Bucs after Dark: Byron Leftwich coach-in-waiting for Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Byron Leftwich was named the offensive coordinator under Bruce Arians, but bigger plans exist for the former quarterback with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

After retiring as the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals in 2017, many thought Bruce Arians would be done coaching at the NFL level. Like many other coaches who retire, just because you left the game does not mean you stopped loving the game. After taking being out of the league for the 2018 season Arians, now 66, realized he wanted to make a return to the sidelines, accepting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers job after rumors he’d only return if offered the job in Cleveland.

Arians quickly established a well-respected coaching staff by hiring many of his former coaches under him while in Arizona. Known as a  well-respected coach around the league, quarterback guru, and offensive genius, when Arians hired his former protégé Byron Leftwich to be his offensive coordinator in Tampa Bay, it became clear he would be the next Bucs head coach in waiting.

Arians first brought on the former NFL quarterback Leftwich in 2016 as a coaching intern for training camp and was expected to help coach up the quarterback room consisting of Carson Palmer, Drew Stanton, and Matt Barkley. After the 2016 season came to a close Leftwich, was promoted to quarterbacks coach and was no longer an intern earning his stripes; this is just the beginning for Leftwich.