“Bruce Arians’ Job Could Be On The Line If He Loses”
January 8th, 2021
“Don’t screw it up, Bruce.”
A popular national sports TV host pushed the notion this week that if the Redskins somehow upset the Bucs, Team Glazer just may launch Bucs coach Bucco Bruce Arians.
Colin Cowherd took to his show “The Herd,” seen weekdays on FS1, to say that if the Bucs somehow lost, it would be such a colossal failure for the Bucs and such an embarrassment for Team Glazer, that it may cost Arians his job.
Cowherd discussed the five people under the most pressure in this weekend’s playoff games. His first pressured person was Arians.
“Tom Brady, 21 years, has never gone into the playoffs [on] a wild card team,” Cowherd began. “‘Don’t screw it up Bruce. You are facing a losing team Bruce. You are facing the 32nd-ranked offense Bruce. Brady has never had to go in as a wild card. You’ve got great weapons.’
“There is pressure on Bruce Arians. … His job, Bruce Arians’ job, could be on the line if he loses. … He loses, my guess is he could be gone.”
Joe thinks this is absolutely outrageous. Would a loss to the Redskins be a black mark on the franchise? Yes. Would it be a stain on Arians’ resume? Yes.
Joe has a different opinion: The team started off slow and played its best football when December hit. To Joe, isn’t that what you want? Isn’t that coaching? That whatever was holding a team back finally had been worked out or figured out?
For Arians to lose his job over a loss to Washington, Joe would have to believe it would be a rout on the level of what the Saints did to the Bucs on Sunday Night Football.
And if the Bucs really did get clobbered, Team Glazer would have at least one very fair and legitimate question to ask Arians:
How come you and your biggest and brightest coaching staff cannot have your team ready and prepared to play at night?
January 8th, 2021 at 11:37 pm
Ridiculous
January 8th, 2021 at 11:50 pm
Hate to say that I agree with Cowherd here.
We have far superior talent, and the largest coaching staff in the NFL.
This is a sh!t team, with a 7-9 record.
The ONLY reason they are here at all is because they are in a weak division, and Philly deliberately tanked.
The Glazers have literally spent a fortune this year to win a Super Bowl, or at least go a few games into the playoffs. If our coaches do not have us ready to play and/or get outcoached, then it is time for them to go.
January 8th, 2021 at 11:53 pm
Geez can we at least play the game first?
January 8th, 2021 at 11:56 pm
This is the stupidest thing I’ve heard all day, and I’ve seen people making excuses for that seditionist m***erf***er dumpster-in-chief, crying over him being deservedly banned from tweeter… So yeah, this is some ignorant nonsense. Arians will be here next year unless he decides to retire. They’d have to get rolled in historic fashion to give the Glazers reason to can him. When was the last time we had a season anywhere close to this good? There was a slump of struggling and some games we should not have lost, but we were still 11-5 and beat up on some people, which never happens with Bucs teams. We also had a winning record at home. Cowherd has been sniffing his own farts too long.
January 9th, 2021 at 12:04 am
Has Cowherd always been such a cow turd ? I thought I use to like him years ago but I don’t recall his making these wild predictions and crazy absolutist projections in the past. Is this new, is he trying to be Stephen A.?
January 9th, 2021 at 12:35 am
I mean look at the face
Good shot joes
Rat turd
January 9th, 2021 at 12:38 am
Sounds like Turd got some money riding on Bucco Bruce!
January 9th, 2021 at 1:16 am
Only Reason That TB12 Never Won The SUPERBOWL From A Wild Card Position Is That He Didn’t Have To. The PATRIOTS Were Perennial AFC East Champs.
No One Here Even Thinks That Washington Has A Snowballs Chance In Hell On Saturday.
If The BUCS Defense Had Been Better & Consistent All Season They’d Have Won Their Division As Well.
BUCS Need A NEW D.C. For 2021, WITHOUT Question.
Ring #7 Is Coming For BRADY In February… Along With Many More Records For The GOAT.!!!
January 9th, 2021 at 2:22 am
That tool is not “popular.” He is terrible.
January 9th, 2021 at 2:43 am
Cowturd is who we thought he was.
January 9th, 2021 at 3:59 am
Let me see… First time the team makes the playoffs in about 13 yrs and we’re talking about firing the coach for underachieving if they lose in the first round? I agree it would be a HUGE disappointment to lose to Washington but for this franchise to even think about firing the coach would be ridiculous.
January 9th, 2021 at 5:51 am
When your career spirals down to foxsports3 you have to become the sports equivalent of a shock jock. YouTube comments riddled with examples of cowturd’s self-contradictions. He just throws spit at the walls and doesn’t even care what sticks. Steelers most talented receiving corps in the NFL? Umm, hello ME13, Godwin and AB vs. 31 drops in Pitt this year!!
