“Their Target”
January 5th, 2019
UPDATED: 3:05 p.m. – Yes, Joe reported yesterday afternoon on good authority that the Bucs plan to announce their new head coach no later than Tuesday.
Also, Joe wrote that the 12th coach in Buccaneers history is expected to be Bruce Arians, though Joe can’t confirm that hire to call it 100 percent.
This afternoon, NFL Network ramped up the Arians hype with a report by Ian Rapoport, who told the TV audience that Arians “at this point is their target” and the feeling is mutual. Early this week, Rapoport shared on Twitter that he was texting with Arians and Arians would listen to the Bucs.
No surprise here at JoeBucsFan.com world headquarters.
UPDATE: The Buccaneers confirmed via Twitter that they have completed their interview with Bruce Arians.
Enjoy the new video below:
From @NFLGameDay: There is mutual interest between Bruce Arians and the #Bucs. Keep an eye on this one. pic.twitter.com/YeWfTQTR1C
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 5, 2019
January 5th, 2019 at 1:42 pm
Good job Joe. He was not your 1st, 2nd or 3rd choice but your quick reporting is excellent. Now is time for you to do some sleuthing about who he would have as coaches. Will Goodwin be his OC. I expect so.
January 5th, 2019 at 1:45 pm
Bout that life!
A proven commodity/winner!
Get it done, and hopefully we’ll finally get the culture change that we’ve all been looking for over the last decade +
January 5th, 2019 at 1:46 pm
Didnt we know this 9 days ago?
mutual interest = new Bucs head coach? LOL! Reach?
“What about my 2nd round pick?”
Arizona Cardinals
“Rapoport is worse than TMZ”
Kobe Faker
January 5th, 2019 at 1:48 pm
Thanks Joe, hope Arians can make it through one season with this train wreck of a team. He will see things on the field that will make his blood pressure go off the charts. Hope he doesn’t stroke out. LOL.
January 5th, 2019 at 1:49 pm
I love the hire but he is the Larry Brown of the NFL. He will be in Tampa for 3 years and retire again. The question you need to ask is are you happy with Todd Bowles because he is going to be the defensive Coordinator and the next coach. Mark my words.
January 5th, 2019 at 1:50 pm
This would be exciting a la when Gruden came to town in 2002. It would also go a long way in absolving the Licht retention situation.
January 5th, 2019 at 1:52 pm
I would be so happy if Bruce Arians brought in Todd Bowels as DC because we would change to 3-4 defense!!!!
And get rid of big fat softie Gerald big fat softie McCoy
January 5th, 2019 at 1:54 pm
Excellent choice. I couldn’t be more enthused. Just his brash demeanor and no B.S. approach will be a huge upgrade to the losing culture.
January 5th, 2019 at 1:59 pm
Please Football gods make this so! This guy will transcend Winston and the Bucs offense to new heights. He is the real deal Holyfield! Plus most likely guarantees us Pagano or Bowles as DC! Here are some amazing tidbits on the new Buck Bruce:
1. At Mississippi State at the last minute had the make the Kicker the QB because of injury. The kicker went on to be all SEC and put up 400+ yards against Bear Bryant coached Alabama.
2. Because of this went on to coach under Bear Bryant who he eventually called Bruce one of the finest offensive minds in football.
3. Mentored Peyton Manning as a rooking in Indy. Check out what Manning thinks of him.
4. Mentored Big Ben in Pitttsburgh as a rookie. Was OC and WR receivers coach for both of Steelers recent SB wins. See what Hines Ward says about him.
5. Mentored Andrew Luck as a rookie.
6. Has known Jameis since he was 9 years old.
7. His wife is from Georgia and where they will retire. Tampa location makes perfect sense.
8. Todd Bowled once said he would give his left arm for Bruce.
January 5th, 2019 at 1:59 pm
Joe I’ll believe it when I see it, since the Bucs are planning on interviewing Kris Richard after the game tonight I highly doubt they’ll rush a pick by Tuesday.
January 5th, 2019 at 1:59 pm
But,but,but Jenna and Rick sources say there is no timeline refuting it all. Hope they don’t miss the press conference on Tuesday. I’m sticking with Joe on this one instead of those two non- believers. They just need to swallow the red koolaid, I mean pill.
January 5th, 2019 at 2:00 pm
Stress will take him down……and the Tampa Bay Bucs = Mega-Stress
January 5th, 2019 at 2:05 pm
Arians has been a winner everywhere he has ever been. His relationship with Winston is a huge positive and if Todd Bowles is our DC, how could anyone not be optimistic about where we are headed!!! And if Bowles is yo be the heir apparent, he did a respectable job with a horribly dysfunctional Jets organization. By the time Arians retires, Bowles should have a full cupboard of talent that he already knows. And the assumption that Arians would be too unhealthy to last more than three years is pure conjecture. Marv Levy coached into his 70s, maybe even his 80s. I think one reason Arians left Arizona was that he was Carson Palmer retiring and Larry Fitzgerald aging and wanted no part of that pending train wreck. Arians is the perfect hire and could recruit free agents better than most! GO BUCS!!
