Bruce Arians Says Health Drove Him From Bucs Job
February 16th, 2025
The story behind Bucco Bruce Arians retiring as Bucs head coach three years ago always seems to take a slightly different form each time it’s told by the guy who knows the whole truth.
When Arians stunned the NFL world and stepped down in late March of 2022, he gave the story to longtime NFL writers Sam Farmer and Peter King in an exclusive interview.
Farmer didn’t mention Arians’ health in his feature story, and Arians personal statement made it clear his retirement wasn’t about health.
Arians wrote the following: “Before you start thinking this is about my health, don’t. This is the best I have felt in many years.”
Then Arians told Rock Riley last February that health was a factor in him stepping down.
During a sitdown last month with retired college basketball coach Mark Gottfried, Arians made it sound like health was a major factor in him handing the job over to Todd Bowles.
“Health, it got very, very hard for me to stand on the sidelines [in 2021]; I tore my Achilles like the third week of the season — 90 percent of my Achilles,” Arians said. “So I had those damn high heels on and back pain. I mean, I had to have help get undressed after the games. And it got to the point I was like, ‘I don’t know if I can physically do this, I’ll do it for one more year.’
“Because Tom [Brady] was going to retire, alright, I didn’t want to hand it over to somebody without a quarterback. So Tom decided to come back, I said, ‘Phew, perfect. You know, I can step back and give this thing to Todd knowing that he’s got a shot. He’s a better shot than he had in New York.’ It was time for him because one more year wasn’t going to do anything [for me] anyway. But physically, it got really, really hard. And I can’t imagine standing on the sideline for four hours now, you know, just with the bad back I have. That part you miss. When I was sitting on the bench during games, I knew it was time. I used to go over to talk to the quarterbacks just so I could sit down.”
Joe is always interested in Bucs history, and what a stunning moment it was when Arians stepped aside for Bowles.
It remains bizarre why, in 2022, Arians didn’t want the world to think health was a reason he quit, yet he’s leaning more and more into that reason with each passing year.
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February 16th, 2025 at 4:48 pm
Glad we had them when we did. Choosing health is a good choice.
February 16th, 2025 at 4:48 pm
Them / him
February 16th, 2025 at 4:59 pm
Can’t forgive him for “handing” it over to Bowles! Glazers and BUD Lyght should not have let him dictate who would succeed him…terrible decision to put a coach with a 37% winning percentage in charge of a potential super bowl team
February 16th, 2025 at 5:11 pm
HIPAA was a law passed to protect patients privacy. Health for many is a VERY personal matter.
You normally don’t think of being an HC as that physical but standing four hours can be challenging as you age. Mix in the Achilles and the pain probably robbed BA of a lot of his former joy.
My current favorite Bucs coach of course is Tom Moore. In his mid 80’s and still the first guy into work! And still relates to the young guys like the bond he formed with Bucky who also shares Moore’s incredible work ethic.
February 16th, 2025 at 5:17 pm
Rich
Well done for the most negative sucko post of the day. You run with 37% winning % while totally IGNORING he is the ONLY coach to win ten games with the sorry JETS. But you’re not looking for accuracy or perspective right. No mention of just how rotten the JETS franchise still remains. Bowles is the ONLY coach in recent years to win there but that seems to have escaped your attention.
Also escaping your font of knowledge is the fact that Todd’s Buc win % is .529!
Three straight Division titles and improving every season.
But that’s not what you wish to hear right.
I do not understand what makes so many goobers come here and LOOK FOR THE WORST spit they can possibly find. Maybe you were the guy who even took the time to look up JET fans comments on reddit around the time he was fired.
WTF is wrong with you guys. It’s not me criticizing people who find fault…it’s the losers who find NOTHING but fault and work to present the worst possible look.
February 16th, 2025 at 5:23 pm
I can understand why BA might’ve wanted to downplay the health aspect in making his decision to pass the reins to Todd. BA always seemed very focused on creating ‘a system’ that’d live on when it came time to retire.
Tend to think that Tom Brady agreeing to come back for 1 more year was a key ‘missing link’ in BA’s decision matrix to retire. Reports said that Tom made that decision on Sun, 13 Mar 2022. At that time, the Bucs had already re-signed Chris Godwin but had more than 20 players from the 2021 roster scheduled to hit the open market at that time. BA probably hung in there until many of our own key FAs were re-signed, then pulled the trigger on retirement to pass the reins to Todd Bowles. One thing that BA always has been is ‘very loyal’ to his guys.
February 16th, 2025 at 5:42 pm
stpetebucsfan Says
“Rich
Also escaping your font of knowledge is the fact that Todd’s Buc win % is .529!
Three straight Division titles and improving every season.”
Save me the trouble of pointing that out.
I do think Bowles was bad in NY…but then, most coaches are bad there.
