Bucs Coach Bruce Arians Resigns, Ex-Jets Coach Todd Bowles Takes Over
In shocking news the Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced that Head Coach Bruce Arians has resigned as head coach and will take on a front office role.
In three seasons as head coach, Arians led the Bucs to a 31-18 record with a victory in Super Bowl LV against the Kansas City Chiefs. Last season the Bucs went 13-4, but dealt with plenty of drama — namely the bizarre Antonio Brown meltdown on sideline during a game against the New York Jets. The Bucs were knocked out of the playoffs in the divisional round by the eventual Super Bowl champion LA Rams.
According to Peter King of Pro Football Talk on NBC Sports, Arians will be a senior consultant. That means the new head coach will be none-other than ex-New York Jets Head Coach Todd Bowles.
🚨 BREAKING: Bruce Arians retiring from coaching, moving to @Buccaneers' front office, reports me and @LATimesFarmer.
— Peter King (@peter_king) March 31, 2022
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
Bowles has served as defensive coordinator for the Buccaneers the past three seasons. His work with Tampa’s defense drew high praise from around the sport, as the Bucs went on to win the Super Bowl two years ago.
In four seasons in New York’s head coach, Bowles went 24-40 forthe Green and White from 2015 to 2018. His career with the Jets started out great; the Jets went 10-6, and narrowly missed the playoffs in 2015. The Jets went into Week 17 of that 2015 before quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick imploded up in Buffalo, costing the Jets a playoff berth.
Congratulations, Coach Bowles! pic.twitter.com/uyU4hHIs8d
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) March 31, 2022
The following two seasons Bowles’ Jets went 5-11 each year as the team was clearly rebuilding. In 2018, the club selected Sam Darnold as its “franchise quarterback.” Of course, as things turned out, it didn’t work out. Bowles was out after a 4-12 season in 2018, and Adam Gase replaced him. Gase had two miserable seasons in New York, and Darnold was traded to Carolina last off-season.
As for Bowles, the great irony of now becoming the Head Coach of the Bucs, is he now gets to work more closely with Tom Brady, the man who once was the Jets ultimate tormentor when he was a six-time Super Bowl winning quarterback of the New England Patriots.
When Bowles was hired by the Jets someone told me “it’s impossible not to like Todd Bowles.” They were right. He’s a good man. Happy for him to get another shot.
— Brian Costello (@BrianCoz) March 31, 2022
