10 Interesting Facts About Arizona Cardinals Head Coach Bruce Arians

Bruce Arians is the Head Coach for the Arizona Cardinals. Here are 10 interesting facts about him.

Bruce Arians who was born on October 3, 1952 in Paterson, New Jersey. He is the Head Coach for the Arizona Cardinals and has been coaching in college and in the NFL since 1975.

10 Interesting Facts About Arizona Cardinals Head Coach Bruce Arians

Facts #1:

Bruce Arians went to Virginia Tech and started his senior year at QB. That year he completed 45% of his passes, throwing for 3 TDs and 7 INTs and totaling 972 yards in the air. He also scrambled for 243 yards and 8 TDs all operating out of the traditional Wishbone Offense.

Facts #2:

Bruce Arians started his college coaching career as a graduate assistant at Virginia Tech from 1975 thru 1977. In 1978 thru 1980, he was hired by Mississippi State to coach the running backs and wide receivers. For the 1981 and 1982 season, he coached the running backs under legendary Coach Bear Bryant.

Facts #3:

Bruce Arians first college Head Coach position was with Temple University from 1983 thru the 1988 seasons. He used this stint as his entrance to coaching in the NFL.

Facts #4:

Bruce Arians was hired by the Kansas City Chiefs in 1989 where he stayed till 1992 coaching the running backs and meeting his future mentor Bill Cowher. IN 1993, he returned to the college ranks as the Offensive Coordinator for Mississippi State. He then bounced back to the NFL in 1996 for one season coaching the Tight Ends for the New Orleans Saints. Back o college again, this time, the University of Alabama as the Offensive Coordinator for the 1997 season.

Facts #5:

Bruce Arians was Peyton Manning's first QB coach from 1998 to 2000. In 2001 to 2003, he was the Offensive Coordinator for the Cleveland Browns and met Secondary coach Chuck Pagano for the first time professionally.

Facts #6:

Bruce Arians in 2004 was hired by Bill Cowher as the wide receiver Coach and was promoted to Offensive Coordinator in 2008 and stayed until his contact expired in 2011. In 2012, he joined his old buddy, Chuck Pagano as the Offensive Coordinator of the Indianapolis Colts.

Facts #7:

Bruce Arians was the interim Head Coach for the Indianapolis Colts 2012 when Chuck Pagano took a leave of absence to undergo Chemotherapy to treat his acute Leukemia. Arians went 9-3 during that time.

Facts #8:

Bruce Arians was named Associated Press 2012 Coach of the Year for the job he did for the Colts as the interim Head Coach.

Facts #9:

Bruce Arians was hired to be the Head Coach of the Arizona Cardinals on January 17,2013. He traded with the Oakland Raiders to get Veteran QB Carson Palmer and with the Steelers to get RB Rashad Mendenhall. The Cardinals in Arians first year as head coach recorded a 10-6 record and placed 3^rd in the highly competitive NFC West.

Facts #10:

Bruce Arians survived prostate cancer. His son, Jake spent a year with the Buffalo Bills as their placekicker.

Sources: Stampede Blue, NFL, Orange and Brown Report, Arizona Cardinals Team Page, Pro Football Reference