Bruce Arians 'extremely unhappy' over Buccaneers coaching moves

Tampa Bay Buccaneers senior advisor Bruce Arians isn't pleased over coaching moves the club made after a humiliating 31-14 playoff loss to the Dallas Cowboys. 

"Not happy. Very unhappy. Extremely unhappy," Buccaneers reporter Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times said during an appearance on WDAE Radio about Arians' reaction to the decisions, per the Joe Bucs Fan website. 

Last week, the Buccaneers parted ways with offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich and five other assistants. Additionally, quarterbacks coach Clyde Christensen and two other assistants "decided to retire." 

Arians served as Tampa Bay head coach from 2019 through the 2021 season and guided the club to a win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV. He stepped down from that role last March in part so that then-defensive coordinator Todd Bowles could become the team's new coach. 

"You know, he’s disappointed" Stroud continued about Arians. "I guess that’s the biggest thing. You know, he wanted Todd to have this opportunity. He wanted to keep this staff together. He wanted these [coaching] families to be together; many of them have another year on their contracts. Many of them thought they would be here as long as Todd is the head coach, were told as much, and that’s not the case. And so he’s hurt by it. I don’t know if you’re going to see him around much next year."

Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio pointed out that Arians' contract with the Buccaneers is expiring, meaning the 70-year-old could work for a different team in any number of roles. His potential departure from Tampa Bay is significant if only because it's repeatedly been said he and Christensen are close with quarterback Tom Brady. Brady can hit free agency when the new league year opens in March, but the Buccaneers reportedly "very much" want the 45-year-old back for another season.