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Chuck Pagano comes out of retirement, joins Baltimore Ravens as senior secondary coach

ns_headshot_2024-clearby:Nick Schultz01/28/25

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Chuck Pagano
© Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Chuck Pagano is coming out of retirement. He is joining the Baltimore Ravens as a senior secondary coach under John Harbaugh, the franchise announced Tuesday.

It’s a full-circle moment for the Ravens. Pagano was part of Harbaugh’s initial staff in Baltimore in 2008 as secondary coach and later defensive coordinator before taking over as the Indianapolis Colts head coach.

Pagano retired from coaching after two seasons as the Chicago Bears’ defensive coordinator from 2019-20. He then spent time in the media world alongside Pat McAfee and his crew on The Pat McAfee Show the last few seasons. McAfee shared his reaction to Pagano’s return to coaching after the news came out.

“It is exciting to add Coach Chuck Pagano to our defensive staff and continue to develop and grow our young and talented secondary,” Harbaugh said in a statement. “Chuck brings a wealth of knowledge, experience and coaching talent to our team. He has deep ties to the program and is excited to get to work.”

Pagano brings a wealth of experience to Baltimore despite his four-year layoff from coaching. He started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at USC from 1984-85 and took the same role at Miami in 1986. After stints at Boise State, East Carolina and UNLV, he returned to the Hurricanes in 1995 as defensive backs and special teams coach until 2000.

That’s when the NFL came calling. Pagano made the leap in 2001 when the Cleveland Browns brought him aboard as secondary coach, and he stayed in the role until 2005 when he headed to the Oakland Raiders. Following a year back at the college level at North Carolina in 2007, Harbaugh came calling and brought him to Baltimore.

Then, in 2012, Pagano got his first head coaching opportunity. He took over the Indianapolis Colts, leading the franchise to three consecutive 11-win seasons. The first season, ironically, ended with a loss to the Ravens in the AFC Wild Card Game, and the next two years saw Divisional Round losses to the New England Patriots.

Indianapolis then went 8-8 in back-to-back years before a 4-12 record in 2017. That’s when the Colts opted to part ways with Pagano, who amassed a 53-43 mark in his lone head coaching opportunity.

During that first season with Indianapolis, though, Pagano was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia. He took a leave of absence as he underwent treatment, and doctors announced he was in remission in November. Pagano remains active in fundraising for cancer research.

Now, after four years away, Pagano is joining a Ravens team with a talented young secondary. Kyle Hamilton is the headliner, but Nate Wiggins had a strong rookie year after Baltimore took him out of Clemson. They were key parts of a defense that helped lead the Ravens to a 12-5 record before a Divisional Round loss to the Buffalo Bills.