January 5th, 2019 at 2:05 pm
Great Hire !! I hope to hear by Tuesday…
January 5th, 2019 at 2:07 pm
Probably my 1st choice. Bring it on!
Sadly, gump will probably give-up two 1st’s & 2 players to the Cards just for the right to speak with BA! Squeeze Peterson &/or D. Johnson out of their mitts and I’ll stop calling for Licht’s dismissal for one full week!
January 5th, 2019 at 2:07 pm
Fingers crossed. He’s a looooong way from the last 4 coaches.
Imagine that: a proven winner in the NFL as Bucs head coach, a first since Chucky.
When Licht was kept, my gut said “Arians.” Looks like Phoenix may be moving southeast.
January 5th, 2019 at 2:08 pm
Arians will help ticket sales.
This off-season is going to be very interesting.
January 5th, 2019 at 2:09 pm
Daboo Sweeney announced the day after Clemson plays in the National Championship. Makes sense to me. Heard it from me first lol. Go Bucs!
January 5th, 2019 at 2:15 pm
Arians was just officially completed his interview with the Bucs this afternoon.
January 5th, 2019 at 2:16 pm
Since Arians was under contract with Arizona before he retired, I believe any teams that signs him will have to give compensation (draft pick(s)) to the team who hires him. How much will the Bucs give up?
January 5th, 2019 at 2:17 pm
Weren’t you just recently slamming Rapoport? I guess if he confirms a Joe thought all is forgotten.
January 5th, 2019 at 2:17 pm
“Give Arizona a 4th round pick and all the Cardinals Kangol hats to the Arizona Goodwill stores”
Kobe Faker
January 5th, 2019 at 2:19 pm
Yippee kiyaa, muthaf*cka !!!! Go Bucs !!!!
January 5th, 2019 at 2:22 pm
So much (yet gain) for casting that WIDE NET….LMAO!
January 5th, 2019 at 2:22 pm
Please BA
Make it a stipulation in your contract that we MUST change our God Awful uniforms!
January 5th, 2019 at 2:25 pm
Hmm so we interviewed him today. That must mean they allowed us to talk to him or we compensated them already.
January 5th, 2019 at 2:27 pm
“You ever see Forrest Gump on kneepads”
Kobe Faker
January 5th, 2019 at 2:31 pm
Adam Shefter reported that Bruce Arians had his interview with the Bucs this morning. Monday or Tuesday is looking good for naming Arians HC and Todd Bowles DC, GO BUCS
January 5th, 2019 at 2:32 pm
“Wowser! BA going to make JW top 5 QB next year
Kobe had a change of heart…
BA needs to setup JW with a good OC and QB coach when and if he needs the rest…
Boys get ready for recievers wide open!!
crossing patterns everywhere!”
Kobe Faker
January 5th, 2019 at 2:33 pm
Could we possibly win more than 5 games next year?
January 5th, 2019 at 2:38 pm
Best hire in a long time can’t wait we are going to have a real coach in Tampa real assistant coaches real everything go bucs… funny ppl hate Winston and think
He sucks but it’s funny a awesome coach car out of retirement to coach him… ijs
January 5th, 2019 at 2:39 pm
This would be a pretty average hire. He should be able to get the Bucs to .500, maybe even a game or two over if the right breaks happen. Almost zero potential to get to the Superbowl, however–which means at that point, what do you do with him?
January 5th, 2019 at 2:46 pm
No matter who the Bucs hire, many Bucs fans will complain. The Losing Culture has infected fan base.
I hope Arians is the next coach and he is able to groom his replacement. Brighter days ahead in Tampa Bay!
FIRE THE CANNONS!!!
January 5th, 2019 at 2:48 pm
I doubt licht is allowing a switch to a 3-4. We don’t have 4-3 personnel and talking about 2-3 years to finally make that happen nah no thanks, I think Todd Bowles can run a 4-3 if not he doesn’t have to come to Tampa to feel secure about Arians being our new coach.
January 5th, 2019 at 2:53 pm
In this situation coming out of retirement and needing an entire new coaching staff, I think Arians can call anyone he wants or has had a former coaching relationship with and get them to come down to TB. And this guy a very well known for putting bomb a$$ coaching staffs together.
