Arians Steps Aside As Bucs Head Coach, Names Bowles His Successor

TAMPA, FL — It was an announcement from the Super Bowl-winning coach that surprised Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans across the Bay area.

On Wednesday night, Bruce Arians told his coaching staff and players that he is stepping aside as the Buccaneers' head coach and will take on a new role for the team as a senior football consultant.

The Buccaneers are promoting defensive coordinator Todd Bowles to head coach.

"I am appreciative of the Glazer family and Jason Licht for having faith in me to take on this role, and to Coach Arians for his support and guidance over the past four decades," said Bowles. "Tampa has become home for my family, and we are excited to remain part of this community for years to come. As an organization, we have all the pieces in place to continue the winning standard that has been established here in recent years. I am eager to get started with our players, coaching staff and front office in preparation for the 2022 season."

Arians retired in 2017 after coaching the Arizona Cardinals but was lured back to the field by the Glazer family, which owns the Bucs, in January 2019, to replace former head coach Dirk Koetter. Arians went on to lead the team to its 2021 Super Bowl championship.

After speaking to the players and coaches, Arians released a statement explaining his decision and thanking the Glazer family and others in the organization for their support.

Arians said he has spent the past several weeks working with the Glazers and General Manager Jason Licht on the succession plan in which Bowles was chosen to succeed him.

"I began conversations with Jason and the Glazer family a few weeks ago about a possible succession plan. Their understanding and support mean the world to me," he said.

"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," Arians said.

"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," he continued.

"So why now? The simple answer is that I have accomplished more than I ever dreamed I could during this incredible coaching journey," Arians said. "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."

Arians became the 12th head coach in franchise history when he was hired by the Buccaneers on January 7, 2019, after a one-year retirement.

He coached the Cardinals from 2013-17 and left as the winningest coach in franchise history.

In his three seasons with the Buccaneers, he guided the team to a 31-18-0 record in the regular season for a winning percentage of .632 that is easily the best among head coaches in team annals.

He quickly put to rest rumors that the decisions had anything to do with his health.

"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," he said.

He added that he's not leaving the Bucs. He's simply taking on a new role where he helps to guide the team to continued success.

"I want to focus on what I can give back to this incredible game that has provided so much for me and my family," he said. "I really began thinking about my personal transition plan earlier this offseason. I wanted to ensure when I walked away that Todd Bowles would have the best opportunity to succeed. So many head coaches come into situations where they are set up for failure, and I didn't want that for Todd. Tom's decision to come back, along with Jason and his staff doing another great job of keeping the core of this team intact during free agency, confirmed for me that it was the right time to pass the torch to Todd."

Arians said he's confident he's leaving the team in capable hands.

"Todd is a great football coach and I know he will do excellent things here with the Buccaneers," Arians said. "The coaching staff has been crucial to the success we have enjoyed here the past few seasons. Coaching is about teaching players, and this staff has some of the best teachers in the business."

He said, looking back on his career, that he owes his success to all the support he's had from the franchises he's served.

"Professionally, I have been blessed to work for many great organizations. I'd like to thank Michael Bidwill for turning my dream of being an NFL head coach into a reality in 2013," he said. "I would especially like to acknowledge the entire Glazer family for bringing me to Tampa Bay in 2019 and providing all the support and vision a coach could ask for. None of this success would have been possible without their complete buy-in and backing."

As for others who guided him along the way, Arians said there are simply too many to mention.

"To all of them, I say, 'thank you.' I could not have made it here without your support, hard work and belief in me," he said.

Last but not least, he thanked the team and Tampa Bay for their support.

"I can't end this announcement without a nod to all of the players I have been fortunate to coach along the way. They made me a better coach and a better leader," he said.

"Lastly, I want to thank the fans of Tampa Bay for their unwavering support over these past three years. Chris and I arrived here in 2019 and were blown away by their enthusiasm and passion. I am happy we got to share that Super Bowl season together and I look forward to contributing to even more championship moments with this special organization. Go, Bucs."

