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Watch: Cardinals’ Bruce Arians was upset with Steelers' firing

Bruce Arians opens up about his exit from the Pittsburgh Steelers that left his wife in tears.
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Arizona Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians opened up about his departure from the Pittsburgh Steelers in an upcoming episode of HBO's Real Sports.

Arians was an assistant in Pittsburgh for eight seasons with three of those seasons as an offensive coordinator. He was a member of two Super Bowl-winning coaching staffs and worked very closely with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

Arians said that his style of offense and his relationship with Roethlisberger cost him his job in Pittsburgh. The decision left him and his wife heartbroken.

“I got a call on Monday and [head coach Mike Tomlin] said, ‘I can't get you the money.’” Arians recalled. “I said, ‘Okay.’ he said, 'No, I can't get you a contract.’ I said, ‘Are you firing me?’ He said, “No...’ ‘'Well... it's just a matter of words, Mike. Okay. If I don't have a contract, I'm fired.’ And he said,  ‘I'm going to fly down and talk.’ I said, ‘Why waste the money and the time?’ And so that was it. Walked upstairs and told my wife. And I've never seen her cry. And she cried.”

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Watch part of the interview below:

[youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzHH0QWNo7c]

Arians has since coached the Cardinals to 34–14 record in his three seasons as the Cardinals head coach. He was 13–3 last season.