Stephen Holder

stephen.holder@indystar.com

INDIANAPOLIS – The silence is deafening.

If you’re listening for revelations from Indianapolis Colts headquarters, you might instead hear a pin drop.

That’s because no one is saying anything, up to and including owner Jim Irsay. Coach Chuck Pagano conducted his season-ending news conference Monday afternoon working under the assumption he would remain the team’s coach – even though Irsay had yet to confirm that to him. Pagano said he was scheduled to meet with Irsay later Monday. No information has surfaced in regards to that meeting. Also, as of Monday night, a source said, Ryan Grigson was still in his post as general manager.

So, 48 hours after the Colts’ second straight non-playoff season – the first time that’s happened in consecutive seasons since 1997-98 – things appear to be status quo.

Or are they?

Reporters have made multiple pleas for comment from Irsay in the past 24 hours, to no avail. The team has indicated there are no plans for any media availability Tuesday. That can mean one of two things: Everything is as it appears, and nothing is changing. Pagano and Grigson received contract extensions through 2019 last year, which means there’s technically nothing to address if no changes are made.

Or, the silence could suggest things are still very fluid and no final decisions have been made. That could mean Irsay is mulling his options before making anything official. The Colts have met their season-ending media obligation. The NFL requires either the coach, general manager or owner to address reporters after the season’s conclusion. Pagano’s news conference on Monday met that standard, meaning the Colts are in the clear as far as the NFL is concerned.

If Pagano and Grigson are, in fact, retained, Irsay will be making the decision to move forward with a regime that has amassed a 49-31 record since taking over in 2012. What that number doesn’t fully capture is the Colts’ .500 record in the past two seasons (16-16). The Colts have also been underwhelming in their most critical games. With a chance to pull into a tie for the AFC South lead in Week 14, the Colts instead had one of their poorest performances of the season, losing 22-17 to the Houston Texans at home. Games like that have raised the ire of the fan base and forced Pagano to deal with some tough questions during his news conference.

“You can look at it and you can be brutally honest with yourself,” he said. “Players are going to do that; as coaches, we have to do that. Myself, I have to do that and you have to answer some hard questions and face reality, and we’ll do that.”

There are currently six coaching vacancies in the NFL. The hiring cycle is well underway, with top candidates already scheduling interviews with various teams. The Colts, however, have not been linked to any candidate. Whether that means Pagano is, in fact, safe, remains to be seen.

Follow IndyStar reporter Stephen Holder on Twitter: @HolderStephen.

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