It appears that retirement is treating Bruce Arians quite well. According to ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter, Arians will be hired as the new head coach of the Arizona Cardinals. The deal is for four years with a team option for a fifth.

The hiring comes almost exactly a year to the day after Arians was let go by the Steelers and actually contemplated retirement.

Instead of retiring, Arians signed on with the Indianapolis Colts to be their offensive coordinator under new head coach Chuck Pagano, who stepped in to replace the fired Jim Caldwell.

Unfortunately, Pagano was diagnosed with Leukemia early in the 2012 season, and Arians was named the Colts’ interim head coach and led them to a 9-3 record (11-5, overall) and a wild card berth in the AFC. Indianapolis was 2-14 the previous year so it was a remarkable turn-around.

Ironically enough, Todd Haley, the man the Steelers hired to replace Arians as OC, also interviewed for the Arizona job and appeared to be a front-runner early on.

Arians has developed a reputation over the years as being able to work with young quarterbacks–most notably Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlisberger and the newly minted Andrew Luck–and it remains to be seen if he’ll be able to work any miracles in Arizona, with a quarterback roster led by Kevin Kolb and John Skelton.Thanks for visiting.
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