Report: Bruce Arians, Cardinals to part ways after season

There have been questions all season about whether this will be Bruce Arians’ final season coaching in the NFL, and it appears those questions have now been answered.

Hub Arkush of Pro Football Weekly is reporting that Arians and the Arizona Cardinals have agreed to part ways when the regular season ends next week. It’s unclear if Arians is retiring from coaching or simply taking a year off, but the former seems more likely given all the health issues he has had in recent years.

With Arians expected to be out, PFW also cites sources who say the odds of Larry Fitzgerald retiring would “significantly increase” if and when the head coach makes his announcement. The same could also be true for quarterback Carson Palmer.

It seems like the 7-8 Cardinals are in need of a fresh start, and we have already heard reports that they have been preparing for the possibility behind the scenes. Arians said earlier this year that a disappointing season only makes him more eager to keep coaching, but the 65-year-old can’t coach forever.