Bruce Arians Talks Antonio Brown, Tight Ends & Back Surgery
April 2nd, 2021
Bucco Bruce Arians is prepping for his charity golf tournament in Palm Harbor and that includes talking Bucs on radio.
The Super Bowl head coach chatted with WDAE radio this morning and firmly noted that Tom Brady is not permitted — and not ready — to play in his golf event following knee surgery. “I’m not even going to let him putt.” on Brady. But Brady is expected to attend various tournament festivities.
Arians revealed that he had preseason back surgery, noting he thought it would help with some of his issues but it didn’t. Obviously, his coaching was just fine, but Arians said his golf game is not — and my never be again. “I never admit [my age] anywhere else,” he said. “but it’s showing up too much on the golf course.”
So what are the chances of Antonio Brown coming back, coach? “I think they’re ok; both sides have to meet sooner or later in the middle,” Arians said of Brown. “We’ve got offers out there and we’ll just wait and see.”
One guy “definitely” returning this season is fifth-year tight end O.J. Howard. That’s not fresh news, but hearing Arians talking about Howard on the field in June was a surprise.
“I think it’s one of the most dominant individual player rooms in the NFL,” Arians said of the Bucs’ tight end stable. “O.J. Howard’s making great progress. Hopefully we’re going to have OTAs in June and he might have a chance to get out there for some of that. He’ll be definitely ready for the season.”
April 2nd, 2021 at 11:48 am
Brady has so many great weapons. And great protection. Offense looks unstoppable on paper.
April 2nd, 2021 at 11:52 am
Casual observer- not just on paper, they were virtually unstoppable for the last 6 1/2 games of the season, beginning the 2nd half of the Atlanta game. With more work together, they are likely to only be better.
April 2nd, 2021 at 12:19 pm
Thats a good sign for AB returning
Meeting somewhere in the middle is part of negotiations
April 2nd, 2021 at 12:26 pm
I would offer AB something similar to fournette (with incentives) and obviously games played …with criminal case coming up
I honestly think his criminal case will be pushed back from december. The courts are a disaster right now because of covid. Getting jurors to show up is a real problem too cause that is a legit excuse not to show up for jury duty and being confined indoors for a potential week long case. No one likes jury duty in first place. They are Way behind. And They will go for severe criminal cases 1st. He should be able to play whole season / playoffs
April 2nd, 2021 at 12:40 pm
Arians should hire TB-12’s caddie.
April 2nd, 2021 at 12:44 pm
AB moves w/ more “suddenness”/ change of direction better than anyone else on offense & that’s the only reason I want him back
April 2nd, 2021 at 12:53 pm
Brown is worth a ton of money. TY Hilton, who isn’t even remotely as good as Brown, got $8m guaranteed and can make up to $10m. I’m guessing Brown’s asking price is at least that – and I’d assume the Bucs are basically offering half of that. If AB didn’t have the off the field issues, he’d likely be getting around $14m. Nelson Agholor, who isn’t any good, got $11m – which is hilarious, but it had to p/o a guy like Brown who will still be better than Agholor (now) when he’s 50.
But AB brought all his issues on himself. I want him back, but the team needs to make sure he’s not going to sulk and become a issue if they do resign on the cheap.
April 2nd, 2021 at 1:07 pm
So Joe…it begs the question…did Bruce get the shoulder tat before or after the back surgery. Come on man…I and probably Tom Brady want to know.
April 2nd, 2021 at 1:39 pm
as a career Brady fan, I can’t help but remember all the haters that were so quick to hang him. That used to make me so mad until i realized i was pissing in the wind. I would say “you mean to tell me that the GOAT would jeapordize his career to take 1 lb of air out of the balls? COME ON MAN!!!!!!! It made no difference that in the second half Brady totally destroyed the Colts. Did the haters change? NOPE. I’ve been a football fan for 60 yrs and I didn’t know about the PSI in the balls. Those haters remind me of Trump haters hahahahaha I used to joke that Brady could have beat the Colts with a bowling ball
April 2nd, 2021 at 1:47 pm
Yeah, it’s a pity. Brown is STILL one of the top 5 receivers in the NFL, probably can’t get more than $1 mil per year, because he has the attention span of a fruit fly
April 2nd, 2021 at 1:51 pm
Rod…that is why a small base with a load of incentives, where if things go south, you aren’t stuck with a ton of wasted salary cap cash is the only intelligent strategy,.. IMHO.
April 2nd, 2021 at 2:04 pm
Consistent alton.. sounds like a cult of personality. Most of us were Buc fans well before Brady. And will be after. Glad he is here. And respect him as the GOAT.
April 2nd, 2021 at 2:48 pm
I would really like to see the bucs get Fitzgerald
April 2nd, 2021 at 2:58 pm
I have seen ElBucco on here since the playoffs started. Has he posted lately?
April 2nd, 2021 at 3:16 pm
Can’t wait to have OJ back. Another year with the great large hybrid Gronk teaching some things. Gronk has his goofy moments people see, but is nothing short of serious for game preparation.
