Temple University Athletics
Photo by: Kim Klement - USA Today
Can't Spell Bowles Without OWL
4.2.22 | Football
PHILADELPHIA – It was a move played out nearly 1,000 miles away but had its roots planted firmly in North Philadelphia.
This past Wednesday, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced that Bruce Arians will be stepping down as head coach and will be replaced by defensive coordinator Todd Bowles. Both men have been linked together for over 40 years since Arians served as Bowles' head coach while at Temple from 1982-85.
Bowles was enshrined into the Temple Athletics Hall of Fame in 2001.
"I am appreciative of the family and Jason Licht for having faith in me to take on this role, and to Coach Arians for his support and guidance over the past four decades," Bowles said in a statement. "Tampa has become home for my family, and we are excited to remain part of this community for years to come. As an organization, we have all the pieces in place to continue the winning standard that has been established here in recent years. I am eager to get started with our players, coaching staff, and front office in preparation for the 2022 season."
This is the second head coaching job for Bowles who was the New York Jets' head coach from 2015-18 compiling a 24-40 record. He also served as interim head coach of Miami in 2011 and posted a 2-1 ledger.
Bowles and Arians worked together as head coach and defensive coordinator, respectively, at Arizona from 2013-14 and with Tampa Bay from 2019-21. The Buccaneers won the Super Bowl following the 2020 season.
Bowles also won a Super Bowl as a player in 1987 with Washington. He followed his time at Temple with an eight-year career in the NFL playing for the Redskins (1986-90, 92-93) and San Francisco 49ers (1991).
After retiring as a player, Bowles was a member of the Green Bay Packers' player personnel staff in 1995 and 1996. He was the defensive coordinator and secondary coach at Morehouse College in 1997, and the defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach at Grambling State from 1998-99. He was the defensive backs coach for the New York Jets in 2000, Cleveland Browns in 2001-04, Dallas Cowboys from 2005–2007, Miami Dolphins from 2008-11, and Philadelphia Eagles in 2012.
As for Arians' timing, he released the following statement. "I have spent most of the last 50 years of my life on the sidelines as a football coach in one form or another. Today, I have made the decision to move from the sidelines into another role with the Buccaneers front office, assisting [general manager] Jason Licht and his staff. I love football. I love the relationships, the strategy, the competition -- everything. It has been one hell of a ride, but I know this is the right time for me to make this transition."
"I wanted to ensure when I walked away that Todd Bowles would have the best opportunity to succeed," he said to ESPN. "So many head coaches come into situations where they are set up for failure, and I didn't want that for Todd.
"Tom [Brady]'s decision to come back, along with Jason and his staff doing another great job of keeping the core of this team intact during free agency, confirmed for me that it was the right time to pass the torch to Todd."
This past Wednesday, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced that Bruce Arians will be stepping down as head coach and will be replaced by defensive coordinator Todd Bowles. Both men have been linked together for over 40 years since Arians served as Bowles' head coach while at Temple from 1982-85.
Bowles was enshrined into the Temple Athletics Hall of Fame in 2001.
"I am appreciative of the family and Jason Licht for having faith in me to take on this role, and to Coach Arians for his support and guidance over the past four decades," Bowles said in a statement. "Tampa has become home for my family, and we are excited to remain part of this community for years to come. As an organization, we have all the pieces in place to continue the winning standard that has been established here in recent years. I am eager to get started with our players, coaching staff, and front office in preparation for the 2022 season."
This is the second head coaching job for Bowles who was the New York Jets' head coach from 2015-18 compiling a 24-40 record. He also served as interim head coach of Miami in 2011 and posted a 2-1 ledger.
Bowles and Arians worked together as head coach and defensive coordinator, respectively, at Arizona from 2013-14 and with Tampa Bay from 2019-21. The Buccaneers won the Super Bowl following the 2020 season.
Bowles also won a Super Bowl as a player in 1987 with Washington. He followed his time at Temple with an eight-year career in the NFL playing for the Redskins (1986-90, 92-93) and San Francisco 49ers (1991).
After retiring as a player, Bowles was a member of the Green Bay Packers' player personnel staff in 1995 and 1996. He was the defensive coordinator and secondary coach at Morehouse College in 1997, and the defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach at Grambling State from 1998-99. He was the defensive backs coach for the New York Jets in 2000, Cleveland Browns in 2001-04, Dallas Cowboys from 2005–2007, Miami Dolphins from 2008-11, and Philadelphia Eagles in 2012.
As for Arians' timing, he released the following statement. "I have spent most of the last 50 years of my life on the sidelines as a football coach in one form or another. Today, I have made the decision to move from the sidelines into another role with the Buccaneers front office, assisting [general manager] Jason Licht and his staff. I love football. I love the relationships, the strategy, the competition -- everything. It has been one hell of a ride, but I know this is the right time for me to make this transition."
"I wanted to ensure when I walked away that Todd Bowles would have the best opportunity to succeed," he said to ESPN. "So many head coaches come into situations where they are set up for failure, and I didn't want that for Todd.
"Tom [Brady]'s decision to come back, along with Jason and his staff doing another great job of keeping the core of this team intact during free agency, confirmed for me that it was the right time to pass the torch to Todd."
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