Reuters

Colts coach Chuck Pagano is finished with chemotherapy and eyeing a return to the sideline at the end of the season.

Pagano, who has missed most of the season while being treated for leukemia, had his final chemotherapy treatment today. His doctor told the Indianapolis Star afterward that depending on how Pagano is feeling, he believes it is reasonable to think the coach could resume coaching for the regular-season finale against the Texans on December 30.

“I’m fully supportive and I have my fingers crossed that he’ll be there on the sideline if that’s where he wants to be,” Dr. Larry Cripe said. “He’s received all of the chemotherapy he was to receive. Now it’s just a matter of over the next couple of weeks recovering back to health. He can start conditioning and moving towards what he wants to do, which is return to coaching.”

Cripe stressed that it’s no sure thing that Pagano will be feeling up to coaching before the end of the year. But there seems to be increasing optimism out of Indianapolis that Pagano will take the reins back from interim head coach Bruce Arians at the end of the year. And into the playoffs.