Agree with Joe’s assessment; a loss would be a stain and come with a whole offseason of nonsense, bc Arians is going nowhere unless he himself decides to.
January 9th, 2021 at 6:01 am
I sure miss the old days when good sports writers were at work.
What a dunce this dope is.
January 9th, 2021 at 6:57 am
@AC Stackpole … “If The BUCS Defense Had Been Better & Consistent All Season They’d Have Won Their Division As Well. BUCS Need A NEW D.C. For 2021, WITHOUT Question”.
That’s brilliant; absolutely brilliant. Todd Bowles takes this defense from the dregs of the NFL to being a Top-10 ranked defense this year and “WITHOUT Question” we need to replace him? Yup, absolutely brilliant.
Cowherd should win a Darwin Award for his statement. You’re giving him a run for his money.
January 9th, 2021 at 6:58 am
Washington is not going to clobber anyone, sorry Joe they just don’t have the firepower.
January 9th, 2021 at 7:00 am
It’s easy to make prognostications when the events are highly unlikely to happen.
January 9th, 2021 at 7:10 am
It’s up to Bowles defense. He has nothing to lose he has 1 foot out the door. Not worried about offense but if the D can’t get off the field and our DB’s stink. I would blame Arians for not discounting Bowels lead and fixing this problem. Bucs have only been trounced once this season.
January 9th, 2021 at 7:18 am
As if he cares for his job at 68 more than winning.
January 9th, 2021 at 7:31 am
An idiot reaching for something to talk about. No way Arians gets fired when in 2 years this team went from rags to riches. If they like lose it’s time to get ready for next season.
January 9th, 2021 at 7:41 am
I think it’s an amazing job to bring in a new player at the most important…and complex…position, and come out with 11 wins, that could have been more.
Cowherd is just begging for attention.
In two seasons Arians has created winning stability out of a hot mess.
January 9th, 2021 at 8:18 am
as a 6 decade fan of the NFL and reading countless comments on the Bucs, I can’t help but be reminded of the layman’s definition of insanity; Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. There is RARELY just 1 reason a team loses. BUT in our losses, there was 1 common denominator. The soft zone!! In those games i thought my head would explode. The corners playing 10 yds deep and then standing there waiting on the runner. You don’t need a calculator for this. 1st down after 1st down after 1st down etc etc etc etc. So Bucs fans stop being a helicopter parent for Todd B. Your kid sucks!!!!!!!!!!!! we could easily be 15-1 Curly Larry and Moe, did you think the GOAT came to Tompa Bay to be 11-5? But he’s smart enough to know it’s “now or never” an old song by Roy Orbinson
January 9th, 2021 at 8:41 am
@alton green: there is a time and place for a soft zone.
A soft zone needs a stout pass rush. The Dungy/Kiffin d’s ran nothing but soft zones, but had a monster pass rush.
What hurt the Bucs was a few games where they could not generate much QB pressure.
I do agree: I’d like to see more WR challenges at the LoS.
The Bucs lost several games to superior—at the time—teams: Saints, Rams and Chefs. The Bears game was inexcusable.
I think this is a different team today than the one that lost those games. At least, I hope.
January 9th, 2021 at 9:02 am
The same Cowherd that predicted the Ravens to be 16-0? Then it was 15-1 and then it was swept under the rug…
January 9th, 2021 at 9:18 am
Cowherd contradicts himself on a weekly basis. Is there any of these guys or ladies left worth watching? It’s who can be the most outrageous. There’s a thread for you Joe. Will the last commentator with integrity please stand up !!!!
January 9th, 2021 at 9:42 am
It’s Now or Never was Elvis. Somebody should reserve a seat for Elvis at the Super Bowl. Love Hurts was Roy Orbison. Being a Buc fan is painful at times too. Bruce ain’t getting fired. He’ll leave when he’s ready.
January 9th, 2021 at 10:09 am
Maybe if they had a losing record this season.
January 9th, 2021 at 10:19 am
I’ve never listened to this cat, but this certainly seems plausible. Or more likely, they’ll sit down with Brady after the season and tell him if he signs for 3 more seasons he gets to pick his HC.
January 9th, 2021 at 10:26 am
I didn’t know Cowherd smoked crack.
January 9th, 2021 at 10:55 am
Arians will be back.
January 9th, 2021 at 11:30 am
They should still draft at least one more CB & maybe one more S. Especially with Evans getting dumped now. Still draft at least one more OL maybe two, one more DE, probably a DT & then depending on QB & RB. Wouldn’t hurt if they traded down a couple times & got a couple extra picks to address some other needs, too!
