TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
COACHing staff
2020 OFFICIAL YEARBOOK 19
established the NFL single-game rookie record for passing yards (433, 11/4 vs.
Miami). Luck finished with the then-third-most passing touchdowns by a rookie
in NFL history, with 23.
Prior to his time with the Colts, Arians spent eight seasons with the Steelers,
five as offensive coordinator (2007-11) and three as the wide receivers coach
(2004-06). During his tenure as the offensive coordinator, the Steelers had a
55-25 record, tying Green Bay for the second-best mark in the NFL during that
span. Pittsburgh won three AFC North Division titles, two AFC Championships
and earned a victory in Super Bowl XLIII over the Cardinals. Arians was also
part of the Steelers’ Super Bowl XL win as the team’s wide receivers coach.
Under Arians’ guidance, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger put
together some of the best seasons in team history, establishing a thenfranchise
record with 32 touchdown passes in 2007, recording a then-team
record 4,328 passing yards in 2009 and registering a career-high and Steelersrecord
104.1 passer rating in 2007. Roethlisberger earned his first career Pro
Bowl selection in 2007 under Arians.
In 2009, the Steelers’ offense became the first team in NFL history to have
a 4,000-yard passer (Roethlisberger), two 1,000-yard receivers (Santonio
Holmes, Hines Ward) and a 1,000-yard rusher (Rashard Mendenhall) in the same
season.
Before joining the Steelers, Arians spent three seasons as the offensive
coordinator for the Cleveland Browns (2001-03). He joined Cleveland after
spending three seasons with the Colts as the team’s quarterbacks coach.
Working with offensive coordinator Tom Moore, Arians helped tutor Peyton
Manning during his first three seasons in the league and helped him earn Pro
Bowl berths in 1999 and 2000.
Arians’ first NFL job was with the Kansas City Chiefs, working as the team’s
running backs coach for four seasons (1989-92). There he helped Christian
Okoye to two Pro Bowl selections (1989, 1991). Arians also spent the 1996
season as the tight ends coach for the New Orleans Saints.
Arians’ coaching career began as a graduate assistant at his alma mater,
Virginia Tech, in 1975, before being elevated to running backs coach in 1977.
He spent 1978-80 with Mississippi State as the school’s running backs/wide
receivers coach before coaching the running backs at Alabama for two seasons
(1981-82) under legendary coach Paul “Bear” Bryant. Arians would later return
to Mississippi State (1993-95) and Alabama (1997) to serve as the offensive
coordinator for the respective schools. He became one of the youngest head
coaches in Division I history when Temple University hired him in 1983 at the age
of 30. He spent six seasons coaching the Owls (1983-88).
Born in Paterson, New Jersey, Arians grew up in York, Pennsylvania, and
played quarterback at Virginia Tech. He and his wife, Christine, have two
children – son, Jake, and daughter, Kristi Anne, as well as granddaughters,
Presley and Brylee, and grandsons, Asher and Mills.
ARIANS AT A GLANCE
YEARS POSITION
1972-74 Virginia Tech, Player
1975-76 Virginia Tech, Graduate Assistant
1977 Virginia Tech, Running Backs
1978-80 Mississippi State, Running Backs/Wide Receivers
1981-82 Alabama, Running Backs
1983-88 Temple, Head Coach
1989-92 Kansas City Chiefs, Running Backs
1993-95 Mississippi State, Offensive Coordinator
1996 New Orleans Saints, Tight Ends
1997 Alabama, Offensive Coordinator
1998-2000 Indianapolis Colts, Quarterbacks
2001-03 Cleveland Browns, Offensive Coordinator
2004-06 Pittsburgh Steelers, Wide Receivers
2007-11 Pittsburgh Steelers, Offensive Coordinator
2012 Indianapolis Colts, Offensive Coordinator/Interim Head Coach
2013-17 Arizona Cardinals, Head Coach
2019 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Head Coach