January 5th, 2019 at 3:11 pm
@Jean LaFitte…
You sure as hell nailed it! Wondered once @Joe used Slapaport here if anyone else noticed the same. Yeah…and to a large degree for good reason of course, but @Joe does slam or disparage Rapaport’s reporting and lack of journalistic credibility often, calling it “suspect at times”, among other things, then props him up here as a defacto sort of legitimizing Ian’s reporting because it “seconds the motion” for @Joe in this case…well at least to this point. Funny tho. Which is it..@Joe??
Hopefully JOHN Harbaugh greets us all at any point in the offseason here as HC in 2019 for many many years to come Team Glazer!!
January 5th, 2019 at 3:11 pm
I’ve never been a Licht hater. And if we get BA and he wins us a SB or two, Ima say to all the Licht haters that wanted him gone before the end of the season, “Don’t you look dumb.” Only reason BA is interviewing with Bucs is cus of Licht. He hasn’t interviewed with one other team! I think this has been something they’ve been putting together or at least thinking of since the Bucs fell out of the wild card race or even before.
January 5th, 2019 at 3:15 pm
Never doubt Joe’s connections!
Howard hates to be positive about anything Buc related because he feels like an abused spouse who thinks her husband will finally change this time Lol
……
…but still….it’s hard to be negative about Arrians reuniting w Licht..
…..Sigh…scheme glazer will surely find a way to creep out Arrinas so leaves us at the alter Lol
January 5th, 2019 at 3:16 pm
glazers
you have to make fundamental and permanent changes in the way you run this team if you ever want to be more than villians
January 5th, 2019 at 3:19 pm
Every time I think of Arians I think of the quote attributed to him, “no risk it, no biscuit” … Playing to win instead of not to lose. Very un-Buc-like and a welcome change…
January 5th, 2019 at 3:20 pm
I’m starting to like this hire. We tank next season and won’t have the stench of firing Arians after just one season because he’ll just retire.
Then we’ll finally be rid of Licht and have a true house cleaning from the Lovie era. We should have a top 2 draft pick next year to land one of the many great QB prospects coming out.
January 5th, 2019 at 3:26 pm
Well lets hope if true, a 66 year old with health problems has the stuff to do a little more work…
This team needs it.
January 5th, 2019 at 3:31 pm
Hope his health is not an issue and that’s a fair concern about him as the new hire. Maybe not the next few years but we will surely be looking for his replacement within the next 5 years. Hope he can set up him successor maybe even Buckner
January 5th, 2019 at 3:37 pm
Wow, this is great news. He is the best guy available – at least as a known quantity at least. The Glazers love a big name splash HC hire and I guess his connection to Licht would explain why Licht was kept around.
I love this hire if it turns out to be true.
Then again Parcells was signed on as the HC in 1996 and backed out… and again in 2002 and backed out… and Chip Kelly was the guy in 2012 and backed out…and Brett Favre was traded to the Bucs in 2008… and…
Heck the Chicago White Sox had made a deal to move to St Pete in 1988(?) and backed out… and the San Francisco Giants made a deal to move to St Pete in 1992…
So anywho, I’ll believe it when it’s a done deal.
But if it’s a done deal, this is a HUGE deal, a great hire, a Winston backer, the best guy available.
January 5th, 2019 at 3:43 pm
Not there yet – Bucs absolutely have the personal to switch to a 3-4. They have Vita, who is a natural 3-4 NT. They have JPP who is a good fit as a run stuffing, yet pass rushing, 3-4 DE. McCoy can move to DE much as Sapp did when he went to a 3-4 – sure it’s not the natural position, but as a DT with great quickness, he’s a guy that can play it – or they can move him for a pick and free up cap space.
The guy who a switch to a 3-4 would help the most is David. He’s the best edge rusher on this team but he’s so good in coverage that they rarely use him that way. But in an attacking 3-4, David coming off the edge would have a HUGE season.
Beckwith, to me, always profiled as a MLB, and in a 3-4 he’s an even better fit. If Kwon is brought back he can be moved outside where his speed would make him a great pass rusher as well.
As for the DBs… makes no real difference. You play man, you play zone, you do the same thing in either case.
Also this is a defense that has been near the bottom of every cat for years and years and years, it’s not like blowing it up is going to be some huge negative for them.
January 5th, 2019 at 3:45 pm
The Bucs lost games due to poor coaching, not lack of talent.
There will he a house cleaning of all the over paid, under performing malcontents.
Go Bucs!!!
January 5th, 2019 at 3:50 pm
If we get BA as the HC and he keeps Monken as OC and gets Richards as the DC all our problems would be solved instantly!
January 5th, 2019 at 3:55 pm
Why we are exited about this BA guy??!! 67, heart’s problems, quitter….and somewhere I read that he is going to bring Todd Bowles, another fired coach!!!