It was a bittersweet moment for Bucs owner and co-chairman Joel Glazer.

"When Bruce arrived in Tampa Bay three years ago, he spoke about establishing a winning culture and adding another Super Bowl championship for our community," Glazer said. "He delivered on both of those promises, and our family is deeply appreciative for all that he has accomplished during his time as our head coach."

Beyond coaching the Bucs, Glazer said Arians has been forged new paths for those who succeed him.

"As impressive as his coaching accomplishments have been, his legacy will live on through the doors of opportunity that he has opened for minority coaches and women in football," Glazer said. "We support Bruce's decision to transition from the sidelines and look forward to continuing to lean on his vast football knowledge and experience well into the future. On behalf of all Buccaneers fans, I would like to thank Bruce for all that he has done for this franchise and our community."

Nevertheless, Arians legacy will always be that unforgettable four-game run to the Super Bowl LV championship at the end of the 2020 season. The Buccaneers won three straight road playoff games during that run before returning home to become the first team in NFL history to win a Super Bowl in its own stadium, defeating the Kansas City Chiefs, 31-9, in Super Bowl LV at Raymond James Stadium on Feb. 7, 2021.

He'll also be remembered as the coach who lured quarterback Tom Brady from the New England Patriots after 20 seasons and six championships.

After prevously announcing in January that he was stepping away from football, Brady did a surprise turnabout and said he'd play the 2022 season.

Arians' coaching career spans a half-century, beginning at his alma mater of Virginia Tech in 1972.

His first head coaching job was at Temple University from 1983-88. From there, he made the leap to the NFL as an assistant with the Kansas City Chiefs in 1989.

He was later an offensive coordinator for Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Indianapolis where he earned a reputation as an outstanding developer of quarterbacks.

In 2012, he began a second stint with the Colts as their offensive coordinator but was elevated to interim head coach for the team's final 12 games while Chuck Pagano was being treated for leukemia.

Arians was named the Associated Press NFL Coach of the Year after that turnaround season in Indianapolis and then again in 2014 after guiding the Cardinals to an 11-5 record and their first playoff berth in five years.

The following season, the Cardinals won a franchise record 13 games and advanced to the NFC Championship Game for only the second time in team history.

Overall, Arians finishes his head coaching career with an 80-48-1 record (.624) in the regular season and a 6-3 mark in the postseason.

This will be Bowles' second head coaching opportunity in the NFL. After spending two seasons (2013-14) with Arians in Arizona, he was hired as the New York Jets head coach in 2015. He led the Jets to a 10-6 record in his first season at the helm after New York had finished with a 4-12 record the previous season. Overall, the Jets were 24-40 during his tenure.

Arians said Bowles coordinated one of the NFL's most effective defenses over the past three seasons in Tampa.

During those three seasons, the Buccaneers allowed the fewest rushing yards in the NFL and the fifth-lowest yards-per-play average.

The 2019-21 Buccaneers also produced the third-most takeaways in that span, scored the most points off turnovers and recorded the third-most sacks.

In 2021, Tampa Bay allowed 20.8 yards per game, the fifth-lowest percentage in the league.

Bowles, who played for Arians at Temple and later had an eight-year career as a player in the NFL, began his coaching career at Morehouse College in 1997.

His first coaching job in the NFL came with the Jets, where he took over as defensive backs coach in 2000. He followed that with stops in Cleveland, Dallas and Miami, eventually serving as the Dolphins' assistant head coach.

In 2011, he became Miami's interim head coach for the final three games after the dismissal of Tony Sparano. The Dolphins one two of his three games at the helm.

After one season with the Philadelphia Eagles, in which he switched during the season from secondary coach to interim defensive coordinator, Bowles joined Arians' new staff in Arizona.

In his second year with the Cardinals he was named the Associated Press Assistant Coach of the Year.

See related story: Former Cardinals Coach Bruce Arians Unofficially Named Bucs Coach