Bucs head coach Bruce Arians cleared COVID protocols to return to the sidelines against the Jets but that’s not the only ailment he is dealing with. According to Fox’s Jay Glazer, Arians has been coaching with a ruptured Achilles’ tendon.

Glazer reports Arians has been dealing with the injury for a while now but hoped to keep it under wraps. As of now Arians has a partial rupture of his Achilles that doesn’t require immediate surgery. That would change if it fully ruptures, which could potentially knock Arians out for playoff games.

Glazer says that Arians told him he’s about 50 percent right now after aggravating it last week. Arians has reportedly been trying to hide the injury from the team but will get surgery if it will require it. Glazer asked if surgery is necessary what it means for him coaching the rest of the season.

“Look you know me,” Arians told Glazer. “I’m going to do whatever I can to coach the rest of the season, but if i need immediate surgery, I dont know whats going to happen the rest of this year.”

The first time we heard of Arians injury was after the Bucs victory over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 13. Arians could be seen limping around the field and gave an update to his health the following day.

“Not very good,” Arians said. “I inflamed my Achilles – too much running, trying to get back in shape. It’s not feeling too good.”

However, the injury may have initially occurred much earlier in the season. Arians took a shot on the sidelines in Tampa Bay’s Week 3 loss against the Rams when a player was tackled into him.

Bucs assistant head coach / run game coordinator Harold Goodwin would likely step in as interim head coach should Arians require surgery.