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When Larry Fitzgerald hugged coach Bruce Arians in celebration, he tore Arians' rotator cuff

This sums up the Arizona Cardinals’ hard-luck season perfectly: At the end of their biggest win, star receiver Larry Fitzgerald injured his coach, Bruce Arians.

Dan Bickley of the Arizona Republic caught up with Arians recently, and Arians told him he was trying to golf through a torn rotator cuff. How did he suffer that injury? When Chandler Catanzaro hit a game-winning field goal as time ran out in a Week 16 win at the Seattle Seahawks, Fitzgerald was excited. So he did what seemed right, and he grabbed Arians a bear hug. He knocked off Arians’ headset and glasses.

And he tore Arians’ rotator cuff in his shoulder.

“It’s torn completely through,” Arians told Bickley. “I can still manage a golf swing as long as I keep my elbow down. But the hardest thing is getting the clubs in and out of the bag.”

Arians said that Fitzgerald has apologized often for accidentally injuring him. Arians joked that Fitzgerald would pay if he couldn’t play golf this offseason, according to Darren Urban of the Cardinals’ website, but it seems like Arians is managing to hit the links despite the injury.

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Arians had a tough season, with two stints in the hospital, and that doesn’t count the shoulder injury. The Cardinals had a tough season too, going 7-8-1 with plenty of close losses. It’s also a nervous offseason for the team. Arians told Bickley he hasn’t heard for sure if Fitzgerald and quarterback Carson Palmer will return next season, though he’s hopeful both will be back.

Hopefully by the start of next season Arians is healed up from his weird injury and ready to go, and the Cardinals are a little safer with him when they celebrate.

Bruce Arians suffered an injury celebrating a win with Larry Fitzgerald last season. (AP)
Bruce Arians suffered an injury celebrating a win with Larry Fitzgerald last season. (AP)

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Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdown.corner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!