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Chuck Pagano was fired after his sixth and final season as head coach of the Colts, a season in which he went 4-12 with quarterback Andrew Luck injured all year. Pagano sees a strong correlation between the presence of Luck and his own coaching success.

Pagano said he believes last year’s lost season was just a bump in the road for Luck, whom Pagano believes will show himself to be an elite franchise quarterback — and whom Pagano believes has already shown himself to be responsible for Pagano’s own success.

“I expect Andrew to be the old Andrew, to come back and play great football this season and beyond,” Pagano said on FS1, via the Indianapolis Star. “Obviously he’s got a lot of work to do. He’s got to get back on the grass, he’s got to start throwing the football. He’s in a great place. I love Andrew Luck. He got me more years than I probably deserved. He’s a phenom.”

Pagano has no doubt that Luck will do everything in his power to recover from last year’s shoulder injury.

“Him not being able to play killed him. When you can’t be there for your teammates and you’re recovering and rehabbing, it kills you. Last year, it killed him,” he said. “The great competitors want to be out there. This cat, he’s dying to get back on the football field.”

Unfortunately for Pagano, that great competitor will get back on the football field for a new head coach.