When Bruce Arians led the Colts on an inspiring run as interim head coach

Bruce Arians was appointed as the offensive coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts in 2012 after decades of experience in the NFL. As fate would have it, he would go on to lead the team as an interim head coach that very season after Chuck Pagano was diagnosed with Leukemia.

The Colts had just let the legendary Peyton Manning go into free agency. The quarterback had missed the entire previous season due to injury, seeing the Colts finish the season on a 2-14 record. Indianapolis felt his best days were behind him and looked to the draft for a replacement.

The franchise selected Standford Cardinal quarterback Andrew Luck as the first overall pick in the 2012 draft as the long-term replacement for Peyton Manning. Disaster struck when head coach Pagano had to excuse himself from the team due to his battle with cancer.

Bruce Arians' tenure as Colts interim head coach

Head coach Chuck Pagano of the Indianapolis Colts hugs offensive coordinator Bruce Arians

Bruce Arians had a reputation for being a brilliant strategist, a savvy leader, and a great motivator. These were major reasons why he was considered Pagano's short-term replacement. They were also crucial to his success as the interim head coach despite challenging circumstances.

He led the Colts to a 9-3 record after taking over in September, including wins against playoff-bound teams. The team was able to secure a playoff spot despite a difficult start to the season, going 11-5 overall. It was an atmosphere that captured the hearts of fans, as Arians and the team were motivated by Pagano's battle with cancer.

Unfortunately, the journey came to an end in the Wild Card round of the playoffs, as the Colts fell to eventual Super Bowl champions the Baltimore Ravens 24-9.

Arians' coaching style emphasized a deep passing game and aggressive play-calling, which helped Andrew Luck set rookie records and earn a Pro Bowl nod.

Arians' performance with the Colts earned him the AP NFL coach of the year that season, becoming the first interim coach to ever clinch the award. It also led to him being hired as the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals the following season. His tenure as the Colts' interim head coach was a critical turning point in his coaching career, leading him to greater heights.

Bruce Arians’ coaching career

New York Giants v Tampa Bay Buccaneers

After more than a decade in different college football coaching roles, Bruce Arians got his first NFL job with the Kansas City Chiefs. He was named the running backs coach in 1989. His next NFL role came in 1986 with the New Orleans Saints after another stint in college football.

Arians had another brief stint in college football before returning as Indianapolis Colts quarterback coach in 1998. He was named the Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator in 2001, holding the role for the first time on the professional level. He spent three seasons in that role.

His next stop was the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he became the wide receivers coach in 2004. He was elevated to the offensive coordinator position at the Steelers in 2007, holding the role for another four seasons. Arians became the Indianapolis Colts' offensive coordinator in 2012 before destiny took him to the team's interim head coaching role.

Following the Colts, he went to the Cardinals, where he was HC from the 2013-2017 seasons. He finished with a 50-32-1 record and made the playoffs on two occasions (2014,2015 seasons), going 1-2 in total.

Bruce Arians joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2019, winning the Super Bowl in the 2020 season and stepping down in 2022. In his HC career, Bruce Arians went 80-48-1 in the regular season and 6-3 in the playoffs.