Former Super Bowl-winning coach and Virginia Tech quarterback Bruce Arians is serving as a consultant for the Hokies as they embark on their coaching search, CBS Sports’ Brandon Marcello confirms. Virginia Tech fired Brent Pry on Sept. 14 amid an 0-3 start to his fourth season with the Hokies.
Arians, who currently serves as a senior football consultant with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, played quarterback at Virginia Tech from 1971-74 and got his coaching career started as a graduate assistant with the Hokies from 1975-77. Arians earned his first NFL opportunity as the running backs coach for the Kansas City Chiefs from 1989-92, and after various stints as an offensive coordinator, became coach of the Arizona Cardinals from 2013-17, where he still holds the franchise record for most wins (50). His best year with the Cardinals came in 2015 when he led them to an appearance in the NFC Championship Game.
Arians announced his retirement from coaching following the 2017 season but returned in 2019 to lead the Buccaneers. The Buccaneers went 7-9 in Arians’ first year but signed legendary quarterback Tom Brady in 2020. Brady and Arians immediately led Tampa Bay to an 11-5 record and a win against the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 55.
Arians led his Buccaneers to a 13-4 record and an NFC South title in 2021 but announced his retirement in March 2022 after Tampa Bay was eliminated in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs.
Arians isn’t the first notable NFL figure to aid his alma mater in a coaching search. Former Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck currently serves as Stanford’s general manager, and he had a direct hand in firing former coach Troy Taylor and hiring Frank Reich as his temporary replacement.
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