So far as with the Bucs…I would love to see a better winning percentage considering the level of competition, but he has been improving, has made the playoffs every year, and more importantly, the team does not give up on him.
I’m almost certain that once we add some defensive guys, we’ll be superbowl bound.
February 16th, 2025 at 5:55 pm
The explanation is all fine and good, but I’m not following why he didn’t want to say all this at the time. Not saying anything that might undermine Bowles isn’t a reason that holds water, because this wouldn’t have done that anyway.
Joe – could you elaborate on how this came up during the interview? Was he asked or were they already talking about retirement, or did he veer into the subject on his own? I know I could look it up, but I’d rather gouge my eyes out and jam red hot pokers in my ears than watch/listen to anything basketball related. Hoping you might be able to spare me from that 🙂 My curiosity is that if he brought this up on his own, then there’s a “me thinks thou doth protest too much” thing going on.
February 16th, 2025 at 6:21 pm
StPete … ‘Simple question in case I’m misconstruing. I think Todd’s D depends on VERSATILE athletes capable of moving around on the field like so many chess pieces. My question a two parter, am I correct and secondly does he have enough “versatile” athletes to adapt to his diffferent D’s?’
Didn’t know where to answer your earlier question St Pete, so I tucked it in here (forgive me Joe). Love your use of the word ‘versatile’ in describing the flexibility Todd looks for in his starters especially. When I look at players like Winfield, LVD, Izien & Tykee Smith, Vea & Kancey their versatility shines. Todd plays them all over the place in his defensive alignments, and I’m sure that causes fits for opposing OCs.
Past players like Suh & JPP surely provided tremendous versatility also. Guys like that were so good you could plug them in almost anywhere & they’d shine. Both of them though were Rnd 1 draft selections, and IMO players like that (like Myles Garrett?) tend to shine no matter what team they go to.
February 16th, 2025 at 6:36 pm
Old Bruce was struggling big time. He was damn near purple some games. I was legitimately worried for his life. Hope he’s feeling better.
February 16th, 2025 at 6:52 pm
D.R.
Thanks for your thoughts. As usual agree and I’m probably a guy who REALLY thinks players are the ones that have to execute whatever ANY coach comes up with. As you point out the Bucs have been blessed recently with gifted, smart, athletes.
Bonzai Yeah. I get that Bowles does not walk on water nor is he without faults.
What I don’t get is the crowd who work soooo hard to find stuff without any pretense at balance.
Now for the real “behind the scenes story” that I’d like Joe to uncover.
What was Tom Brady doing during his 40+ days of “retirement”. Shopping for another team? Did the Bucs have to FORCE him to honor his contract that final year. Whatever for Tom as BB King sang..”The Thrill was gone”. It was gone long before BA left so can’t blame that one on Todd.
I’m not sure we’ll ever know all the real details of Brady’s last year playing in the NFL. If it wasn’t the “silly season” we wouldn’t have time to care.
February 16th, 2025 at 7:29 pm
History is the pack of lies we all agree to tell ourselves.
February 16th, 2025 at 7:56 pm
I’m ready for the season to start already!!
February 16th, 2025 at 8:15 pm
I did not know Arians had an Achilles issue.
I tore mine last March, and I’m still not 100%. I can appreciate what Arians went through…without surgery.
Growin’ old ain’t fer sissies…
February 16th, 2025 at 8:38 pm
I dont believe him.
February 16th, 2025 at 8:57 pm
Cobraboy … ‘Growin’ old ain’t fer sissies’.
That’s been my go-to line Cobra since having quad-bypass, open heart surgery 3 weeks ago. Bouncing back quickly from stuff like that gets tougher the older you get.
February 16th, 2025 at 9:01 pm
Oneilbuc … ‘I’m ready for the season to start already!!’
I’ll second that. I honestly feel like we have a chance to fix our defense to the point where it can get back into the Top-10 once again.
With a Top-10 offense and a Top-10 defense, no reason Bucs couldn’t make a run at the 2025 & 2026 Super Bowls.
February 16th, 2025 at 11:00 pm
Todd Bowles replaced Rex Ryan, who, in my personal opinion, was a far superior coach. It’s almost comical to suggest that Bowles was the last coach to make a laughingstock team respectable, especially when, like with Bruce Arians, he inherited a well-coached team that had consistently made the playoffs. The narrative that Bowles is a good coach needs to be reevaluated, to say the least. At best, he has been a mediocre coach in one of the weakest divisions in the NFL. The team he left in New York has yet to recover. No more blame should be placed on him than on Woody Johnson. Continuing to defend him by comparing his tenure to that of other Jets coaches or claiming that he won the division four years in a row only makes it seem like you’re part of his inner circle. The reality is that he’s been just “okay” at best, barely squeezing into the playoffs in the last two years. Honestly, the performances showed they didn’t deserve to be there. The Jets were better before he arrived, and the Bucs were too with Bruce Arians. Let’s see how it plays out and root for the team we all claim to love. Go Bucs!
