nbcsports
Bruce Arians is contemplating a return to the NFL head coaching ranks, he told Jordan Schultz. The former Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach, who stepped down in March 2022, explained that his retirement was prompted by health problems that have since been resolved.
Arians detailed the physical issues that led to his departure: a torn Achilles early in the 2021 season forced him to wear prosthetic high heels, which aggravated his back and made standing on the sideline for four hours unbearable. He was also monitoring an aneurysm on his heart. "We did everything we thought we could do in Tampa after winning the Super Bowl, trying to get two, and then it was time to give it to Todd [Bowles]," Arians said. "Now that I'm all healthy again, I got the itch again. So, we'll see."
Should Arians return next season, he would become the oldest head coach in NFL history. That record currently belongs to Pete Carroll, who was 74 when he coached the Raiders last season. Arians will turn 75 next season.
Key Analysis
Arians' coaching journey has been marked by multiple retirements and returns. His first retirement announcement came from the Steelers after they did not renew his contract as offensive coordinator following the 2011 season, though Arians later said he was forced out and didn't want to retire. He then served as offensive coordinator for the Colts in 2012 and was interim head coach for most of that season while Chuck Pagano battled leukemia. His performance earned him NFL Coach of the Year honors.
After Pagano returned, Arians became head coach of the Cardinals, where he won a second Coach of the Year award. He retired following the 2017 season after five years in Arizona, but came out of retirement in 2019 to coach the Buccaneers. He won a Super Bowl in Tampa Bay before retiring again after three seasons.
Arians thought his coaching career was over, but conversations with his son, who now coaches high school football, rekindled his passion. "Another fire got lit," Arians said. "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."
However, Arians may discover, as Bill Belichick did before him, that accomplishments alone don't guarantee an NFL head-coaching job. Alternatively, he might persuade an owner to give the oldest coach ever a chance to turn a franchise around, something he has done three times before.
Originally reported by nbcsports.