All-Access with Bruce Arians: Cardinals coach retires with family in mind

TEMPE, Ariz. – Arizona Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians announced his retirement on Monday following the Cardinals’ final game of the 2017 season.

With help from the Cardinals’ media relations staff, we’ve highlighted Arians’ final statement as the Cardinals head coach.

Opening statement:

“We built this program on three words: trust, loyalty and respect. I told our team last night I was done, I’m retiring, and they lied to you. There’s no greater feeling in the world than to know your players have your back. I can’t say enough about our owner, the best owner, I think, in the league, by far. We just introduced a young lady to our guys who will handle all alumni benefits – the only team in the league that takes care of their alumni players. Building a new field (at the practice facility) already. Steve Keim, a general manager who is like a little brother and a great guy. The way he refilled this roster this year and to be able to take guys and plug them and play them and win three out of the last four is amazing. It’s been a great ride.

On the reason: 

“I told you before, there will be reasons. Family is a big one, and I will miss the game. I’ll actually miss you guys. Hell, I may be on your side. I don’t know, but it’s been a great ride. I can’t thank Michael (Bidwill) enough for giving me this opportunity. I can’t thank our coaching staff enough. What they did in the last eight weeks is just absolutely amazing, to go up there (in Seattle) and win that game with guys going down left and right like that all year and to finish it off.”

On when he knew he would retire:

“I probably, truly didn’t know until that kick went through that I was going to retire. I know everybody speculated. Everybody speculated for months. Everybody had a story. You now have the story.”

On his coaching journey:

“Like I said, it’s been an unbelievable journey. It started in 1975. Probably one of the hardest things for me this year was sitting at the lake this summer, and (my wife) Chris said, ‘You know (our son) Jake’s going to be 40?’ And I mean, it hit me like a ton of bricks that I missed all that time. And that’s coaching. I probably wouldn’t change anything.”

On the relationships he built:

“Just the relationships that you build over the years with players, that never changes. Going to Philly or Washington and having 15 or 20 Temple guys show up that are now in their 50s. ‘How the hell did you get so old?’ That’s really why you do this business, and I can’t thank you guys (the media) enough. You guys have been great. I know how hard your job is, and hopefully we treated each other with enough respect that we always got it done in the right way, unlike some people who have all these sources. I hate that word. But again, nothing really …”

On his emotion:

“The tears you see are really tears of joy and peace. I’ll miss the players. I’ll miss coming out of the locker room, hearing the national anthem because it still gets me. But, somehow, some way, I’m going to be in touch with the game.”

On his plans going forward:

“I’m not leaving the Valley. I’m very proud of our foundation (the Arians Family Foundation) and the work we’re doing to help the children in this Valley, and that won’t ever stop. Hopefully, I can count on your guys’ support when we try to help these kids because that’s more important than football. I know our fans don’t want to hear it, but the kids that we have helped in this Valley in the last five years means way more to me than wins and losses.

“I encourage all of you, because I know one of you has become a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate), and try it. I think I am going to be one. That’s one of the things that I’m going to do, hopefully. I don’t know if I’m strong enough to be one, because I would probably try to take things into my own hands.

“But again, thank you. There are so many reasons for the decision, but family is the one. Thank you.”

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