Bucco Bruce Arians Only Wants Head Coaching Gig
November 15th, 2026
“Santa Claus, you need to save our Bucs again!”
Last week NFL insider Jordan Schultz had a bomb go off in an interview with former Bucs Super Bowl-winning coach Bucco Bruce Arians.
And now we have more details.
Arians told Schultz he is interested in returning to the NFL as a coach. Arians didn’t go into much detail other than to say he had not yet spoken with any NFL teams about it.
Arians has been living the good life of golf and drink since he retired from the Bucs in the spring of 2022.
Since Arians’ interview with Schultz, Bob McManaman of the Arizona Republic got a hold of Arians and got more details.
Arians, per McManaman, does not want to be an offensive coordinator or a front office suit. He only wants to be a head coach.
“I’d rather put the team together, coach it and try to win another championship,” Arians said. “I don’t want to be putting the team together and looking over someone else’s shoulder who’s coaching it.”
Arians all but confirmed with McManaman that the reason he retired from the Bucs was due to poor health and that he is finally feeling good enough to coach.
Arians did note that at 74, it’s unlikely NFL teams will come calling.
“I don’t know, I doubt it. I mean nobody’s getting hired at 74, but I’m finally healthy for the first time in a while. If my health was this good, I would have never retired.”
So does this mean Arians would never come back to the Bucs? Arians is as loyal as they come and he and KitKat-eating Bucs coach Todd Bowles are very tight.
Joe couldn’t see Arians coming in to take over for Bowles for those reasons. However, Joe still has a hunch Arians could be sweet-talked into returning to the Bucs to run the offense.
Arians is a big Baker Mayfield fan. And who knows, if Arians cannot fix Mayfield (Arians couldn’t possibly do worse than failed Bucs offensive coordinator Zac Robinson) who better to help train a rookie quarterback in 2028 (or 2027) than Arians?
You know, the “Quarterback Whisperer.”
November 15th, 2026 at 8:14 am
I am sure that Licht/Glazers have talked to Arians about returning as HC with Bowles as DC. Whether both/either man would be willing/interested in that scenario is another matter. That discussion might have even gone on throughout this last off-season. A dragged out answer might be why they were forced to keep Bowles (all the ‘good’ candidates were gone).
November 15th, 2026 at 8:28 am
The Bucs have gone down hill since Arians was kicked off the sideline after the Saints game several years ago. He went from having a say in the team to basically being completely barred from any activity. I’m pretty sure Arians wouldn’t be 3-6 with this mistake filled team.
November 15th, 2026 at 8:31 am
Arians will get us another Lombardi. Get him back Glazers.
November 15th, 2026 at 8:47 am
Colts
November 15th, 2026 at 8:55 am
Chargers
November 15th, 2026 at 8:59 am
why is zac so bad got qbs? his passing game is so short and he emphasizes the run game in play calling. he and the qb coach and todd have done nothing to reign him in from throwing pics and fumbling. he doesn’t have to win games!!! he has to not lose them! it s that easy! tony dungy did it with trent dilfer but Baker is allowed to think he’s brett farve, he’s soley responsible for many losses!!
November 15th, 2026 at 9:02 am
Im with WBL, Glazers won’t hire him. They were worried about his health the first go around.
WBL, Colts are a good organization (I think, maybe, not sure what Gracie is all about. I like her with a headset, it means she cares about winning). But with no clear QB, not sure Bruce would go there.
But Id take Arians. He would hire the just fired Bowles to run the D, which is good. No one is hiring Bowles in any other capacity, DC jobs are almost as hard to come by as a chance to be a HC. He would be lucky to have Bruce hire him.
Arians can then pick out a good OC (NOT Lefty), and we would be in MUCH better shape than we are now.
November 15th, 2026 at 9:02 am
WTF am I in moderation?!?! So F#@ing annoying
November 15th, 2026 at 9:05 am
Maybe the Jets kick the tires? The defense-minded/crap offense HC (Glenn) experiment has got to be getting old, and they likely will have enough draft capital to go for a QB in the draft?
November 15th, 2026 at 9:18 am
The problem is nobody actually watched the interview OR they didn’t pay attention OR this was just all click bait for the desperate Buc fans…
IF you did watch that interview it is clear what BA said.
All he said was he was considering throwing his hat in the Ring for a HC job next season.
And from that we now have all this BA back to TB to save us BS.
It’s all just silly talk and hyperbole.
November 15th, 2026 at 9:21 am
Let the season play out and if they fire Bowles we will see who is available.
November 15th, 2026 at 9:25 am
No telling where this is going. I think he is letting the NFL know he is ready to coach again and will take Bowles with him where ever he goes. I am sure BA and Bowles have been talking. I’m sure the Glazers are having conversations with him, as well as other teams.
November 15th, 2026 at 9:27 am
Sean McDermott is the correct choice for next HC , but would he want to come here???????????????????????
November 15th, 2026 at 9:29 am
hard pass…Brady won the SB…Brady ended up installing his own offense as well
no thanks.
