Perplexing Arians Hiring Timeline From Jason Licht
February 27th, 2019
When was Dirk Koetter advised of his dismissal?
File this in the world of weirdness that is the NFL, where the whole truth is always a fluid situation when it comes from coaches and general managers.
Jason Licht took to the national airwaves today on SiriusXM NFL Radio and was asked about the signing of Bucco Bruce Arians out of retirement to coach the Bucs.
Licht laid out a hiring timeline that is hard to believe — unless Koetter was advised he was fired before the season ended. Here’s Licht’s description of events:
“Coach Koetter was let go. About a week later I get a text from Bruce saying that he’d be interested in the job. Didn’t hear from him until then,” Licht said. “We actually had talked a little bit about him, wondering if he wanted to come out. At that point, I thought he was in retirement and wanted to stay in retirement. But then when I found out he was excited about this job, and when he went through the interview process with us, it all just kind of aligned.”
Wait a minute, less than five full days after Koetter was fired, Joe reported the Buccaneers’ plans to hire their next head coach. So how could Licht get a text from Arians a week after Koetter was fired? If Licht is giving the whole truth here, then perhaps Koetter got the axe early and was allowed to finish the season.
Not surprising, Arians’ story of his hiring doesn’t exactly jibe with Licht’s version of events.
Of course, none of this matters now, but it’s a fantastic illustration of how things are not always as they appear. This gives Joe great hope that the Bucs will do the right thing and dump DeSean Jackson and all the talk today of him staying is just some sort of twisted theater designed to stir up trade value for Jackson and torture Bucs fans for sport.
February 27th, 2019 at 6:11 pm
“but it’s a fantastic illustration of how things are not always as they appear”
Or of an organization in chaos lol.
I duno wtf to think anymore because this organization is not candid about who is in charge of what or who to blame for what.
February 27th, 2019 at 6:20 pm
It’s a fantastic illustration that show Jason Gump is full of ship!
February 27th, 2019 at 6:23 pm
But then there was only one team he wanted to come out and coach if I remember correctly. Lot of garbage coming from a lot of places.
February 27th, 2019 at 6:23 pm
@Joe … “Arians’ story of his hiring doesn’t exactly jibe with Licht’s version of events.” Be honest Joe, do you REALLY believe anything that Jason Licht says anymore?
February 27th, 2019 at 6:29 pm
@Jason Licht … ““Coach Koetter was let go. About a week later I get a text from Bruce saying that he’d be interested in the job. Didn’t hear from him until then.” Ya Jason, and Lovie’s firing caught you totally by surprise as I remember.
BTW Joe, why have you all given Licht credit for landing BA if in fact Licht never sought him out to be our coach while he was in charge of the HC search? It was Bruce Arians who texted Licht & said he’d be interested in coaching the Bucs … according to Jason that is.
February 27th, 2019 at 6:35 pm
JLicht is so not the answer.
February 27th, 2019 at 7:07 pm
I don’t find it hard to believe they reached out to prospects before the season was over at all. They had to have some options.
We all knew Koetter was a dead coach walking.
U can’t wait until the very last minute just in case your top prospect bows out.
February 27th, 2019 at 7:11 pm
I think Licht and the Glazers got too caught up in the weapons for Winston philosophy and neglected the D to the point of struggling just to compete on a weekly basis. Yes we have some talent but zero on the field leadership in the secondary. Better bring in some more angry players who refuse to be blocked or beaten. If you remember before JPP took his first regular season snap he said you won’t block me with one guy. A breath of fresh air seeing him and Naasib leave everything they have on the field. Unfortunately it has yet to rub off on many others.
February 27th, 2019 at 7:25 pm
Jason Licht is not a good person for the future of this team, the guy is a horrible GM and it is very apparent he and koetter were not on the same page especially with the BS personnel moves that licht made….he drafted a KICKER in round 2
February 27th, 2019 at 7:51 pm
Joe the Guy is prob going to the Hall and has the worst Qb of his career accuracy wise and prob thinks due to this he may miss the Hall and about 10 future million !!!
Now Joe let’s suppose you have some of your bes material of you career but your worst software or publishing manager and although you got great material due to your contract you can’t get it seen, read or published !!! Now add in the Hall and double didgit millions !!! Be Real Joe !!! Let’s be Real !!!
Now add in the Hall and 10 more mil on the end of your career and and and your an entitled athlete since you were10 and you have a head coach that is liked but can’t lead !! That’s right Desean did what 80 percent of all wideouts would do !!! Do I like it , Know but exactly to be expected !!
Winston’s a hard working child playing a game w some men and he had a man , the best ever deep threat that ran around wide ass open all yeAr and Winston couldn’t make the throw time and time and time again !!!
I’m more of a Winston fan than a Jackson fan but Winston cost Jackson allot !!!
February 27th, 2019 at 7:53 pm
Sorry about the typos V txt on the rd
February 27th, 2019 at 9:14 pm
Desean needs to go and McCoy needs to restructure. He would.get that money if the bucs cut him so.why not help the best coach youve ever had keep or bring in all the talent possoble to help your final year or years be worth it.
February 27th, 2019 at 9:18 pm
Just a general comment about statements I’ve been reading from posters on various threads.
I’m very surprised that a significant number, not the majority but many posters are already turning on BA. What moves has he made? Cut a couple of obvious players? Say the wrong thing according to the posters’ belief?
Whew and the Bucs have gotten grief for turning coaches over too quickly. We have “fans” here who are already angry with BA. SMH!
February 27th, 2019 at 9:53 pm
OK Joe, so Arians is disingenuous when he says he liked the situation here. He liked the talent level he saw and the core he would have to work with. This plus the availability of the coaching staff he wanted lured him out of retirement. He is not rebuilding but retooling.
Licht is disingenuous when he says he did not have contact with Ariens until a week after Koetter was let go.
So you knew within five days of Koetter’s firing that the Bucs were targeting Arians. That would have been at least two days before Licht says he received a text from from him.
Am I misinterpreting what I am reading here? Who is less than honest? I am perplexed now.
February 27th, 2019 at 9:54 pm
Licht is an incompetent sleaze con artist
February 27th, 2019 at 11:42 pm
Licht Weight was smart to do about the only thing that could possible save his job after 5 years of winning 1/3rd of the games under his watch: land a huge coaching hire. It lined up all right that he knew Arians…and Arians being the loyal fella that he seems to be took the interview and decided he still wanted to coach at least one last time. Hail Mary answered for ol’ Licht Weight.
February 28th, 2019 at 8:33 am
“So if you think your life is complete confusion,
because you never win the game.
Just remember that it’s a grand illusion.
Deep inside”…this team is lame.
February 28th, 2019 at 9:50 am
“I told you so….
You guys should respect me alittle more”
Kobe Faker