Arians: OC Leftwich doesn't get enough respect for Bucs' success

Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians feels that offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich deserves more credit for the team's success.

"I get credit, and (Tom) Brady gets way too much credit for what Byron does with our offense," Arians told "The Wolf & Luke Show" on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM.

"One of the reasons I hope he gets all the credit he deserves this year is to get a coaching gig. He had about four or five teams real interested last year."

Leftwich worked under Arians as an intern in 2016 before earning a promotion to quarterbacks coach and later being named the Arizona Cardinals' interim offensive coordinator in 2018. The former Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback followed Arians to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after the latter accepted the head coaching gig.

Since 2019, the Buccaneers have finished among the top three teams in points per game each season. Before Brady arrived in 2020, Leftwich worked with Jameis Winston to create an explosive offense during the 2019 campaign. Tampa Bay ultimately won Super Bowl LV with Brady and a plethora of weapons on both sides of the line of scrimmage.

After averaging 30.1 points and 405.9 yards per game in 2021, Leftwich appeared destined to leave the Bucs this offseason after landing among the finalists for the Jaguars' head coaching vacancy. However, Doug Pederson ended up with the job, and Leftwich decided to return to Tampa Bay.

"I really thought he was going to be the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars this year," Arians said. The new Bucs executive is convinced that a head-coaching opportunity is "on the horizon" for his former pupil.

Meanwhile, Leftwich will reunite with Brady for a third consecutive season after the quarterback retired for 40 days and then decided to return for his 23rd campaign.

Arians announced in March that he was stepping down as coach to take a role in the club's front office. Leftwich will now work under former defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, who the team named Arians' replacement.

Tampa is looking to make another playoff run after losing to the Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams in the NFC divisional round.