It reads like the perfect goodbye to the sidelines.
Bruce Arians is stepping away for a front-office job with the Buccaneers to pave the way for his hand-picked successor, defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, to take over as head coach. What actually happened may never be known, though many suspect Tom Brady’s fingerprints were all over this decision.
In fairness, even Arians admitted that Brady’s return played a role in his decision to step away.
“Tom was kind of the key. When Tom decided to come back … and all of these guys back now, it’s the perfect timing for me just to go into the front office and still have the relationships that I love,” Arians told Pro Football Talk and the LA Times.
It sure sounds like the sweetest power struggle in NFL history.
In the 40 days of Brady’s retirement, multiple stories leaked out regarding the tension between the quarterback and his coach of two years. Arians offered multiple denials, calling it all “bulls—t” at one point.
Still, at the NFL Combine, Arians made it clear that if Brady decided to unretire — something the quarterback had been hinting at since the day after he retired — that the Bucs would not be willing to trade him to another franchise.
“Nope. Bad business,” Arians said, adding it would take “five No. 1’s, maybe” to pry Brady out of Tampa Bay.
There was some belief that Brady wanted back, just not with the Buccaneers. Pro Football Talk had theorized for weeks that Brady was privately pushing for a return to his hometown 49ers.
Then Brady unretired on Selection Sunday. The Tampa Bay Times reported Brady was informed of Arians’ decision “either the same day or a day after the QB announced he was ending his retirement.”
Brady happened to meet with the Glazer family, which owns the Bucs, the day before his announcement while taking in a Manchester United game.
What a coincidence.
Arians left the NFL league meetings a day early this week, canceling previously scheduled media sessions. The 69-year-old maintains that the decision is not health-related. He battled prostate cancer in the past and has dealt with COVID, a torn Achilles and back pain.
An hour after Arians’ decision was reported, Brady had the perfect Instagram sendoff for him. Words such as “legend,” “pioneer,” and “loyal” were all involved.
It is a legend he will no longer be working alongside.