Bruce Arians shocked the NFL world by announcing his retirement and stepping down as Buccaneers head coach. NFL Twitter was stunned for the Bucs.
If you thought Tom Brady’s retirement and the subsequent un-retirement was enough drama for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this offseason, they were apparently just getting started. This time, it’s head coach Bruce Arians at the forefront.
Well, it’s now former Bucs head coach Bruce Arians.
On Wednesday in an absolute stunner, it was reported that Arians will be retiring and stepping down as the Buccaneers head coach and will move into a front office role with Tampa Bay. The team thusly confirmed the news.
Bruce Arians is transitioning to the front office as our Senior Football Consultant. Todd Bowles has been named head coach.
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) March 31, 2022
Bruce Arians retirement: NFL Twitter reacts to shocking Bucs news
Given that there were no indications prior to the report that this decision was coming, it’s not surprising that the NFL world on social media was absolutely rocked by the announcement.
Did Tom Brady decide to return because he got word that Bruce Arians was retiring?
— Josh Rowntree (@JRown32) March 31, 2022
https://twitter.com/John_Sabol/status/1509328338548150295
Wow. Todd Bowles played for Bruce Arians at Temple. https://t.co/YvkRpMZxpV
— Joel Corry (@corryjoel) March 31, 2022
This Bruce Arians news is absolutely shocking.
— Vincent Frank (@VincentFrankNFL) March 31, 2022
What does it mean for Brady? Dead serious with that question.
Agreed, I hope it’s not a health issue agains for Arians
— RC Maxfield (@RCMB323) March 31, 2022
Lots of drama being created around why Bruce Arians is retiring.
— Matt Lively (@mattblively) March 31, 2022
In 2018, he retired for his wife and health reasons. Since then, there’s been a global pandemic and he’s now 69. An alleged “Tom Brady rift” feels like a reach.
https://twitter.com/HeatherMonahan_/status/1509328121983651842
Words cannot describe how happy I am for Todd Bowles. He deserves another go at head coach with a loaded roster and every opportunity to succeed.
— Carmen Vitali (@CarmieV) March 31, 2022
Incredible by Bruce Arians to set him up and walk away like that. That staff is really something else.
From his first days as a Head Coach at Temple in 1983, Bruce Arians always took care of his assistants. Tonight? One more for the road. BA is a BA.
— Charlie Clifford (@char_cliff) March 31, 2022
But, you already knew that. pic.twitter.com/uHhsqSmcc0
Bruce Arians has only coached three teams, been named Coach of the Year twice and won a Super Bowl since the last time he was said to be retired.
— Mike J. Asti (@MikeAsti11) March 31, 2022
Particularly with Brady returning, this is truly a stunning announcement. Though, as several Twitter users speculated, you have to wonder if there was some sort of rift brewing between the head coach and quarterback.
Bruce Arians replacement: Todd Bowles will be new Bucs head coach
As noted in the reports and the release from the Buccaneers, Todd Bowles will step in as the new head coach for the club.
Bowles previously served as head coach of the New York Jets but has seen his stock rise once again with Tampa Bay as the defensive coordinator, considered by many to be a potential head coaching candidate in recent years.