End of the trail

Arians is 64. Aside from the cancer, he’s been hospitalized recently for colon inflammation and chest pains. Can you imagine a scenario that keeps him in charge beyond next season? I can’t. And the more time I spend thinking about it, the less likely it is that I think he returns.

At this point, we can’t know for sure. Arians wasn’t available for comment Wednesday, and the Cardinals declined to speculate on the coach’s future.

But the NFL is too grueling, too competitive for anyone in declining health to suffer through another sub-.500 season like last year.

On the other side, if the Cardinals win the division and make a playoff run, it could position Arians to ride off into glory as the best coach in franchise history. If he leads the team to a Super Bowl title, he might be tempted to call it quits before passing off the Lombardi Trophy.

Inspiration and higher calling

Aside from urgency, Arians seems to have found a source of inspiration and even a higher calling.

“I now realize more than ever nothing is guaranteed in life,” he writes. It comes after noting that he lost both his brother-in-law and his longtime agent to cancer around the time of his own diagnosis.

“Every day needs to be enjoyed and celebrated to the fullest. Roses need to be smelled, sunsets savored, time with family cherished.”

He also writes, “I’m not coaching for myself in 2017. I’m coaching for everyone who’s dealing with cancer.”

None of this sounds like something a hungry, young rustler would say, but it’s perfect for one last stand.

Arians seems to have discovered balance and purpose. There’s a whole genre of self-help and pop psychology books based around these concepts. If any of it is to be believed — and, hey, why not? — this can build mental toughness.

Football is a sport built on emotion. The season is short, but it lasts all year. Players need motivation wherever they