Bucco Bruce Arians at practice today

Much was made about the health of Bucco Bruce Arians when he retired from coaching after the 2017 season and then returned to the Bucs in January.

Team Glazer put Arians through a rigorous physical exam at a Tampa hospital and Arians joked that he got a “C” grade from doctors and was damn happy about it. It was his best grade in years, Arians said, likely only half joking.

Today at the Bucs’ first OTA practice, absent was Arians’ trademark golf cart, the rig he practically lived in through previous practices at One Buc Palace. Instead, Arians was buzzing around the indoor facility on foot as the Bucs practiced while escaping the rain.

Joe noticed instantly that Arians looked like a new man. The golf cart look made him appear feeble and old, but with that gone Arians looked mean and lean.

After practice, Joe caught up with the head coach and asked about his fitness. Arians said he has shed 15 pounds and is “halfway there” to his goal. Yeah, Joe confessed to Arians that Joe was wondering whether all that golf cart time meant the coach was lacking a little juice.

He’s not. It’s a great sign.

Arians working on his health means he’s preparing in all ways for the stressful run of the regular season — and hopefully much, much more than a two-year run on the Tampa Bay sidelines.