Bruce Arians ‘Really Upset’ This Bucs Assistant Didn’t Get Head Coach Interview
'I think people give Tom Brady and Bruce Arians way too much credit'
Bruce Arians believes Byron Leftwich has head-coaching potential.
In fact, he’s pretty ticked off the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator hasn’t received interview requests already.
Speaking Tuesday on “The Rich Eisen Show,” Arians, the Buccaneers head coach, said he’s “really upset” Leftwich wasn’t asked to interview for any of the seven head-coaching vacancies during the NFL’s latest hiring cycle.
In Arians’ opinion, Leftwich hasn’t received enough recognition for his role as Tampa Bay’s offensive play-caller. The Bucs’ offense ranked third in the league in scoring in 2020 after signing former New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady last offseason, and Tampa Bay won its first NFC championship since 2002.
“I can’t say enough about the job (Leftwich) has done,” Arians said, via JoeBucsFan.com. “I mean, it’s just remarkable. You know, Tom is such a great, great player, but having left that system after 20 years, and ours is a lot different (in) how we do things. Byron’s been the middle guy that’s just done all the work.
“I mean, people give me way too much credit because I don’t do (expletive), really. He does it all. He calls the plays. I’m really upset he didn’t get a head-coaching interview. … Byron didn’t even get a call. I think people give Tom Brady and Bruce Arians way too much credit and not enough credit for Byron Leftwich.”
Leftwich, who played against Brady multiple times during his 10-year run as an NFL quarterback, is in his second season as a full-time offensive coordinator. The 41-year-old previously served as the Arizona Cardinals’ quarterbacks coach in 2017 and 2018, which included a stint as Arizona’s interim OC.
The Bucs are preparing to face the Kansas City Chiefs next Sunday in Super Bowl LV
