Chuck Pagano, who spent this past season as defensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens, was named coach of the NFL Indianapolis Colts on Wednesday by team owner Jim Irsay.

The hiring comes one day after Colts star quarterback Peyton Manning told the Indianapolis Star he might not be back with the team next season after missing the entire 2011 campaign with a neck injury.

The Colts fired coach Jim Caldwell last week after a dismal 2-14 season in which they landed the top pick in next April’s NFL Draft.

The team hired Ryan Grigson two weeks ago as its new general manager after dumping Bill Polian.

Caldwell went 26-22 in three seasons with the Colts and 2-2 in playoff games.

He guided the Colts to a 14-2 mark with a Super Bowl loss to New Orleans after taking over from Tony Dungy at the beginning of the 2009 season.

Manning said the team headquarters had become a haunting place after the firing of Caldwell, Polian and other coaches.

“I’m not in a very good place for healing, let’s say that,” Manning told the newspaper.

“It’s not a real good environment down there right now, to say the least. Everybody’s walking around on eggshells.”

Pagano spent the past four seasons with the Ravens, who were one win from next week’s Super Bowl 46 at Indianapolis before losing last Sunday at New England.

Pagano has 10 years of NFL coaching experience, including assistant coaching stints with the Cleveland Browns and Oakland Raiders.

AF