Bruce Arians’ Coaching Comeback Was Wild—And It Ended With a Ring
Bruce Arians had already stepped away from coaching after his stint with the Cardinals ended in 2017, citing health concerns. But in 2019, he was lured back to take over a struggling Tampa Bay Buccaneers team. In 2020, Arians made a bold move—he recruited Tom Brady, the six-time Super Bowl champion fresh off a split with the Patriots. The results were immediate: Brady threw for over 4,600 yards and 40 TDs, and the Bucs finished 11–5 before marching through the playoffs and winning Super Bowl LV—the franchise’s first championship in 18 years.
But in true Arians fashion, he didn’t stick to the script. After the 2021 season, he unexpectedly stepped down, handing the reins to Todd Bowles just months before the 2022 draft. Arians stayed with the team in a front-office advisory role. Technically, he went from head coach to Super Bowl winner to retired—all within the span of a year. His unorthodox journey makes him the only coach in modern NFL history to step aside at the peak and still get a ring.
