Bruce Arians cited health reasons when he stepped down as the Buccaneers’ head coach in 2022 and retired from the NFL for a second time. But successful open-heart surgery has revitalized the 74-year-old’s interest in returning to coaching.
“Now that I’m all healthy again, I got the itch again,” Arians told NFL insider Jordan Schultz in a recent interview.
This is the first time Arians has expressed interest in resuming his coaching career for a second time publicly. His first retirement came in 2018 after a five-year stint with the Cardinals, but he only spent one season in a broadcasting gig before taking charge of the Buccaneers.
Health problems were a recurring factor in Arians’ career. He survived prostate cancer and was later diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2016 that required surgery during the following offseason. In Tampa Bay, he was already dealing with a heart aneurysm when he tore his Achilles early in the 2021 season. That led to back problems caused significant pain, contributing to his decision to retire for a second time. He remained in Tampa Bay as a senior football consultant after his retirement, but indicated that he had since left that role.
“I had no desire to go back, and I was still fighting some health issues,” Arians explained. “But now, after the open-heart surgery, I’ve got so much more energy. It’s amazing.”
Arians said that he has not spoken to any NFL clubs about a potential job. He is targeting the 2027 hiring cycle to pursue new head-coaching opportunities, according to FOX Sports’ Greg Auman. Speculation about a return to Tampa Bay will naturally arise given the team’s struggles under Todd Bowles for the last two years. The Buccaneers are currently 3-6 heading into their Week 10 bye but are still very much in contention for the NFC South crown – likely their only path to the playoffs in a competitive conference. Missing the postseason for a second year in a row following a 1-3 playoff record in Bowles’ first three seasons could be the death knell for his tenure.
However, when asked if he would consider taking up his old position, Arians responded, “If it were open, yes.” In other words, the Buccaneers would have to fire Bowles independently of their decision to re-hire Arians; he would not to force his former protégé out.
Arians owns an 80-48-1 regular-season record and a 6-3 playoff record in his eight years as an NFL head coach. He was twice named AP Coach of the Year, first as the Colts’ interim head coach in 2012 and again with Arizona in 2014. His biggest triumph came in the 2020 season, when Tampa Bay won Super Bowl LV with Tom Brady at quarterback. Arians, then 68, became the NFL’s oldest coach to win a Super Bowl. If he returned at the age of 74, he would be the oldest active head coach in the league.
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