Sports · American Football · 2 hrs ago
Bruce Arians Says He Wants to Return to NFL Coaching
Bruce Arians says he wants to coach in the NFL again after recovering from open-heart surgery.
The 74-year-old former head coach stepped down from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2022, citing health problems.
Arians says his improved health has brought back his interest, and he is aiming for the 2027 hiring cycle.
He has not spoken with any NFL teams about a possible job.
Arians says he would consider returning to Tampa Bay if the head-coaching job were open, but would not try to push out current coach Todd Bowles.
The Buccaneers are 3-6 and still in contention for the NFC South title, while Arians’s record includes a Super Bowl win with the team in the 2020 season.
Bruce Arians says he is interested in returning to NFL coaching after open-heart surgery improved his health and energy.
The 74-year-old said he has not spoken with any NFL teams about a job.
He is targeting the 2027 hiring cycle for head-coaching opportunities, according to Pro Football Rumors, citing FOX Sports’ Greg Auman.
Arians said he would consider returning to Tampa Bay if the Buccaneers’ head-coaching job were open.
The articles differ on when Arians first retired, giving 2017 or 2018, and on the timing of his second retirement.
- Who
- Bruce Arians, the 74-year-old former NFL head coach.
- What
- He says he wants to return to coaching and is interested in a head-coaching job.
- When
- He is targeting the 2027 hiring cycle, according to Pro Football Rumors.
- Where
- In the NFL; he said he would consider the Tampa Bay Buccaneers job if it were open.
- Why
- He said he feels healthier and has more energy after open-heart surgery.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Arians tore his Achilles while coaching Tampa Bay and was also monitoring a heart aneurysm.
Arians retired from coaching and handed the Buccaneers job to Todd Bowles, though the articles differ on the timing.
Arians underwent open-heart surgery.
Arians said he began to feel the pull of returning to the sidelines.
Arians discussed his renewed interest in coaching in an interview with NFL insider Jordan Schultz.
- Age
- 74
- Super Bowl
- Tampa Bay won Super Bowl LV with Arians as head coach.
- Surgery
- Open-heart surgery earlier in 2026
- Target
- 2027 hiring cycle for head-coaching opportunities
- NFL record
- 80-48-1 regular-season record and 6-3 playoff record
2 sources
What people are saying
Now that I'm all healthy again, I got the itch again, so we'll see.
I had no desire to go back, and I was still fighting some health issues
But now, after the open-heart surgery, I’ve got so much more energy. It’s amazing.
If it were open, yes.
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News: Super Bowl-winning HC Bruce Arians tells me he wants to return to coaching. “This is the first time I had the itch again. I had no desire to go back. … After open-heart surgery, I have so much more energy.” Full interview drops soon!
Just to clarify and end any speculation, Bruce Arians says if he were to return to coaching in the NFL, it wouldn’t be until next season and only as a head coach.