( CNN ) -- When Chuck Pagano showed up for work Monday , he drove by a giant inflatable Indianapolis Colts player at the team 's entrance . The player had a sign on his chest saying `` Welcome Back Chuck . '' It was a moment to celebrate . Pagano , the Colts head coach , missed nearly three months battling leukemia . He was cleared to return to work last week . Monday was his first day back at the Colts team facility . `` It 's really great to be back , '' Pagano said Monday at a press conference . `` Like a kid in a candy store , get to come and be around the guys again , be doing what I love to do , what I 've done my whole life . '' Pagano has n't been on the sideline since September 23 against the Jacksonville Jaguars . This week , if all goes as planned , Pagano will return to the Colts sideline for the team 's final regular season game , a home game against the Houston Texans . Players , coaches , and staff welcome Pagano 's return , including Colts owner Jim Irsay . `` I 'm very confident that he is ready , that it is the right decision , the right time for him to grab the reigns and put the head coaching cap back on and take over , '' Irsay said . Offensive coordinator Bruce Arians stepped in as interim coach while Pagano went through treatment . Arians led the Colts -- the NFL 's worst team last season -- on an improbable run , winning nine of their next 12 games . On Sunday , the Colts defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 20-13 to improve to 10-5 , clinching a playoff berth . `` What a masterful , masterful job you did , Bruce , '' Pagano said . `` You carried the torch , and all you went out and did was win nine ballgames , and got us our 10th win yesterday , and you got us into the playoffs . You did it with dignity and you did it with class , and you 're everything that I always knew you were -- and more . '' Pagano also thanked his family , particularly his wife , Tina , for their support through his treatment . He said that Tina never left his side at the IU Simon Cancer Center , where he spent 25 days . `` She 's a soldier , a warrior , my soul mate , '' Pagano said . Although Pagano could not be at the team facility and at games while going through chemotherapy , the team and staff showed their support for him . The Colts began a campaign dubbed `` CHUCKSTRONG . '' The purpose was to raise funds for leukemia research while also giving Pagano and his family support and well wishes . About 30 Colts players and coaches , including star rookie quarterback Andrew Luck , shaved their heads while Pagano underwent treatment . On November 25 in a game against the Buffalo Bills , two Colts cheerleaders had their heads shaved in response to the Colts organization raising money for cancer research . On Monday , Pagano said it was a `` privilege '' and a `` blessing '' to be back . `` I 'll go about my business as a football coach and those type of things in the same manner , '' Pagano said . `` But what I asked the guys to do was to every day they walk in this door , the same way our coaches do , and the same way I 'm going to do , is I 'm going to work as hard as I can and take advantage of this great opportunity that was given to all of us and live every day to its fullest . ''
Chuck Pagano was out for nearly three months battling leukemia . 30 Colts players , coaches , and 2 cheerleaders , shaved heads to support the coach . Monday was his first day back at the team 's facility . `` I 'm very confident that he is ready , that it is the right decision , '' says Colts owner .