April 2nd, 2021 at 3:44 pm
mark2001 – Yeah, I agree with you, they need to have a ton of incentives – and I’d say let him earn up to that $10-12m if he can do it, and based on Godwin and Evan’s injury history, they should sell him on the idea that those incentives are achievable.
April 2nd, 2021 at 3:45 pm
I am fine with working with OJ Howard although I see him as a great trade commodity with our tight end position. But Antonio Brown we can do without he can be a great asset but also expendable because we have other great receivers and we can get another free agent without the moody distraction he’s already starting, we got lucky to get through with them last season with his ego, why chance it again. Justin my opinion from a long time Buccs fan that is all I’m sure others May agree or disagree
April 2nd, 2021 at 4:29 pm
We can’t get anything for OJ until he’s had a healthy season post-achilles. (And if he DID have a good season, we would want to keep him)
April 2nd, 2021 at 5:19 pm
I’ve rewatched several highlights/games and OJ was a beast before he was injured. It’s the NFL and injuries happen. He has just been a little unlucky. Guys like him aren’t injury prone. He will be a big help on offense next year. He is like a bigger faster version of Gronk.
April 2nd, 2021 at 5:27 pm
I hope for OJ’s sake he understands he has to show up in shape, ready to play, danged sure ready to block, and willing to be coached up. Because if he tries to approach this last year as “I deserve more” type of play, he’ll be gone after the 3rd preseason game.
April 2nd, 2021 at 5:42 pm
The Patriots had a contract with the Antonio Brown he played one game and they still had to pay a 9 million I think that’s all that needs to be said there
April 2nd, 2021 at 5:58 pm
BucNut2: Un-Realisto still has so much crow in his mouth he hasn’t been able to deal with anything else. He was wrong about just about everything he said and predicted, while pretending to be a superior Know-it-all to us, obviously smarter, (and certainly more loyal) “sheep” in the Bucs’ herd. Lets hope he stays gone.
April 2nd, 2021 at 6:03 pm
I agree AB is still good and he’s been well behaved, but out of 22 starters/ signings would you give up for AB? It was not the Bucs management that reduced the salary cap. Ask some greedy owners and the league. ASL Jerry Jones to take a 20 million cut to make up for the loss. NOT!!!!
April 2nd, 2021 at 6:14 pm
I still want them to sign a b though but I believe it should be incentive driven
April 2nd, 2021 at 6:16 pm
is kobe faker still off somewhere referring to himself in the 3rd person?
April 2nd, 2021 at 7:16 pm
I don’t see how Gronk got 10 million, but they aren’t willing to give AB at 6-7 a yr on a 2yr deal. He is someone even with being out a yr and a half that he is still one of the best at getting open and being in the right place at the right time. I like Miller, but don’t get it twisted he ain’t no AB. If AB wasn’t a asset he wouldn’t have got the snaps that he got last season point blank.
April 2nd, 2021 at 7:33 pm
we do not need Antonio Brown. We didn’t need him last year either. Everyone is acting like he did great because he showed up in the playoffs…too bad he barely did anything to actually get us there.
Go young again. We struck gold once or twice already doing it. Do it again. You never know…we might find someone who can replace Mike Evans when the time eventually comes.
April 2nd, 2021 at 7:34 pm
Debunk Says
“It was not the Bucs management that reduced the salary cap. Ask some greedy owners and the league.”
You don’t think the NFL suffered big losses like everyone else during the lockdowns? It had nothing to do with greed. Everyone suffered from the top down.
April 2nd, 2021 at 7:38 pm
TheBradyBunch Says:
“It’s the NFL and injuries happen. He [OJ] has just been a little unlucky. Guys like him aren’t injury prone.”
I tend to agree with this statement…although he has had severe injury issues, I’m hoping he’ll turn things around. He may or may not, but I’m willing to give him another year to do so.
Meanwhile, drafting another TE might be a smart move, at least later in the draft.
April 2nd, 2021 at 9:01 pm
hi guys: I imagine you all, as am I, eagerly looking forward to next season. also, I think we all agree, Antonio, behaving as he did last year, will certainly improve our chances. he understands that there is only so much salary cap available, however, but I suspect he wants to maximize his income. AB, we’d love to have you back but if you can’t do it on our terms, we wish you the best!
April 3rd, 2021 at 10:03 am
Bird–Brown faces no criminal chatge, but a civil suit; it would help if you learned the difference before sharing your wisdom with the rest of the world.
April 3rd, 2021 at 10:32 am
The trolls are gone because they made fools of themselves and don’t have the guts to admit it. But you can bet they’ll be back like buzzards on stink if the
Bucs have a bad game.
April 4th, 2021 at 7:55 am
I would line up Gronk or Brate in backfield and utilize all three TEs. When Brady had Gronk and Hernandez went undefeated till Superbowl, unstoppable.