INDIANAPOLIS — It took Chuck Pagano less than nine months to instill his fighter's mentality and hopeful spirit in the Indianapolis Colts.

He will need both to survive the biggest battle of his life — leukemia.

In a somber news conference Monday, Colts officials announced their new coach had been hospitalized for cancer treatment and probably would not return to full coaching duties this season. Pagano, whose 52nd birthday is Tuesday, will be replaced on an interim basis by offensive coordinator Bruce Arians.

"He will do fine," said Arians, his voice cracking as he recalled his own fight with prostate cancer in 2007. "I know him. He's a fighter. He's survived tough times already in his life. As a cancer survivor myself, I know that these first few days are really hard on you but as he and I talked yesterday, it's just a matter of time."

General manager Ryan Grigson read stoically from his prepared notes, and Arians struggled to hold back tears.

After practice, players signed a get-well card that read in part, "We are in your corner 100 percent. Get rest, but we can't wait to get our leader back."

Pagano's physician, Larry Cripe, said the coach will be treated with chemotherapy and drugs — a process that usually requires patients to spend at least four weeks in the hospital.

Locker is listed

as day to day

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Jake Locker has no structural damage to his left, non-throwing shoulder and Tennessee coach Mike Munchak said the Titans' quarterback will be day to day this week.

Locker, a former Washington Huskies standout, dislocated his shoulder Sunday early in a 38-14 loss to Houston when sacked by Texans cornerback Glover Quinn.

Ex-Seahawk Matt Hasselbeck replaced Locker in the game and was 17 of 25 for 193 yards and two touchdowns but two of his passes were picked off and returned for TDs.

Note

• Woody Johnson, New York Jets owner and state chairman for Mitt Romney's presidential campaign, said if he was asked to choose, he would pick an election victory by Romney over the Jets having a winning season.

"I think you always have to put country first," the 65-year-old Johnson said on a Bloomberg Television program.

Johnson described the Jets' performance in Sunday's 34-0 home loss to San Francisco as "absolutely unacceptable."