackles. Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee for the Colts, what he does on the field, what he does off the field, what he does in that community, that guy is a stud. He is getting all the Gabagool this Christmas.”

Watch the video below to hear the full conversation from Pagano in the segment “Chuck Checks IN.”

Pagano talks about why the Colts have been so successful of late, as well as what his advice is for Garnder Minshew and the rest of the Colts.

CHUCK CHECKS IN

Chuck Checks IN, Dec. 24

Hear the former Colts coach every Sunday during the NFL season on WISH-TV. The weekly feature will air live at 11 a.m. on “Countdown to Kickoff.” Immediately following the final whistle of games, switch back to WISH-TV for the Colts’ postgame show, hosted by Calhoun and the Emmy-award-winning sports team.

Stay up to date with Colts news at WISHTV.com/Indianapolis-Colts.

Follow us on X, formerly known as Twitter, and on Facebook for updates on the Horseshoe all season long.