The Facts: The Cardinals have requested permission to speak to Indianapolis Colts offensive coordinator Bruce Arians, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network and NFL.com reports. This according to a source informed of their plans.
Diehards Line:According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Arians met with Cardinals officials at dinner Wednesday night. The interview will continue today. Arians assumed interim head coaching duties for the Colts in 2012 while Colts coach Chuck Pagano underwent leukemia treatment. He went 9-3, helping the Colts to a surprise playoff spot and making Arians a candidate for multiple head-coaching vacancies. According to Profootballtalk.com's Mike Florio, Arians wanted the Chicago job, where he was a finalist (Marc Trestman got the nod there). Though it’s believed he won’t be leaving the Colts for any head-coaching job, the Cardinals’ vacancy is regarded as one of the worst available given the absence of a great quarterback and the presence of increasingly stiff competition in the division. Moreover, the Cardinals aren’t exactly known for supporting their coaches. ... So stay tuned. The Cardinals and Jaguars (where 49ers OC Greg Roman is considered the favorite) are the last two jobs that must be filled.