Bruce Arians is stepping down as head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Following three seasons on the sidelines, including a Super Bowl victory, Arians will transition to a front office role with the organization.
The 69 year old’s official title will be Senior Football Consultant, while the Bucs will promote Defensive Coordinator Todd Bowles to the position of head coach.
Arians released a statement Wednesday which provided some insight into his rationale for the move: “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.”
“This team is in a much better place than it was three years ago due to Jason’s great work and the Glazer family’s commitment to winning. Before you start thinking this is about my health, don’t. This is the best I have felt in many years and I’m looking forward to helping this team continue winning through my new role.”
Originally hired in January of 2019, the former York, Pennsylvania native became the 12th head coach in franchise history following a brief one season retirement. During his time with Tampa Bay, Arians posted a 31-18 record giving him the best winning percentage (.632) of any Buccaneers head coach. The former head coach also sits 4th all time in franchise history for wins, trailing only John Gruden, Tony Dungy and John McKay, all of whom coached in 96 or more games.
Meanwhile, Todd Bowles becomes the 6th minority head coach in the NFL joining Mike Tomlin, Ron Rivera, Robert Saleh, Lovie Smith, and Mike McDaniel. Bowles was previously the head coach of the New York Jets, and had a brief stint as interim head coach of the Dolphins back in 2011.
Quarterback Tom Brady took to Instagram to pen a heartfelt tribute to his former coach, saying “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.”
Even though the Bucs kept it in house with the promotion of Bowles, the departure of Arians means that now 10 franchises will have a new head coach in 2022. This figure marks the most changes in a single offseason since 2009 when 11 new coaches made their debut.
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