A number of people have already asked, 'Why are you stepping away from a chance to go to the Hall of Fame and win another Super Bowl?' Because I don't give a s--- about the Hall of Fame, succession is way important to me. This has been my dream for a long time. Guys that know me, they knew I wanted one of my guys to take over.

Bruce Arians

We had him in for a pre-draft interview in '98, and he had a notebook full of questions for us, including one about the Indiana tax code, i remember thinking, 'Who interviewed who here?'.

Bruce Arians

top-news

Drew has a chance to return this season, it's a day-to-day thing.

Bruce Arians

sports

You can die at any moment doing anything. I mean, so why not do what you love to do. If I die on game day, have a drink. Celebrate.

Bruce Arians

day moment you love

I've always loved Cleveland.

Bruce Arians

loved always cleveland

I think Chris Godwin is going to be close to a 100-catch guy, especially because I think he can play in the slot.

Bruce Arians

going think guy play

At 30 I thought I knew everything, and 30 years later I didn't know anything.

Bruce Arians

anything everything thought know

There's not one moment from my journey that I'd want to change. Everything happens for a reason.

Bruce Arians

moment change journey want

When you get in coaching, you realize there are only two kinds of coaches - those that are fired and those who are going to get fired.

Bruce Arians

realize only you coaching

I loved the three years I had in Cleveland, especially that playoff run with Timmy Couch and Kelly Holcomb. And obviously those great years in Pittsburgh.

Bruce Arians

loved great run three

I felt like Cleveland deserved a winner. They have the most loyal fans in the world. I just thought it was a goal of mine. Every time that job came open I tried to get it.

Bruce Arians

job winner time world

I think all the great ones have it. They just have a will they can put on their teammates. Refuse to lose mentality. When you step in the huddle with any of those guys, you're so calm that he knows what the heck he's doing and he can get the job done.

Bruce Arians

step job great you

When I coached guys that I knew would be good coaches, I kind of push them.

Bruce Arians

them push good kind

And opportunity doesn't always come. I thought I should have had a head-coaching opportunity a long time ago. Called plays in the Super Bowl. Won the game. No phone calls.

Bruce Arians

game opportunity time long

We have to build that African-American offensive coordinator/quarterback coach that is going to be a head coach. I think that's our job as head coaches - to find those guys.

Bruce Arians

head find job think

The most important relationship a head coach has on his team isn't with the other coaches, the owner or the general manager. It's with the quarterback. He's the one who runs the show on the field; He's the ultimate extension of his coach. If there isn't a high level of mutual trust between them, both coach and quarterback will be doomed.

Bruce Arians

trust team important relationship

My quarterbacks have to be a member of my family, and that has nothing to do with football. Trust is everything. We have to connect on a deep level in order to really be able to build something together.

Bruce Arians

trust family together football

Trust brings a higher level of communication and a higher level of commitment and accountability.

Bruce Arians

level trust communication commitment

You learn a lot about human nature in a bar.

Bruce Arians

human you human-nature nature

I never want to be a father figure to my quarterbacks. I've got my own kids. I want to be the cool uncle you'd like have a drink with.

Bruce Arians

uncle cool you father

I wasn't happier for anyone more than Vic Fangio. He deserved to be a head coach, in my opinion. I was really pulling for him and pushing him whenever I got a chance.

Bruce Arians

head more opinion chance