In yet another shocking piece of NFL news this offseason, Bruce Arians is no longer the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Peter King of Pro Football Talk reports that Arians has announced his retirement after three seasons as the Buccaneers’ head coach.
“Add this to the craziest, newsiest NFL offseason in modern league history: Bruce Arians, who coached the Buccaneers to a Super Bowl LV victory less than 14 months ago, is stepping aside to take a front-office role with the team effective immediately.”
Peter King on Bruce Arians’ retirement
King goes on to report that defensive coordinator Todd Bowles will replace Arians as the Buccaneers’ head coach.
As for the Buccaneers, they made Arians’ shocking decision to retire official immediately after the reports broke.
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Bruce Arians retires from coaching
Arians, 69, posted a 31-18 record in three seasons as the Buccaneers’ head coach. Working with Tom Brady, he led the team to a Super Bowl victory following the 2020 season.
Prior to his arrival in Tampa Bay, Arians coached the Arizona Cardinals for five seasons. He posted a 49-30-1 record in the desert. The longtime NFL assistant got his first head-coaching gig on an interim basis with the Indianapolis Colts back in 2012 — posting a 9-3 record in 12 games.
Arians’ NFL career dates all the way back to 1989 when he was the Kansas City Chiefs running backs coach. He’s spent time with the New Orleans Saints, Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers, too.
As a breaking story, we’ll have more information on Bruce Arians’ retirement when it becomes available.
Bruce Arians releases statement after retirment
“I have spent most of the last 50 years of my life on the sidelines as a football coach in one form or another. Today, I have made the decision to move from the sidelines into another role with the Buccaneers front office, assisting Jason Licht and his staff.
I love football. I love the relationships, the strategy, the competition—everything. It has been one hell of a ride, but I know this is the right time for me to make this transition.
So why now?
The simple answer is that I have accomplished more than I ever dreamed I could during this incredible coaching journey. Winning Super Bowl LV at our home stadium, with my mom and family in attendance, was really the last item I wanted to check off my career bucket list. For me, this is about more than just trying to add more wins to my coaching record.”
Bruce Arians on decision to retire
Arians made sure to note that this decision is not health related. I wants to be able to spend more time with his family and is “is the best I have felt in many years.” Remember, Arians has dealt with multiple bouts with cancer throughout his coaching career. This part of his announcement is nice to hear.
What does Bruce Arians’ retirement mean for Tom Brady?
All of this comes after Brady ended his short-lived retirement earlier in March. There had been reports of a rift between Brady and Arians, something that both sides have pushed back against since.
As for Brady’s future in Tampa Bay, there was speculation that he’s been angling for a trade with the Miami Dolphins coming up as a potential landing spot. New Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel called that report “fake news.”
As has always been the case, Brady’s been linked to the San Francisco 49ers. Some rumors persisted that he was looking to be traded to his childhood team earlier this offseason.
While Brady preferred to sign with San Francisco during free agency back in 2020, the team opted to retain Jimmy Garoppolo. At this point, Trey Lance is the quarterback in Northern California, meaning Brady is unlikely to head home.
All of this it to say that we have no idea what Bruce Arians’ decision to retire means for Tom Brady in Tampa Bay.
All we can do is point to what Brady says publicly. Following Arian’s decision to retire, the seven-time Super Bowl champion released a statement thanking his former head coach.
“Thank you, BA for all that you have done for me and our team. You are an incredible man and coach, and it was a privilege to play for you. You are a true NFL legend and pioneer for all the work you have done to make the league more diverse and inclusive.
Smart, tough, and loyal are a few of the words to describe your style. I will always remember the conversations we had when you recruited me two years ago and all of the things we discussed came true ?. We all benefited from your leadership and guidance and I’m so proud of everything we accomplished. You were a huge part of the decision to join the Bucs and I’m forever grateful.
I’m so happy you will spend the much-deserved time with your loving and supportive family that has given so much to our communities. Congratulations on an amazing coaching career but more importantly, how you positively impacted me and everyone else in the game of football.”
Tom Brady on Bruce Arians’ retirement, via Instagram