Bruce Arians sounds off on Chicago Bears head coaching job, Jay Cutler in press conference
By Paul Steeno
In a press conference with Chicago media on Wednesday, Arizona Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians reflected on his unsuccessful bid for the Chicago Bears head coaching job in 2013 and his relationship with quarterback Jay Cutler.
Former Chicago Bears general manager Phil Emery made a number of puzzling decisions during his three-year stint in this position. His decision to give Marc Trestman the Chicago Bears head coaching job in 2013 was among his biggest follies.
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This week, one of the candidates who lost out to Trestman is back in Chicago. He will stand on the opposite sideline on Sunday, staring across at the team that refused to hire him. The Bears will get an opportunity to look at Arizona Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians in action for the first time since he became head coach for the Arizona Cardinals in 2013. It is an opportunity to see what could have been.
On Wednesday in a press conference with Chicago media, Arizona Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians answered questions about his head coaching bid with Chicago in 2013 and his relationship with Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler. He addressed these questions candidly.
Arians still doesn’t understand why former Chicago Bears general manager Phil Emery didn’t pick him for the Bear’s head coaching position in 2013.
"Yeah. I was [surprised]. I thought when I left, I said, ‘I don’t think anything could’ve been any better throughout the whole day.’ And I didn’t look back thinking I did anything wrong in any way. It was just their decision.” —-Quote obtained by ESPN writer Jeff Dickerson"
Since missing out on the Chicago Bears head coaching job, Arians has made a name for himself in his two seasons coaching with the Arizona Cardinals. He has led the Cardinals to a 22-12 record and a playoff berth in 2014. In contrast, Marc Trestman finished his time in Chicago with a 13-19 record and no playoff appearances. Trestman currently works as the offensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens scored 13 points in a week one loss to the Denver Broncos.
The two-time Associated Press Coach of the Year has no regrets about how he handled himself while interviewing for the Chicago Bears head coaching job. He understands that the Chicago Bears made a huge mistake when they decided not to hire him.
"The Bears were the first ones to put paperwork in for me, so that was the first interview I gave. I felt very comfortable; I thought it was a great organization, Phil and all the guys there, Mr. McCaskey — they were great. It was a day I felt went very well and they made a decision and I went on with it. —-Quote obtained by ESPN writer Jeff Dickerson"
When Arians interviewed with the Bears in 2013, he met Jay Cutler and liked what he saw from the Bear’s quarterback.
"I met a guy that was very passionate about the game, wanted to win and was willing to do whatever it took to win. I always felt he might be the most misunderstood quarterback in the league. —-Quote obtained by ESPN reporter Josh Weinfuss"
Regarding the quotation, Arians likely meant that Cutler is misunderstood in terms of how the media represents him as a quitter that doesn’t care about winning. While this isn’t a correct portrayal of Cutler, it doesn’t take away from the fact that hasn’t produced up to standards during his time in Chicago.
If the Bears hired Arians as their head coach in 2013, could he have connected better with Cutler than previous head coaches and offensive coordinators and perhaps turned his career back around in the right direction? Although it is hard to predict these types of things across different situations, Arians has a history of producing elite quarterbacks in the NFL.
Sep 13, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler (6) rushes the ball against the Green Bay Packers during the second half at Soldier Field. Green Bay Packers defeats the Chicago Bears 31-23. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports
Arians has coached some of the best quarterbacks in the league during his time as a quarterback coach and offensive coordinator in the NFL. As the quarterbacks coach with the Indianapolis Colts from 1998-2000, he developed a young Peyton Manning during the first few seasons of his career. In Pittsburgh as the offensive coordinator from 2007-2011, he helped Ben Roethlisberger make two Pro Bowl teams. As interim head coach with the Indianapolis Colts in 2012, Arians smoothed the transition to the NFL for Andrew Luck, allowing his quarterback to make the Pro Bowl team during his rookie season. In Arizona, 35-year-old Carson Palmer had his career rejuvenated while playing under Arians. In 23 starts with the Cardinals over the past three seasons, Palmer has a 17-6 record.
Who knows? Arians may have been the best thing for Jay Cutler. Unfortunately, the Chicago Bears picked Marc Trestman in 2013. While Arians does big things with Arizona, Jay Cutler’s career continues to spiral in the downward direction. Maybe Arians could do the Bears a favor and have a chat with Cutler before the game on Sunday and figure out why people misunderstand him so frequently. Perhaps if people understand him better, Cutler will start earning that $126 million contract.