TAMPA, Fla. — Bruce Arians is stepping down after three seasons as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers‘ head coach and moving into a front-office role with the organization, the team announced Wednesday night.
Defensive coordinator Todd Bowles will replace Arians as head coach.
Arians told ESPN he doesn’t see it as a retirement. “No, moving to the front office,” he said in a text message. “I’m still working.”
His new job title will be senior football consultant.
Despite multiple health scares throughout his career, Arians, 69, said this move was in no way motivated by health issues. Arians and the Buccaneers had been working on a succession plan the past several weeks, and Arians informed players and members of his coaching staff of the news prior to the team’s announcement.
Arians went 31-18 (.633) in three seasons in Tampa Bay, the highest win percentage of any coach in Buccaneers history, and led the team to victory in Super Bowl LV following the 2020 season. He won five playoff games with the Bucs; every other coach in franchise history won six combined.
“I have spent most of the last 50 years of my life on the sidelines as a football coach in one form or another. Today, I have made the decision to move from the sidelines into another role with the Buccaneers front office, assisting (general manager) Jason Licht and his staff,” Arians said in a statement. “I love football. I love the relationships, the strategy, the competition — everything. It has been one hell of a ride, but I know this is the right time for me to make this transition.”
Bowles, 58, was previously the head coach of the New York Jets from 2015-18, where he went 24-40. He also served as interim coach of the Miami Dolphins for three games to end the 2011 season, going 2-1.
Bowles’ presence ensures continuity on a Bucs staff that has been largely unchanged since their Super Bowl win, with the exceptions of departures by assistants Mike Caldwell, Cody Grimm and Antwaan Randle El.
“I am appreciative of the family and Jason Licht for having faith in me to take on this role, and to Coach Arians for his support and guidance over the past four decades,” Bowles said in a statement. “Tampa has become home for my family, and we are excited to remain part of this community for years to come. As an organization, we have all the pieces in place to continue the winning standard that has been established here in recent years. I am eager to get started with our players, coaching staff, and front office in preparation for the 2022 season.”
Bowles becomes the sixth minority head coach currently in the NFL, joining Pittsburgh‘s Mike Tomlin, Washington‘s Ron Rivera, the Jets’ Robert Saleh, Houston‘s Lovie Smith and Miami’s Mike McDaniel. He also is the fourth Black coach in Bucs’ history, joining Tony Dungy, Raheem Morris and Smith.
Arians’ departure is the second major announcement for the Bucs this offseason, following quarterback Tom Brady‘s announcement in February that he was ending his career. Brady, a seven-time Super Bowl champion quarterback, returned 40 days later, saying he would return for a 23rd season and noting he had “unfinished business.”
Brady, in an Instagram post Wednesday night, said Arians was a major part of his decision to play for Tampa Bay and that he’ll be “forever grateful.”
“You are an incredible man and coach, and it was a privilege to play for you,” Brady wrote. “You are a true NFL legend and pioneer for all the work you have done to make the league more diverse and inclusive. Smart, tough, and loyal are a few of the words to describe your style. I will always remember the conversations we had when you recruited me two years ago and all of the things we discussed came true.”
In his statement, Arians said that he “really began thinking about my personal transition plan earlier this offseason.”
“I wanted to ensure when I walked away that Todd Bowles would have the best opportunity to succeed,” he said. “So many head coaches come into situations where they are set up for failure, and I didn’t want that for Todd.
“Tom’s decision to come back, along with Jason and his staff doing another great job of keeping the core of this team intact during free agency, confirmed for me that it was the right time to pass the torch to Todd.”
With Arians stepping down, 10 NFL teams — nearly a third of the league — will have a new head coach this upcoming season. That represents the most coaching changes from one year to the next since 2008-09, when there were 11 changes at the position.
ESPN Stats & Information and The Associated Press contributed to this report.