I think JL is playing safe, someone to keep Bucs in the middle and secure his job. I hope Glazers see this as weakness. We want the future, go bold and hire young, successful coordinator, with desire and stamina to fight and win.
Not the same story again…..
January 5th, 2019 at 4:26 pm
I am excited about this hire by the Bucs.
I think he will make an immediate difference for the franchise.
He will create a winning culture.
January 5th, 2019 at 4:36 pm
Nice. I want Arians. Now get him to talk Tyrann Mathieu into signing here for a reasonable price. I was hoping we would draft him back then.
January 5th, 2019 at 4:45 pm
This is splash…..
2013 Arians w/Bowles as DC 10-6
2014 Arians w/Bowles as DC 11-5
January 5th, 2019 at 4:46 pm
I hope it’s true but I won’t believe it till I see him introduced at a presser.
January 5th, 2019 at 4:50 pm
Feel bad for the guy with our talent level and gm
January 5th, 2019 at 5:33 pm
Joe I just got to give u props for beating Stroud. Lol
January 5th, 2019 at 5:48 pm
Turns out BA has 2 rooms booked at a local Hilton starting Monday. Imagine that…
January 5th, 2019 at 6:04 pm
They never signed a 2019 extension so no competition
January 5th, 2019 at 6:27 pm
The Joes and The Sage are fast becoming the go to guys for everything Bucs locally. Way to go guys! Love coming here daily to keep up with all things Bucs!
January 5th, 2019 at 6:35 pm
BA and Bowles with Uncle Buck having knowledge of the players, especially on defense for Bowles? Bring that sh!t on!!!
January 5th, 2019 at 6:43 pm
Honestly if this hire happened 5 years ago great!!!!
However now , this is just another flashy move by the dumb owners.
It’s just like how we hired Lovie and Koetter. Regardless who we interviewed in the process, it was always the guy we had in mind.
It’s funny that Monken is getting interviews with three organizations. Doesn’t that make anyone in the bucs organization feel like maybe they had a solid internal candidate? Why not interview him to pick his brain.
Let’s get a 1-2 year stop gap. If those health issues creep up again this season we’ll be looking for another head coach in 2020 or 2021. UsuAlly a stressful job like the nfl sidelines, one with the task of turning around a losing organization , won’t make those issues disappear at 67 years old.
Whatever glazers. I hope it works but I’m not sure this is the right fit
January 5th, 2019 at 7:23 pm
But what if they keep Monken?
Arians/Bowles/Monken……I say do it!
January 5th, 2019 at 7:43 pm
Arians/Bowles/Monken……I say do it! I 2nd that motion!!
And by the way there is absolutely no chatter on Browns websites about BA becoming their next head coach!!
January 5th, 2019 at 7:44 pm
Gotta love the select few geniuses on here. Instad of being happy that one of the brightest football minds may be our next Head Coach, we got people talking about how stress will take Arians. As if the guy is new to football and doesn’t know what’s involved. I’ll be pumped if we get Arians. If we end up with Richard, I’d be okay with that too but Arians remains my #1.
January 5th, 2019 at 8:05 pm
I agree Rod. 3-4 isn’t that much of a stretch with the current personnel. Definitely a little adjustment but we aren’t that far away personnel-wise from being able to employ that defense. I agree that David would be a great fit as a 3-4 as his strength is his speed coming off the edge. The bonus is being able to drop him in coverage. Although rarely done in the 3-4, it would be an advantage for when it makes sense.
January 5th, 2019 at 9:29 pm
Arians will only coach one season and he will resign as Licht is fired.
January 5th, 2019 at 11:37 pm
OMG, can I please finally be proud of my Bucs life?
January 6th, 2019 at 9:11 am
What would we pay as compensation to Arizona????
January 6th, 2019 at 10:11 am
I would only be excited about Arians if there is a plan for a line of succession. He most likely has a good 2 years of stamina to handle the pressure of being an NFL head coach. Its going to be up to his assistants to do much of the heavy lifting as Coach Arians isn’t going to be able to push himself as hard as a 40-something or 50-something year old man.
Now there is a huge upside to experience, especially winning experience. Here is a professional that knows how to coach players and get them to want to win for him. Thats outweighs the physical limitations of a 66 year old HC AS LONG as there is a staff of young assistants and very good coordinators!
I’m excited about the hiring but to turn this thing around the coordinators and assistants have to be the right guys to work with Arians and he can be the “big picture” guy which Koetter wasn’t while his staff gets to coach these existing players how to be professionals and be willing to hold themselves accountable to following the greater direction of the team rather than playing to become free agents and just get big paychecks.
If they win the money will come to them, they don’t have to just put up numbers. Winning makes players better.