Bruce Arians: Larry Fitzgerald will play for Cardinals in ‘right situation’
Jan 10, 2018, 9:18 AM
Bruce Arians isn’t getting the itch to coach again.
Sure, it’s not even been two weeks since he made his decision to retire and leave the Arizona Cardinals, but the former head coach is already expressing confidence in his choice.
Joining The Rich Eisen Show on Tuesday, Arians said Carson Palmer’s decision to retire wasn’t tied to his own. And on that note, theirs isn’t tied to that of fellow veteran Larry Fitzgerald, who Arians said has not yet decided whether to play for Arizona in 2018.
“I think Larry will (return) with the right situation: The right coach, the right offense for him,” the former coach said. “A lot of those decisions, they’re going to be really hard decisions, but I know (Cardinals president Michael Bidwill) and (general manager Steve Keim) will make the best decision for the Cardinals.”
As for his own choice to step away, Arians said he sat down with his family after a Week 10 home loss to the Seattle Seahawks to discuss his future. Oddly enough, the Cardinals’ success at the end of 2017 despite injuries to key players played a part in confirming to Arians it was time to retire.
Their last win in Seattle made it easy for Arians to leave a team he believes is in a good place.
“There’s too much to win for to die on the sideline. There’s nothing else to really do than win a championship, and I think the Cardinals can win the championship, the talent is there,” he said. “Steve Keim will do whatever he needs to do to finish off this roster. He’ll hire the right guy. So it was easy for me to step out and just agree with (my wife Christine) for the first time in a long time.”
On Eisen’s show, Arians donned a hat with a Cardinals logo on the side.
He again said he hopes Arizona will hire his former defensive coordinator, James Bettcher, to take on the head coaching duties.
“I’m selfish. I want to be able to go back and be part of it in a small way,” Arians said. “And I think he’s more than qualified, not just for the Cardinals. I think he’s ready to be a head coach, anywhere.”
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