Bruce Arians Gives Todd Bowles A Shoutout
September 21st, 2023
“Good job, Todd!”
Bucs Super Bowl-winning coach Bucco Bruce Arians may not be around One Buc Palace much but he’s still interested in what one of his family members is doing.
Arians likes to refer to his coaches as family. And Bucs coach Todd Bowles played for Arians and coached with him for years.
Arians is in the final year of his contract as Bucs senior advisor to the general manager. Joe hasn’t seen Arians at One Buc Palace in a long time.
But Arians was at the Bucs-Bears game on Sunday. Speaking on his podcast “No Risk It No Biscuit,” Arians told co-host Melanie Collins that he came to Tampa to golf and catch a Bucs practice before going to the game.
He quickly returned to his Georgia lakefront house and got some golf in, he bragged.
Arians’ pod is more of a general football conversation. He talks about recent games but the podcast seems to consist largely of Arians’ football stories (he’s an excellent storyteller).
In discussing some Week 2 games, Collins asked Arians for the “ballsiest, gutsiest, most awesome” playcall of the week. Arians couldn’t just have a Week 2 anecdote. He had to go back to the start of the season.
And Arians lauded Bowles.
“I have to go back to Week 1,” Arians began. “Fourth-and-one in their own territory in the fourth quarter and Todd Bowles goes for that.
“And that leads to the 57-yard field goal. Those two decisions, the fourth-and-one and the 57-yarder with a new kicker on the road, proved to be the winner.”
Arians is right. If you asked NFL folks before the season who would be the one coach to go for it on fourth-and-one from a team’s own-32 in the fourth quarter in a one-score game, probably the last name you’d expect to hear is Todd Bowles.
It was a ballsy call bordering on irresponsible. Maybe those two decisions by Bowles showed people Bowles isn’t fooling around this year?
It was cool to hear Arians give his old player and assistant a shoutout like that.
September 21st, 2023 at 12:41 am
If I had his money I would lower my handicap and catch Monster snook in Costa Rica every year. You earned it Bruce. Step away and enjoy the fruits!
September 21st, 2023 at 12:42 am
Joe………Please tell me why your bot would put that comment in the corner
September 21st, 2023 at 1:23 am
If a “bot” could only talk.
September 21st, 2023 at 1:27 am
Ditto Joe!
Makes me wonder if even Arians would have risked the 4th down call though.
LOL
Go Bucs!
September 21st, 2023 at 3:29 am
That’s a really good show.
Bruce looks great, is fun to listen to.
Also he’s right, Bowles showed more guts in that one call than he did all of last year, in particular when he’s taking the ball out of Brady’s hands to lose a game. Maybe he learned something over the summer, like he’s going to be fired if he doesn’t surprize people and win a bunch of games.
September 21st, 2023 at 5:12 am
You can’t be around BA all those years like Bowles has without some of that risk it rubbing off on you. I think the difference with Bowles this year as opposed to last is, he has his finger on the pulse of the team. This is Todd’s team, not Brady’s. He’s tried in the past to find the right OC to pair with his defense. Canalas seems to be that guy. Hopefully we stay healthy, and keep this going.
September 21st, 2023 at 5:40 am
It’s great to hear that Bucco Bruce is thriving in semi retirement. I have no doubt whatsoever that he loves doing his show.
Bowles 4th down decision was a little reckless, but the offense was becoming moribund and it needed a Frankenstein sized spark to reanimate it. If it didn’t work, our defense probably keeps them out of the end zone and we’d still have time for a quick score.
September 21st, 2023 at 7:53 am
Admit it……if that call hadn’t worked and we lost the game, Bowles would be finished on JBF.
Bur, we got the yard……surprisingly.
September 21st, 2023 at 8:03 am
It was a gutsy call. The best coaches make calls based on feel. It’s always smart to be informed by data, but you have to trust your gut if it tells you otherwise.
September 21st, 2023 at 10:12 am
Tampa@ you are correct, if the play failed and gave the ball back on your own 32 the game was over and lost. He dodged a bullet and congrats for pulling it off but if it failed he would have been crucified on this site and in the media. On the other hand, it’s like the lottery, if you don’t play you can’t win.
September 21st, 2023 at 12:30 pm
I really like the aggressiveness from Bowles this year. His conservative approach i know for sure lost us the browns game and got 2 starr players hurt in Winfield and wirfs in OT. We prob lost a few other games because of it also. I gotta say if Bowles keeps it up and we keep winning I just might be a believer in him as HC which I have not bin. I have bin calling for him to be fired but I really like him as our DC. Keep it up Bowles and change my mind please. I have no problem admitting I am wrong about bowles if he keeps this up. I’ll eat crow lol