Could Cardinals target Todd Bowles if Bruce Arians retires?

The Arizona Cardinals are said to be already making contingency plans in case Bruce Arians decides to retire following the 2017 season, and there has been some speculation that they could look to bring back a familiar face should that happen.

According to Brian Costello of the New York Post, there have been “rumblings in NFL circles for months” that the Cardinals would have interest in New York Jets head coach Todd Bowles if Arians decides to leave. Bowles spent two seasons as a defensive coordinator under Arians in 2013 and 2014, and he was able to parlay his success there into his first NFL head coaching job. It makes sense that there would still be a level of mutual respect between him and the Cardinals organization.

However, the Jets seem highly unlikely to fire Bowles with the way his team has responded to adversity this season. Many accused New York of tanking and intentionally putting together a horrible roster, but the team has won five games and five of their 10 losses were by a touchdown or less. The Jets continue to play competitively despite being out of the playoff hunt and starting quarterback Josh McCown no longer on the active roster due to a broken hand.

There’s always a chance Bowles could force his way out of New York if the Cardinals has interest and he would rather coach in Arizona. That is far less common in the NFL than it is at the collegiate level, however.

A report this week claimed Arians and the Cardinals have already decided to part ways at the end of the season, but the 65-year-old coach tried to put that talk on hold while speaking with reporters on Tuesday.