Ex-Cardinals HC Bruce Arians Reportedly Expected to Join CBS as Analyst

The 2018 season will mark the first time in more than four decades that Bruce Arians is not coaching football in some capacity, but it appears he won't be far removed from the game. 

According to Richard Deitsch of The Athletic, Arians is expected to sign with CBS Sports as a game analyst, likely joining the crew featuring Greg Gumbel and Trent Green.

Arians, 65, retired from coaching following the 2017 season.

Earlier this month, The Arizona Republic's Bob McManaman reported that Arians was weighing offers from two networks and that a decision would be made in the coming weeks. Now, it appears as though he has settled on an offer.

Arians has long been regarded as one of the brightest minds in all of football, earning a reputation as an offensive guru and a quarterback whisperer. He led the Indianapolis Colts to a 9-3 record on an interim basis as Chuck Pagano was treated for leukemia. That impressive job landed him the Arizona Cardinals' gig, where he went 50-32-1 (including the playoffs) in five years with two playoff appearances and a berth in the 2016 NFC Championship Game.

When he retired, he made it clear that he planned on staying close to football.

"The tears you see are really tears of joy and peace," Arians said in January, via Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com. "I'll miss the players. I’ll miss coming out of the locker room and hearing the national anthem because it still gets me. But somehow, someway, I'm going to stay in touch with the game."

True to his word, he is reportedly closing in on a deal that will allow him to stay in touch with the NFL, even if he's not down on the sideline anymore.