Bruce Arians, currently serving as senior advisor to Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht, has seemingly worked his last NFL game from the sidelines.
“As for the future, Arians says next season he probably will not be with the team every day,” The Athletic’s Dan Pompei reported following a conversation with the former Buccaneers head coach. “He plans to be less involved in coaching and more involved in personnel. He says he watched more tape than ever leading up to the 2022 draft and worked closely with Licht to set the draft board.”
Pompei added:
“We have likely seen the last of Arians on a sideline. He sits in a box with Licht at home games.”
Arians guided quarterback Tom Brady and the Buccaneers to a Super Bowl LV win over the Kansas City Chiefs in February 2021 and to the playoffs this past January. While he stepped down as head coach and shifted to the senior advisor role in March, it was teased as recently as August that he could accept a gig as Tampa Bay’s offensive play-caller during the upcoming offseason if offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich receives a head-coaching job during the winter months.
That, however, was before Arians confirmed he was hospitalized for four days shortly after his 70th birthday which he celebrated on Oct. 3. He eventually was diagnosed with myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle that can cause cardiac arrest in serious cases.
“When Arians came to the Bucs, he signed a four-year deal with an option for a fifth-year. Next year is that fifth year,” the Joe Bucs Fan website explained on Thursday. “Though Arians, 70, didn’t say this to Pompei, this tells Joe that Arians will likely be working more from his Georgia lakehouse (after this season).”
The 5-5 Buccaneers are in the middle of their bye and next play at the Cleveland Browns on Nov. 27. 3-6 Cleveland is scheduled to play at the 6-3 Buffalo Bills this Sunday, but that game could be postponed or even relocated due to a major snowstorm.
