Bruce Arians Gets Courted by NFL Teams
The days of Bruce Arians being the offensive coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts may be numbered. Arians, who won nine games this season as interim head coach of the Colts, is one of the hottest properties in the NFL right now. As the league goes, when a team has success, their best pieces are picked away by other teams. Arians’ stock could not be higher than it is right now, and it is understandable that he is weighing the options that have been set before him.
When head coach Chuck Pagano went down with illness, Arians was thrust into an unexpected spot as head coach. Leading a young team that was still trying to get comfortable with all of their new pieces, and that was trying to rebound from a horrid 2011 season, was no easy task. Juggling the head coaching duties, as well as the offensive coordinator role, would have been daunting for anyone. Arians handled his new role with amazing humility and success, as well as respecting his friend Pagano the entire time.
Arians has already entertained offers from several NFL teams currently looking for a new head coach. Arians has already interviewed for the vacant head coaching job with the Chicago Bears, and has also spoke with the Philadelphia Eagles. The San Diego Chargers are also expected to meet with Arians this week.
Bruce Arians is known to have a knack for developing NFL quarterbacks. In the late 1990’s, Arians began two years as the quarterbacks coach for the Colts, where he worked with a young rookie by the name of Peyton Mannning. From 2004 to 2006, Arians also served as offensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers, coaching a young Ben Roethlisberger to two Super Bowl titles. After being released from the Steelers after last season, Arians was requested by Pagano to join his reloaded staff in Indianapolis. Arians took the job, and the opportunity to mentor another rookie quarterback, by the name of Andrew Luck. The rest is history.
After nearly 30 years of coaching, Bruce Arians is finally getting the respect he deserves. Arians will find a head coaching job in the NFL soon, and the Colts will have a big hole to fill without him. Regardless of where Arians may go, his time with Indianapolis will never be forgotten.