“That’s the way the great ones think” - NFL analyst doesn’t take issue with forcing Bruce Arians out of Tampa
It's only been a few days since Bruce Arians stepped down as head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to take a job as a Senior Football Consultant with the front office.
Many have speculated that Tom Brady was responsible for driving out Arians in exchange for his return to the team. According to ESPN sports host Mike Greenberg, this type of behavior is expected from the greatest players in a sport.
Here's what he had to say on the ESPN show Get Up earlier on Monday:
"I guess what I'm saying is, would you criticize him for that? Magic Johnson, who just cried in my studio an hour ago and is perhaps the most beloved human being in American sports, got a coach fired in L.A. at the very beginning of his career. He got Paul Westhead fired. Tom Brady knows better than anyone what they need to win a championship and if he says, 'We need a better coach,' I don't think you criticize that."
Greenberg concluded his statement by speaking about great players going the extra mile to secure winning situations:
"I'm just a little thrown. I don't mind the criticism if indeed that's criticism of me or of us. I'm a big boy. I can take it. But I don't think that's a reasonable thing to criticize. I think that's the way the great ones think. I'm going to come back and I'm not going to play for that guy. That's the way I see that part of it. We'll see where it winds up going from here."
The speculation arose from fans due to the timing of Tom Brady's return to the Buccaneers, which was followed by Arians stepping down just weeks later.
When Tom Brady returns and then a month later Bruce Arians retires. https://t.co/cZQ3aZij8g
According to reports, Arians felt comfortable leaving the team to the new head coach, Todd Bowles, who has been the team's defensive coordinator since he arrived in 2019.
Bruce Arians really made a fascinating decision: Tom Brady comes back to the #Bucs, and he knows they’ll be good. Rather than have Todd Bowles take over a bad team or one in transition, he chooses now to pass it off. Arians made sure Bowles will coach a good team.
The sidelines in Tampa will look (and sound) much different as Bowles is much more stoic and reserved than the outspoken Bruce Arians.
Will the Tampa Bay Buccaneers return to the Super Bowl with Bruce Arians no longer on the sidelines?
Although Bruce Arians will now be a part of the front office, he is only a hand signal away if Todd Bowles or anyone else needs any advice on getting acclimated to life as the head coach of Tom Brady and the Buccaneers.
Bowles has prior experience as he was formerly the head coach of the New York Jets from 2015 to 2018 and served as interim head coach of the Miami Dolphins in 2011. His demeanor may be a welcome addition as there have been prior reports of possible friction between Brady and Arians.
However, both have shot down these rumors, with the (now) former head coach saying the following:
“We have a great relationship. I mean, all of the players — there are a few of them here — every one of them’s gotten cussed out, including him (Brady). So that’s just part of me, you know? That’s nothing new, but we have a great relationship."
Stay tuned to see how the team reacts to Todd Bowles being the new head coach next season.
With Tom Brady at the helm and most of their key players returning, it should not come as a surprise if the team again makes a run at the Super Bowl next season.