Tom Brady might have dedicated his life to football during his illustrious career, but even he has now come to realize that there is more to life than the game and winning. His former coach, Bruce Arians, understood this balance even earlier. Arians shared valuable words of wisdom with young coaches, cautioning them against the temptation to make football their entire lives and the practice of sleeping in the office to achieve that goal.
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Coach Dan Casey recently took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share an old quote from the former Buccaneers coach, where he questioned why young coaches insist on sleeping in their offices.
For Arians, football isn’t that demanding; it’s a profession that will always be there. However, he emphasizes that each individual’s children will grow up quickly. Therefore, he advises them not to miss any important moments and events, from dance recitals to Little League games.
“When I hear about guys sleeping in their office I wonder what the hell are they doing there. Cause the game ain’t that hard. The work will always be there, your kids won’t. I tell my coaches if you miss dance recitals or the little league game, I’ll fire you.”
“When I hear about guys sleeping in their office I wonder what they hell they’re doing there. Cause the game ain’t that hard.
The work will always be there, your kids won’t.
I tell my coaches, if you miss a recital or little league game… I’ll fire you.”
– Bruce Arians pic.twitter.com/qJewgKg4r5
— Coach Dan Casey (@CoachDanCasey) July 4, 2024
Such is the philosophy of Arians: wearing his trademark Kangol hat and carrying his laid-back persona, he is known to demand accountability from his players, including Brady. His coaching philosophy revolves around his favorite quote — “No risk it, no biscuit. You can’t live scared.” Arians is known for his aggressive play-calling and willingness to take risks; conservative coaching is not his style.
Arians retired from coaching after the Bucs’ 2021 Super Bowl victory after nearly 45 years, citing health reasons, although he still serves as a Senior Football consultant for Tampa Bay.
Despite a wealth of experience as an assistant coach and coordinator, he didn’t land his first NFL head coaching job until 2013, when he was appointed the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals. He has led both the teams he has coached to the playoffs, demonstrating his impactful leadership and innovative approach to the game.
However, his former team hasn’t been performing well in recent years, failing to advance past the Wild Card round even once since Arians moved to Tampa Bay. Yet, the former head coach remains hopeful that the team can still turn it around.
Bruce Arians Feels the Old Club Cardinals Can Make the Playoffs
Arians wholeheartedly believes that Arizona can make the playoffs this year, considering the fact that a lot can change within a year. The Cardinals have added some new talents to their roster, and that mix of old and young can help in locker room transformation.
“I don’t think there’s any doubt. A lot of things can change in one season.”
He also has complete faith in Jonathan Gannon’s coaching abilities due to his proven track record. However, everything rests on the health and performance of Kyler Murray, who has yet to prove to everyone he is capable of leading the team.
Despite all the talent in the world, he is inconsistent and uses his legs way more than he should. While Bruce is optimistic about the Cardinals and Gannon’s second-year success, the bookmakers don’t believe they can.
Despite the presence of wideout Marvin Harrison Jr. and versatile tight end Trey McBride as offensive weapons and offensive linemen Christian Jones and Isiah Adams as new pass protectors, there are still doubts about the Cardinals defensive line, the cornerbacks, and the linebackers. Even Murray raises more questions. But, as Arian says, anything can happen over the course of a season.
