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Todd Bowles is set to lead the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after head coach Bruce Arians announced he was stepping down.
Arians made the surprising announcement Wednesday night (March 30), revealing he would be taking on a front office role in place of his head coaching position. A source within the NFL told ESPN's Adam Schefter that the league arranged a five-year coaching contract with Bowles earlier the same day.
Arians made clear to ESPN the move isn't a retirement announcement. "No, I'm moving to the front office," he said. "I'm still working." Arians' new job title is "Senior Football Consultant," the outlet reported, marking a nod to the former head coach's critical impact in evaluating NFL draft hopefuls.
Bowles has served as the Bucs' defensive coordinator and previously coached for the New York Jets from 2015 to 2018. The 58-year-old New Jersey native play eight years in the league before launching his coaching career.
"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."
Bowles joins Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Lovie Smith of the Houston Texans as the third currently active Black head coach in the league.
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