Former Indianapolis Colts coach Chuck Pagano said Saturday that he flies out to New York every week as a consultant for the NFL.

He sits down with officials, watches the calls that were made during the past week's games. He looks at intent. He looks at what the teams were trying to do offensively and defensively.

"I just really give them a coach’s perspective on what’s going on," said Pagano.

The coaching perspective? He hopes to be doing that from the sidelines next season as an NFL coach.

"Absolutely. My family thinks I’m nuts...for wanting to do it. Yeah. I’d love to get back," Pagano said inside the Boys & Girls Club of Boone County's Whitestown location, where he spoke at its Be GREAT Breakfast. "You love the preparation, you love the grind, you love the competition, the camaraderie in the locker room. You miss the team. You miss the players."

Pagano, who was fired as the Indianapolis Colts head coach after six seasons at the end of 2017, didn't give any hints about what team he might be aiming for, but it seems he may be in talks already.

"I'd love to be able to have the opportunity in the next couple of months, (we'll) see what happens," he said.

During the breakfast, which raised money for the club that serves 450 children at its three locations each day, Pagano took questions from audience members.

Hate the Patriots?

"Of course, of course, it’s a deep hatred," Pagano said. "Respect them, respect (Bill) Belichik, what he’s doing. I respect Tom Brady, what a run they’ve had to be able to have the sustained success that they've had over the long course of time is truly amazing in today’s NFL. I think you guys know that and understand that, so I do respect that. There is a deep hatred there."

Then Pagano brought up the NFL coaching topic again.

"My No. 1 reason for trying to get back (into coaching)?" he said. "Maybe I get another shot at them."

Funniest story as Colts coach

He says it happened right off the bat, his first regular season game with the Colts against the Chicago Bears on the road.

"I’m scared to death. I have no idea what the hell I'm doing and so we walk out on the field, we go through warm ups. I’m acting like I’ve been there for a long long time, like I know what’s going on," Pagano said. "I’m looking at Lovie Smith across the field and I’m watching him walk around and I try to emulate him a little bit. I start walking around like Lovie a little bit, see what else he’s doing."

Then, the game kicks off. It's midway through the first quarter when Smith throws out a red flag and challenges a play.

"So I’ve been watching Lovie, right, the whole game so.... I reach in my back right pocket. Guess what? No challenge flag," Pagano said. "And I just start sweating bullets and I’m like, 'Holy crap I hope to God nothing happens because I don’t have my challenge flag.'"

He called his equipment manager over and whispers in his ear: "Listen, this stays between me and you. This is Vegas rules all the way, OK? Go get my challenge flag. I don’t have it on me. And when you come out, you be very very discreet when you hand me that."

Pagano said he never forgot his flag again.

Handling criticism as a coach

"Listen, like I told my players, it was blinders and ear muffs and you don’t listen to that stuff," he said. "You may make some stupid calls and design some really stupid plays. I had my fair share. That just comes with the territory."

It's all about balancing the good with the bad, Pagano said.

"When you win and they write all those nice things about you, it’s really not reality and it’s not true," he said. "And when you lose and they say all those negative things about you, that isn’t true either. It's somewhere in the middle is where reality lies."

Favorite NFL team

"You know I’ll always root for the Colts and I’ll always bleed blue, if you will," Pagano said. "This is home and for six amazing years we had so many great moments here."

He also roots for Houston, his brother's team. John Pagano is senior defensive assistant and outside linebackers coach for the Texans. Chuck Pagano, who grew up in Denver as a Broncos fan, still likes them, too.

"I'm just a fan," he said. "I root for everybody and hope everybody does well."

Does he go to Colts games?

"I don’t have a parking pass anymore. Used to be able to slide right in and go right down and open my car door and I was two feet away from entering Lucas Oil Stadium," Pagano said. "I’d rather sit home with (his wife) Tina in front of the big screen TV with all the high def stuff."

Follow IndyStar sports reporter Dana Benbow on Twitter: @Dana Benbow. Reach her via e-mail: dbenbow@indystar.com.