Colts' Chuck Pagano says it was his decision to fire Pep Hamilton

Indianapolis Colts head coach Chuck Pagano said it was his decision to fire offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton after the team's Week 8 loss to the Carolina Panthers.

"At the end of the day it is my responsibility as the head football coach to make this call," Pagano said.

Emphasizing that the decision was not a knee-jerk reaction - and that he, general manager Ryan Grigson, and owner Jim Irsay were all on the same page - Pagano told media on Wednesday that he felt the team "needed a change."

"We've got the talent, grit, character," Pagano said. "This was something I felt we needed to do. The mission is to start like we finish."

The transition to incoming offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski won't be drastic, according to Pagano, although he did specify that the former Cleveland Browns head coach puts an emphasis on running the ball.

When asked about struggling quarterback Andrew Luck's Stanford connection to the outgoing Hamilton, Pagano demurred and indicated that Luck is not the only one affected by the change.

"You worry about everybody, not only the QB, other players in there had relationships with him back at Stanford. You worry about the entire locker room, worry about the coaching staff. Not an easy thing to do obviously," Pagano said.