February 16th, 2025 at 11:54 pm
If you’re complaining about Todd Bowles, you’re a loser. Because he is a winner.
Support your team. All of it.
Continuing to whine like a crybaby over Bowles coming back is just stupid. Get a grip. He’s coming back. And they will threaten for the SB next year. Why? Because Licht will get him some DBs. And some LBs.
February 17th, 2025 at 6:11 am
Can’t stand on sideline for 4 hours?
Doesn’t Arians do the more physically taxing golfing for hours a day multiple times a week w/ those herky jerky movements and swinging a club 80 times a round. Seems that would be more physically taxing than standing on a sideline for 4 hours 🤷♂️
February 17th, 2025 at 6:48 am
JBF, the last statement, spot on. Why not just come clean with it? Vs a lot of assumptions, one story line being Brady wouldn’t have come back if not for Arians stepping down. Meaning? He had beef with Arians…smh.
February 17th, 2025 at 6:49 am
“Continuing to defend him by comparing his tenure to that of other Jets coaches or claiming that he won the division four years in a row only makes it seem like you’re part of his inner circle.”
First of course you just posted FACTS and then followed with your OPINIONS!
Thanks for making my point. Taking FACTS then trying to act like FACTS are not as relevant as your OPINION!
BTW He’s only won the Division 3 straight years as HC.
” seem like you’re part of his inner circle.”
So if appreciating FACTS
February 17th, 2025 at 7:34 am
Your old and bitter and literally make people not like you
February 17th, 2025 at 7:54 am
@J Ghotier
“Can’t stand on sideline for 4 hours? Doesn’t Arians do the more physically taxing golfing for hours a day multiple times a week…”
That’s a fair question, but his story is completely plausible considering he uses a golf cart. He’s referenced his back pain stemming from spinal nerve issues. Nerve pain doesn’t follow the same rules/behaviors as muscle pain, it is completely different.
Growing up, there was this older man in town who ate at my mom’s restaurant. This guy really, really struggled to walk. What blew my mind was that he rode his bicycle to the diner everyday (just fast enough not to fall over), and could do so without being in pain.
At first glance this defies traditional logic, but now knowing (unfortunately) more about nerve pain, it doesn’t seem so crazy.
February 17th, 2025 at 8:03 am
Arians is one of the best NFL coaches. Health is so important and you must weigh everything when the time comes unfortunately. On top of everything, stress plays a huge part with health too. Love seeing Arians enjoying life now. He made the right choice in retiring. The time was right.
February 17th, 2025 at 8:03 am
Josh
“Your old and bitter and literally make people not like you”
You’re about half correct there. I’m certainly old, but I am absolutely not bitter as would be backed up by folks who know me.
As for people not liking me? That is also about half true, I’m absolutely or if you prefer “literally” not everybody’s cup of tea. That’s why a large % here simply scroll by my posts.
You might read some posts just yesterday where people actually supported my “bitterness”. LMAO
February 17th, 2025 at 9:31 am
Brady wanted control of the team and he got it! We got a second rate coach in return and will continue to get second rate results !
February 17th, 2025 at 11:40 am
THREE CHEERS FOR ST.PETE. BUCS FAN!!!
most of these haters weren’t even Tampa Bay fans 5 years ago. They don’t remember the LOST DECADE, and they CERTAINLY were not around for the YUCKS (1983-1995).
They’re spoiled rotten that they support a team that wins division every year that they wouldn’t even bother to comment if the Bucs won only 5 games, They’d be a Jaguars fan instead.
February 17th, 2025 at 12:11 pm
Thanks Nick!
February 17th, 2025 at 12:23 pm
@DR: I wondered where you went.
Holy smokes! Quad! Get healed up and I’ll bet you will feel immensely better!
February 17th, 2025 at 12:28 pm
Back pain can make a coward of you in hurry. Sitting is entirely different than standing especially for hours at a time. You’ll get it once you get old. There is no cure for that. Arians might not have come to grips with it enough to admit it back then. It’s hard to admit you’re now a wuss around studs.
February 17th, 2025 at 2:53 pm
We miss having a 100% focused head coach and a 100% focused defensive coordinator.
February 17th, 2025 at 3:17 pm
Don’t believe this Arians story here. Definitely believe TB12 had something to do with Bruce’s departure.
February 17th, 2025 at 6:14 pm
I believe it. Bruce was a badass. He couldn’t show weakness in front of his players with his mindset. No risk it no bisquit. Best coach ever for the Bucs. Changed the loser mentality around in a year. You can make up Brady conspiracies all day. BA remolded the team to think like winners. No BS. Dungy took years. Still a weak version of the winner mentality in a man’s game. Poor guy got canned for just not being quite good enough. Sound familiar?
February 17th, 2025 at 7:29 pm
The defense has been in decline ever since his retirement.