Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians, here hugging safety Rashad Johnson after beating the Eagles this season, was named the PFWA's Coach of the Year Thursday. Former defensive coordinator Todd Bowles was named assistant coach of the year.

Ever since the Cardinals surged to a 9-1 record after injuries undercut his team, Bruce Arians was considered a leading candidate to win Coach of the Year honors for 2014.

While the "official" Coach of the Year award isn't announced until the night before the Super Bowl, all the indicators point toward that for

Arians, including Thursday's announcement that Arians was voted the NFL Coach of the Year by the Pro Football Writers of America.

Many of the same voters for "official" Associated Press Coach award are also members of the PFWA.

The PFWA also named Todd Bowles, the Cardinals' defensive coordinator-turned-Jets-head coach, as the NFL assistant coach of the year.

Arians got the Cardinals back to the playoffs for the first time since 2009 this season, despite losing his top two quarterbacks to injuries and dealing with a host of other injuries and the Daryl Washington suspension.

Arians also won the PFWA Coach of the Year award in 2012 after taking over the Colts for much of the season for an ill Chuck Pagano. Arians later won the AP Coach honors as well.

Cowboys owner/president/general manager Jerry Jones won Executive of the Year, although Cardinals General Manager Steve Keim did get the Executive of the Year nod from profootballtalk.com earlier this week. The AP does not name an Executive of the Year.

In two seasons as head coach, Arians has fashioned a 21-11 record with the Cardinals, the most wins for a coach in franchise history over the first two years.