November 15th, 2026 at 9:30 am
I could go for one more round of Bruce as HC and Todd as DC. That could only last 2-3 years though and then we’re back to the beginning.
Our D is playing lights out and we just need to put 21 on the board WITHOUT having a turnover machine at QB. Not sure even Bruce could keep Baker in check. Hero ball is dumb when our D is playing this well. On the pick 6 last week by Baker, I had an immediate sinking feeling he would make an error as soon as the defense dropped in coverage. Can’t have that guy at QB.
November 15th, 2026 at 9:37 am
@ Todd
I would be OK with that…
November 15th, 2026 at 9:41 am
The only reason anybody is talking about McDermott is because of the success he had with Buffalo & Josh Allen, his abscence up there hasn’t negatively impacted the Bills and Allen is having another MVP season.
Outside of that, nobody can give you 5 things he brings to the table as an HC that isn’t Josh Allen related.
@Harry
Colts have been poorly managed for some years, idk about good because they’ve been selling pieces off as some other struggling teams are. Irsay-Gordon is and has been clearing up alot of the thing her dad & Chris Ballard screwed up. Certainly seems like they’re setting the table for a new regime. Which would mean Steichten is out of the picture and would be available. The same Colts that wasted TY Hilton and kinda, sorta ran off Andrew Luck.
November 15th, 2026 at 10:00 am
I don’t understand the team saying that they love Bowles, other than trying to remain semi loyal till something is done from up top. Coaching is the main problem and someone putting scapegoat’s under him or is it them 🤔
November 15th, 2026 at 10:00 am
Of note for next week, Adian Hutchinson just left with a possible knee injury.
November 15th, 2026 at 10:01 am
He’ll go to the colts or chargers. Only problem with Arians.. is he’s 74, we’ll have him for 3-4 years maybe. Then he’ll inside promote like he did with Bowles. No thank you.
November 15th, 2026 at 10:24 am
I would take 3-4 years of great offense. Just don’t allow Byron Leftwich back in the building under any circumstances.
November 15th, 2026 at 10:27 am
if arians is coming back he’s coming back here…
these two (BA & Bowles) will figure it out and make it work…
after all, they figured out a way to turn bowles into the bucs HC for like the past 5 years…
i could see egos come to a simmer, and they work in unison…somehow…
maybe arians can get tom thumb back on track
November 15th, 2026 at 10:27 am
@ WarSapBrook
I would also welcome the best young OC in the NFL and spin the wheel.
I believe McDermott would be an equally effective DC as Bowles but would be better as a HC in general.
So it’s basically a slightly diagonal move from TB IMO.
Who would be the new OC is the problem – I don’t want to see another 4 OCs in the next 4 seasons…
November 15th, 2026 at 10:30 am
Fire Zach. Ari5 can take over offense for the last 8 games and we can measure his desire, effectiveness, and health. But if he comes in as HC next yr, it all could be a rouse to prolong Todd’s tenure when Bruce retires again.
The only way I’d hire BA is to tie his contract to Baker’ anchor contract. Otherwise, younger, fresher, healthier
November 15th, 2026 at 10:31 am
I see him in Dallas….BA likes his golden boy QBs
November 15th, 2026 at 10:35 am
@Joe
If you’re willing to call Robinson a failure after 9 games, you also need to openly call Bowles a failure after 4.5 years of mediocrity.
But I know you won’t do anything close to that. That buffet line is too good.
You’re part of the problem.
November 15th, 2026 at 11:05 am
I think BA is saying… I couldn’t come back to the Buc’s as an OC, with TB as HC making all those stupid decisions that he does during games! It would drive me nuts!!
November 15th, 2026 at 11:13 am
Pass
November 15th, 2026 at 11:18 am
No Brady, brown or gronk – no trophy.
Hard pass.
Thanks for guiding the bought ship to a trophy, but I’ll never forgive you for doing what you did and tying us to Todd Bowles.
November 15th, 2026 at 12:16 pm
Obvious said it best.
November 15th, 2026 at 12:18 pm
WBL: The same Colts that wasted TY Hilton and kinda, sorta ran off Andrew Luck.
– – – – – – – – – – – –
and drafted Anthony Richardson with the #4 pick, just wow, wow, wow. I think that was Irsay, Ballard had to be smarter than that?! I think?!
November 15th, 2026 at 12:20 pm
“I believe McDermott would be an equally effective DC as Bowles but would be better as a HC in general.”
– – – – – – – – – – – – –
IMO, Bowles is a much better DC than McDermott. And neither should be a HC
November 15th, 2026 at 2:10 pm
With how short it’d be, you’d have to feel like he could win you a championship.
November 15th, 2026 at 2:18 pm
Arians is correct. There’s probably not a team that would hire him. 74 and he thinks the medical issues are behind him? Not a chance.
No to Arians, no to Tomlin, no to McDermott.
Bring in Kubiak, Doyle, udinski or petzig and get serious about your franchise glazers.
Preferably udinski.