Former Bucs head coach Bruce Arians is known for speaking his mind to the media. While that refreshing, blunt talk is rare in the politically correct NFL, it has been beloved by fans and journalists alike in Tampa Bay since Arians’ arrival in 2019. But it can sometimes open up a can of worms.

Not that Arians cares.

Arians is a maverick and has never really cared what anyone has thought about what he has to say through since entering the NFL as a running backs coach with the Kansas City Chiefs in 1989.

Bucs QB Tom Brady and OC Byron Leftwich – Photo by: USA Today

But this time, it’s different. The problem is that Arians isn’t coaching anymore, yet he’s still part of the Bucs organization.

While defending offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich in a recent interview with JoeBucsFan’s Ira Kaufman this week, Arians criticized the play of quarterback Tom Brady earlier this season during the team’s three-game losing streak.

“I don’t think it was fair to Byron,” Arians told Kaufman. “Nobody is going to say that Brady was playing bad, but he was playing bad. We also had growing pains on a young offensive front and we weren’t running well. There comes a time as a play-caller when you’re losing yards running the ball and you say, ‘Forget this, I’m putting the ball in Tom’s hands.'”

In three straight losses to Pittsburgh, Carolina and Baltimore the Bucs scored 18, 3 and 22 points, respectively. Tampa Bay’s offense is averaging just 18 points per game this season. That’s a drop of 12 points per game from a year ago when the Bucs were scoring 30 points per game. Injuries and personnel turnover have contributed to that decline, but poor play-calling also been a culprit.

It’s fair to say that Brady didn’t play his best football or didn’t play well during that stretch, as he threw two touchdowns and no interceptions. But for Arians to single Brady out and suggest that he played “bad” is a bit disingenuous.

Arians knows far more about coaching the quarterback position than most, so he’s entitled to his opinion because it carries weight. But it doesn’t mean that others can’t have a differing opinion.

According to Pro Football Focus, Brady had grades of 70.6 in both the Steelers (70.1 passing) and Panthers (70.2 passing) games, and did have a season-low grade of 54.7 (55.2 passing) against Baltimore. Those grades against the Steelers and Panthers are actually quite good, and could have been better if not for some key dropped passes in both games, including a wide open touchdown by Mike Evans at Carolina.

Brady is coming off his best PFF-graded game – a 79.4 effort (80.5 passing) in last week’s win against Seattle where he threw for 258 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. The 45-year old quarterback has thrown 12 touchdowns and just two interceptions this season.

This Is Bowles’ Bucs Team – Not Arians’

The problem with Arians’ comments are twofold. First, his steadfast support for Leftwich, his protégé, comes without any criticism of the Bucs’ play-caller. Leftwich’s play-calling has been problematic on multiple levels this year and that’s been obvious for everyone to see. Arians doesn’t dare criticize Leftwich because he is heavily invested in seeing him become a head coach. So, Arians can’t criticize Leftwich or suggest his play-calling has been part of the problem because it hurts those chances down the road.

Bucs OC Byron Leftwich and QB Tom Brady – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Instead, Arians blames Brady, the young offensive line and the lack of success running the ball. But not the one person ultimately in charge of overseeing the success of the offense – Leftwich. While attempting to defend Leftwich, Arians’ criticism of Brady wasn’t necessary and it just doesn’t help the team.

The Bucs are 5-5 and back on top of the NFC South at the bye week, having won the last two games to get back to .500. The last thing this team needs is a distraction in the media right now. It’s certainly the last thing Brady needs on the heels of his widely publicized divorce.

Arians should know better after dealing with all of the questions about a supposed rift between him and his quarterback this past offseason from the local and national media. Now, he’s fanning those flames again – needlessly.

The other problem is that Arians isn’t the head coach anymore. This is Todd Bowles’ Bucs team.

Arians abruptly retired on March 30 and turned the Bucs over to his hand-picked successor, Bowles, the team’s defensive coordinator. Arians retired from coaching and is a part-time personnel assistant helping general manager Jason Licht. Of course, Arians also chats with Bowles and Leftwich during practice and meetings, undoubtedly offering some advice.

But if I’m Bowles, I’m telling Arians not to talk to the media anymore during the season while he’s employed by the Buccaneers. Bowles has that right regardless of whether Arians gave him the job or not.

Arians’ mouth has already gotten the Bucs in trouble before earlier this season. He was investigated for his role in possibly instigating the brawl in New Orleans in Week 2 that saw wide receiver Mike Evans get suspended for the Green Bay game the following week. Arians was on the sidelines during that game, but has not been allowed on the sidelines since.

Bucs OC Byron Leftwich – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Imagine what Bowles must be thinking through all of this. He’s grateful to Arians, who has been a coaching mentor of his dating back to his college playing days under the 70-year old at Temple. Arians chose Bowles to be his successor – not Leftwich, who he hasn’t known for nearly as long.

But Arians obviously has split loyalties between Bowles and Leftwich, and reading between the lines during some of his press conferences, it’s clear that Bowles has not been thrilled with Leftwich’s play-calling. That might not sit with Arians, but again, it’s not his team anymore. It’s Bowles’ team, and he has the right to coach it as he sees fit and also make any changes he deems necessary.

Bowles also has the right to change out the coaching staff next year, and I would suspect there will be some changes – possibly at offensive coordinator – next year. Bowles inherited Arians’ coaching staff on March 30 and didn’t really have the time to make any changes this offseason. Any coach Bowles wanted to bring on board was probably already on another staff by late January.

Arians’ criticism of Bowles’ quarterback probably isn’t setting well with either Brady or Bowles himself. Throw into the mix the fact that Arians is best buddies with general manager Jason Licht, who, along with Bowles, would like to possibly wrangle Brady back for another season if possible, and it’s not good.

Between Arians, Bowles, Leftwich, Brady and Licht, this whole situation is beginning to reek of a reality show where contestants that are supposed to be working together are forming different alliances instead. Or just that of a dysfunctional family with certain members having certain allegiances to one another.

Regardless, Bowles is the captain of this ship and needs to take control of this situation. The Bucs have their ship (finally) going in the right direction and shouldn’t have any needless internal criticism getting them off course.