After leading the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a Super Bowl win in the 2020 season, Bruce Arians left his head coaching position with the team after the 2021 season.
Todd Bowles was named the Bucs’ head coach for the 2022 season, while Arians was reassigned to a special advisor role. The move was made in the hope of maintaining some semblance of continuity.
But Tampa Bay ended up having quite a turbulent season and finished with a losing record. Despite still being able to win the division, the team decided to fire offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich and several other assistant coaches on staff.
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians looks on before the game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on January 2, 2022.
(Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports)
«I control the narrative right now,» Arians told NBC Sports’ Peter King shortly after his decision to resign was made public. “I don’t control it next February because [if] Brady gets hurt, we’re 10-7, and it’s an open interview for the job. … I have 31 [coaches and their] families that depend on me. My wife really likes not to let all those families down.»
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Although Arians was not fired, many of those coaches Arians referenced are now looking for other opportunities.
In addition to Leftwich’s firing, the Buccaneers also announced that specialists coach Chris Boniol, wide receivers coach Kevin Garver, offensive quality control coach Jeff Kastl, assistant defensive line coach Lori Locust and running backs coach Todd McNair were fired.
Meanwhile, quarterbacks coach Clyde Christensen, senior offensive assistant Rick Christophe and outside linebackers coach Bob Sanders have decided to retire as NFL coaches.
«We appreciate the hard work and contributions all of these coaches have made to our successes over the past four seasons,» Bowles said in a statement.
Head Coach Bruce Arians of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers looks on against the Buffalo Bills during the third quarter at Raymond James Stadium on December 12, 2021 in Tampa, Florida.
(Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
A report revealed that Arians did not like the decision to step away from the coaches.
«Not happy. Very unhappy. Extremely unhappy,» Bucs writer Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times said this week on WDAE radio via JoeBucsFan.com.
«Having had any interaction with him in that regard…he’s disappointed,» Stroud said. «You know, he’s disappointed. I guess that’s the most important thing. You know, I wanted Todd to have this opportunity. I wanted to keep this staff together. I wanted these [coaching] families to be together. Many of them have one more year on their contract. A lot of them thought they’d be here as long as Todd was head coach, they were told that, and that’s not the case. And so he’s hurt by it. I don’t know if you’re going to see him a lot next year.»
Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians is shown during the game against the Philadelphia Eagles on January 16, 2022 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.
(Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The Buccaneers didn’t give any insight into what Arians’ actual job entailed last season. In doing so, talk swirled to the effect that Arians might not have voluntarily stepped aside and might have wanted to continue training.
Arians’ contract with the team expired at the end of the season.
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It’s unclear if Arians will consider a head coaching job with a different team in 2023, return to Tampa Bay, or lend his knowledge, experience and expertise to another franchise.