Bruce Arians releases statement revealing reasoning behind NFL retirement

Bruce Arians shocked the NFL world by retiring from coaching on Wednesday. After the announcement, he released a statement explaining the decision.

Arians spent nearly 50 years on the sidelines, going from a Virginia Tech graduate assistant in 1975 to a Super Bowl title in 2021. People have questioned his health lately, and he even left the NFL coaches meetings this week with a stomach bug. But he made it clear that had nothing to do it.

“Before you start thinking this is about my health, don’t,” Arians said in a lengthy statement. “This is the best I have felt in many years and I’m looking forward to helping this team continue winning through my new role. I want to focus on what I can give back to this incredible game that has provided so much for me and my family.”

He also provided insight as to when he started thinking about the move and what went into the decision.

“I really began thinking about my personal transition plan earlier this offseason,” Arians said. “I wanted to ensure when I walked away that Todd Bowles would have the best opportunity to succeed. So many head coaches come into situations where they are set up for failure, and I didn’t want that for Todd.

“Tom’s decision to come back, along with Jason and his staff doing another great job of keeping the core of this team intact during free agency, confirmed for me that it was the right time to pass the torch to Todd. I began conversations with Jason and the Glazer family a few weeks ago about a possible succession plan. Their understanding and support mean the world to me.”

Bruce Arians: ‘So why now?’

Arians dove further into why now was the time to move from the sidelines to the suites, and he pointed to a few different factors — none more notable than winning that elusive Super Bowl title.

“The simple answer is that I have accomplished more than I ever dreamed I could during this incredible coaching journey,” Arians stated. “Winning Super Bowl LV at our home stadium, with my mom and family in attendance, was really the last item I wanted to check off my career bucket list. For me, this is about more than just trying to add more wins to my coaching record.

“This team is in a much better place than it was three years ago due to Jason’s great work and the Glazer family’s commitment to winning.”

You can read Bruce Arians’ full statement here.