Report: Colts players meet to discuss situation

The Indianapolis Colts held a players only meeting last week, and one of the concerns was that the front office was forcing coach Chuck Pagano to make lineup changes, the Indianapolis Star reported.

It has been a difficult season so far for the Colts, who are 3-5 but still tied for first place in the AFC South. Offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton was fired recently, and players were concerned that distractions might affect their play.

The meeting was held to try to get the focus back on football. But the most revealing aspect of the meeting, according to the Star report, were suggestions that Pagano's moves are not entirely his.

Dating to last season, according to the report, Colts players sometimes approached coaches with ideas, only to be told the coaches could not act on those suggestions "because of forces beyond their control."

Pagano's future was also a concern of the players, as was the friction between the front office and coaching staff.