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Todd Bowles wins Assistant Coach of the Year award

By Robby Sabo

Jan 21, 2015; Florham Park, NJ, USA; New York Jets new head coach Todd Bowles speaks during a press conference at Atlantic Health Jets Training Center. Mandatory Credit: William Perlman/NJ Advance Media for NJ.com via USA TODAY Sports
Jan 21, 2015; Florham Park, NJ, USA; New York Jets new head coach Todd Bowles speaks during a press conference at Atlantic Health Jets Training Center. Mandatory Credit: William Perlman/NJ Advance Media for NJ.com via USA TODAY Sports /
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Former Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles wins Assistant Coach of the Year award.

Not only can Todd Bowles celebrate his first head coaching job with the New York Jets, but he can now feel proud he was named 2014 Assistant Coach of the Year.

Tonight at NFL Honors, Bowles was recognized with the honor for the job he did with the Arizona Cardinals defense this season.

The Cardinals were devastated through injuries and suspensions this season.

Starting middle linebacker, and perhaps their best front seven member, Daryl Washington was suspended for the entire year due to violation of the league’s substance abuse policy. Defensive tackle Darnell Docket was lost for the season because of a torn ACL in training camp, as well.

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Other prominent guys who missed some time during the season included safety Tyrann Mathieu, linebacker Matt Shaughnessy, and defensive end Calais Campbell.

Amazingly, though, Bowles adjusted on the fly. He decided to fully display his strength, cornerbacks Patrick Peterson and Antonio Cromartie, and start blitzing like a mad man.

The results were phenomenal.

The Cardinals were the best team in the league through the first half of the season and finished the year with a record of 11-5 in perhaps the league’s toughest division.

Bowles’ defense finished fifth in the league in points allowed with only 18.7 yielded per game. Three of his defensive players made the Pro Bowl in Peterson, Cambell and Cromartie.

Bowles, 51, was a starting safety for Joe Gibbs on the Washington Redskins during the 1980’s and early 90’s. He intercepted 15 passes and recovered seven fumbles during his eight-year playing career. The highlight of his career came during Super Bowl XXII when he started for the eventual champion Redskins in quarterback Doug Williams’ coming out party.

He has been the defensive coordinator for the Cardinals under Bruce Arians for the past two seasons. In 2012, he served as the Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator and served as interim head coach of the Miami Dolphins towards the end of the 2011 season.

The New Jersey native from Elizabeth will now take his career resume to Florham Park, NJ in an effort to try to bring the Jets back to the Super Bowl for the first time in 47 years, when Joe Namath shocked the world in Super Bowl III.

The only thing Jets fans alike can say right now is: “from your lips to gods ears” that Bowles can make that happen.

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