Arians named Coach of the Year

NEW ORLEANS -- Bruce Arians, who led the Indianapolis Colts to a 9-3 record while Chuck Pagano was being treated for leukemia, was named the 2012 Associated Press NFL Coach of the Year on Saturday.

Arians was hired as the Colts' offensive coordinator to help install the new offense run by rookie quarterback Andrew Luck in 2012. But Arians was thrust into the interim head coaching job when Pagano was forced to leave the team in October and didn't return until Week 17.

The Colts eventually finished with an 11-5 record, earning a wild card spot in the playoffs. Arians was named the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals last month.