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- Bruce Arians suddenly retired as head coach of the Tampa Bay Bucs on Wednesday night
- The team insists Tom Brady had nothing to do with Arians’ sudden retirement.
- Read more NFL news here
Tampa Bucs head coach Bruce Arians suddenly retired from coaching, and the team is trying to let everyone know that it wasn’t because of Tom Brady.
On Wednesday night, Arians announced that he was no longer going to be the team’s head coach and was moving into a front-office role.
🚨 BREAKING: Bruce Arians retiring from coaching, moving to @Buccaneers' front office, reports me and @LATimesFarmer.
Defensive coordinator Todd Bowles picked to replace him. Staff being told the news at this hour.
Full story: https://t.co/g4gKTBsKtT pic.twitter.com/c9IhdXw2fA
— Peter King (@peter_king) March 31, 2022
He said he’s relinquishing the Tampa job because “succession has always been huge for me. With the organization in probably the best shape it’s been in its history, with Tom Brady coming back … I’d rather see Todd in position to be successful and not have to take some [crappy] job. I’m probably retiring next year anyway, in February. So, I control the narrative right now. I don’t control it next February because [if] Brady gets hurt, we go 10-7, and it’s an open interview for the job … I got 31 [coaches and their] families that depend on me. My wife is big on not letting all those families down.”
Arians explained his reasoning in a telephone interview with NBC Sports and the Los Angeles Times.
He was scheduled to inform his coaching staff in an 8 p.m. Zoom call Wednesday, and he planned to send a message to his players explaining his decision concurrent with telling his coaches.
The Bucs have reportedly told the TB Times that Brady learned Arians was stepping down on the “same day or a day after” Brady unretired and are now insisting Arians’ decision to retire had no nothing to do with Brady.
#Bucs QB Tom Brady was informed Bruce Arians planned to step down and Todd Bowles would succeed him as head coach either the same day or a day after the QB announced he was ending his retirement, the @TB_Times has learned. Team insists it was not related to Brady’s decision.
— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) March 31, 2022
No one believed the Bucs’ report.
Bruce Arians kicked upstairs. Tom Brady wins AGAIN.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) March 31, 2022
Suuuure it wasn't related https://t.co/vAFkS2keHa
— Jess🥦 (@jldx392) March 31, 2022
https://twitter.com/Silent_Bob87891/status/1509359311948066820
https://twitter.com/mghika/status/1509352795253661696
But they INSIST! https://t.co/fS9F8ghpX3
— Ryan McDowell (@RyanMc23) March 31, 2022
Tom Brady forcing Bruce Arians into retirement pic.twitter.com/CTVjOxlYg3
— NFL Memes (@NFL_Memes) March 31, 2022