MMQB: Bruce Arians taught Todd Bowles to coach with ‘no fear’

It didn’t take long for former Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles to find controversy in his new gig.

The New York Jets head coach faced his first hurdle as the team’s leader when now-released IK Enemkpali sucker-punched quarterback Geno Smith in the face, breaking his jaw and putting the expected starter out of commission to start the season.

However much trouble that has caused the first-year Jets coach, Bowles seems ready to handle such situations.

In a Q&A with MMQB’s Jenny Vrentas, Bowles discussed how his career path helped him develop into the type of leader ready to be an NFL head coach — and specifically how Arians played a role in developing his style.

Bowles said that Arians, who coached him at Temple, taught him to coach with “no fear.”

VRENTAS: “No fear” in what respect?

BOWLES: How you play the game. Don’t be afraid to take chances and do things. Just play the game as you see it. If you have a thought, let it go through. Don’t second-guess yourself. Just go ahead and do it, and you live with the results.

Bowles is sure to point out that Arians — and himself — aren’t just gunslingers tossing deep balls down the field and blitzing whenever possible. Everything they do is calculated, Bowles said.

And regarding Bowles’ biggest obstacle in Jets camp thus far, we find out that Arians made sure to check up on his former coordinator following the Smith-Enemkpali dust-up.

VRENTAS: Did you talk to Arians after what happened last week?

BOWLES: He texted me, to make sure I was alright. I said I was fine. He said OK, if you need to vent, let me know. I said OK.

VRENTAS: Have you taken him up on that offer?

BOWLES: No, he’s got his own team to run. You don’t do that. (laughs) In the offseason, though, I might vent to him a little bit.

It’s doubtful Arians was actually worried about Bowles.

We can probably chalk that text up to classic BA humor.

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