Arizona Cardinals’ Coach Bruce Arians almost cut a player to make a point
By Bryant West
The Arizona Cardinals have a new coach, and he’s apparently one you don’t mess with.
According to Jim Trotter of mmqb.si.com, Bruce Arians cut a player in camp to make a point about following the rules.
Arians says he’d established his code of conduct early in training camp, which included a rule against tackling. When Robert Gill tackled star cornerback Patrick Patterson following an interception, Arians apparently decided he was ready to cut Gill for breaking the rule. The next morning, he told Gill he was gone—in front of his teammates.
Arians’ message got across to his players; star wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald was quoted as saying “There’s a new sheriff in town…” He did allow his players to vote on whether Gill should remain, and when the team voted to keep Gill, Arians allowed it.
Gill did not end up making the final Cardinals roster.