Every few days it seems that the NFL offseason has a shocking development for us. Wednesday was no different when Bruce Arians announced that he was stepping down as head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The fact that this was happening just weeks after Tom Brady announced he was un-retiring and rejoining the team made it all the more confusing and wild.
While there are plenty of conspiracy theories and rumors about why those two decisions happened around one another, there’s a third person whose entire situation changed in a hurry this week and that’s Todd Bowles, who has been elevated from defensive coordinator to head coach.
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
Arians leaves behind quite the legacy in just three years with the franchise. His Bucs won Super Bowl LV and finished 13-4 last season. He leaves the franchise in much better shape than he found it and, as he apparently wanted to, he’s set the table for his successor to succeed.
Bowls is no stranger to the head coaching role. He was the head coach of the New York Jets between 2015 and 2018. Unfortunately, it was not a successful stint as the team was mired in losing seasons for most of the run. He finished with a 24-40 record and was fired in 2018. Arians hired him as his defensive coordinator a few weeks later, a role he also held for him during their time together with the Arizona Cardinals.
Bowls and the Cardinals agreed on a new five-year deal as part of the role change.
The new head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Let's get to work, coach Bowles 🔥 #GoBucs pic.twitter.com/aM0nnr0SSs
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) March 31, 2022
The news that Arians was stepping aside so that Bowles could become the new head coach in Tampa Bay garnered a lot of reactions around social media.
in all seriousness: awesome for Todd Bowles. getting a real shot to be a HC this time around for an organization that actually knows what they’re doing.
— Mike Golic Jr (@mikegolicjr) March 31, 2022
Congrats to Todd Bowles on becoming head coach of a great team that still feels one man light on talent 👀
— Ndamukong Suh (@NdamukongSuh) March 31, 2022
Low key, Bruce Arians is the kind of ally needed an NFL front office. He supports the culture and he with the shits. And unlike most Black HC’s who have to start from nothing, Todd Bowles has a stacked roster and a team that can win. I like this a lot. #NFL
— Terrika (@SheKnowsSports) March 31, 2022
Shout out to Coach Todd Bowles! 🐐 #Prez
— Jamal Adams (@Prez) March 31, 2022
Really excited for Todd Bowles. Excellent coach and leader. https://t.co/LRLEUi2P1X
— Laura Rutledge (@LauraRutledge) March 31, 2022
The timing is a stunner but the news is not. So happy for Todd Bowles. Happy for Byron Leftwich. Happy for Brady.
— Adam Schein (@AdamSchein) March 31, 2022
Bowles gets to take over a team that is two years removed from a Super Bowl that will be led by an extremely motivated Tom Brady. It’s about the best opportunity one could ask for.
