Tempe, AZ (Sports Network) - The NFL's final head coaching vacancy has been
filled as the Arizona Cardinals have chosen Bruce Arians as their next coach.
The deal is for four years with a team option for a fifth. Arizona will
introduce Arians at a Friday press conference.
Arians will replace Ken Whisenhunt, who was fired on Dec. 31 after recording
his second losing season in three years.
This will be Arians' second time succeeding Whisenhunt as he also replaced him
as the Pittsburgh Steelers' offensive coordinator when Whisenhunt left to
become the Cardinals' head coach in 2007.
The 60-year-old Arians remained in Pittsburgh for five years before leaving to
take over as the offensive coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts this past
season. He led the team to a 9-3 record as the interim head coach while Chuck
Pagano was treated for leukemia.
While with the Steelers, Arians led an offense in 2009 that included a 4,000-
yard passer, two 1,000-yard receivers and a 1,000-yard rusher in the same
season for the first time in franchise history. That team also set franchise
records for passing first downs (210) and completed passes (351).
Arians has 20 years of experience as an NFL assistant, but his only other head
coaching experience came at the college level when he guided Temple from
1983-88.
The Owls had a 21-45 overall record under Arians and finished with a winning
record just twice in his six seasons.
The Sports Network