January 9th, 2021 at 11:34 am
Brady will want to bring Gronkowski & Antonio back. Since they’re FAs. They’re still gonna have to resign Godwin, Barrett & Lavonte. Then depending on Suh, Fournette & McCoy but I’ve got a feeling McCoy might be gone. It’s too bad because when they let him play he was still playing pretty good. He can still play.
January 9th, 2021 at 11:56 am
Kentucky Buck: maybe not to watch, but a great listen is Dan Patrick. Factual, consistent and compelling, but maybe not much of an “entertainer.”
He had Adam Theilen on yesterday who gave the Bucs D some props compared to Packers D, and also listed the Bucs as the team he wouldn’t want to face in the playoffs.
January 9th, 2021 at 11:57 am
Shut up! Brady coming back next year just heard. You think he’s coming back with a coaching change? This team just went 11-5. Wasn’t always pretty but they play there ass off. There will be no coaching change. Dope
January 9th, 2021 at 11:58 am
Cowherd knows nothing about football.
All cliches and BS
We are 11-5, with a ton of New players, and no offseason.
Thats impressive.
Nf does that airhead really think Brady would want to learn yet ANOTHER offense?
Brady came here to win with Arians. This team will explode, once it has an offseason and preseason.
None of these talented new guys came here to learn 2 schemes in 2 years.
Ridiculous!
January 9th, 2021 at 12:00 pm
Pay no mind to Cowherd. He changes his takes on an hourly basis.
January 9th, 2021 at 12:21 pm
Exactly Capt. Tim…
I didn’t feel like explaining it earlier. I just said Arians will be back.
Next year the Bucs are going to the Super Bowl.
Until then…it’s been fun watching them gel.
Go Bucs!!!
January 9th, 2021 at 12:51 pm
Personally I dont care for this being a story on the front page on gameday.
January 9th, 2021 at 2:10 pm
Colin is a self important blowhard. Unless Tampa gets absolutely destroyed, there is no chance of Bruce getting fired. Colin is just saying this for the sake of making sure he’s got some kind of hot take going into wild card weekend.
January 9th, 2021 at 4:36 pm
OK two posters in my pantheon of respected posters…
Cobra….In two seasons Arians has created winning stability out of a hot mess.
Amen Bro!
D.R…..Todd Bowles takes this defense from the dregs of the NFL to being a Top-10 ranked defense this year and “WITHOUT Question” we need to replace him? Yup, absolutely brilliant.
Cowherd should win a Darwin Award for his statement. You’re giving him a run for his money.
Well played. Still smiling because I share your frustation.
Since Cobra and D.R. nailed I’m left just adding an analogy.
Do people not know how BADLY this franchise has SUCKED for over a decade?
Dumping BA now would be like ugly Rudy Giuliani running hair dye and all scoring a date with J LO and calling it off. This franchise has been just as ugly looking as Rudy. We find a guy who applies some wart remover…successfully and we send him packing? Really?
Is there anybody here…JW pimps included who is not wildly excited about this team’s prospects next year thanks to BA?
January 9th, 2021 at 5:21 pm
This is the most ridiculous thing I’ve heard in a long time. Totally absurd. The Bucs are 11-5. Great season. No way you fire the coach if they lose a game at this point.
Any NFL team on any Sunday can lose. That includes the Patriots in their hay day. And yes, in the playoffs and yes, even in the Super Bowl (see 2017 when they were undefeated and 14 point favorite against the sixth seed Giants).
The bottom line is, anything can happen, but it’s been a great season with a trip to the playoffs and a legitimate chance to win it all. Enjoy!
January 9th, 2021 at 6:34 pm
What a stupid take on things. We’re in the playoffs for the first time in 13 season. We ended the regular season with a very respectable 11-4 record. Even if WFT manages to produce a miracle, I don’t think BA has anything to worry about…after all, Brady will still be here next year, does anybody really think the Glazers would be stupid enough to change his coaches?
January 9th, 2021 at 7:21 pm
Coward is just speculation for hype sake. Joe, why would you even post such negativity right before a long-awaited playoff game, especially coming form a no-nothing loudmouth like Coward?
January 9th, 2021 at 8:07 pm
Had alex smith started every game they would be at least a 9 win team with a defense better than ours. This is not a bad football team. But I agree, if they lose its a fail on coaching because this roster is built to win right now.Its a kick in the groin that devin white couldn’t play though
January 10th, 2021 at 2:45 am
It’s not about negativity — what’s negative about it?. It’s about interest. Joe has a hunch Bucs fans want to know when someone with a large megaphone working for an NFL rightsholder thinks a Bucs coach may be in danger.