Saints contradict reasoning Arians was on the field

Former head coach and current Tampa Bay Buccaneers senior consultant Bruce Arians Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

Saints contradict reasoning Bruce Arians was on the field for Sunday's melee

By Chelena Goldman | Last updated 9/21/22

Antonio Brown isn't the only one with something to say about Bruce Arians' behavior on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers sidelines last Sunday.

The Buccaneers said after Sunday's kerfuffle in New Orleans that former head coach Arians was on the sidelines with the team because the Saints didn't offer him and general manager Jason Licht seating up above the field.

But, from the look of things, that's not true. Arians and Licht were, in fact, given seats up in the press box and chose to be down on the field instead.

Mickey Loomis, Jeff Ireland, Khai Harley, Michael Parenton and the rest of the front office sit behind us in the press box at every road game we attend. This Tampa talking point is so weird.
— Nick Underhill (@nick_underhill) September 19, 2022

Arians was on the sideline because the Saints wouldn’t give him a suite. Yet he had a seat and couldve easily been in the box up there pic.twitter.com/MKSefdHEW7
— THOMAS IS BACK, SAINTS TO THE SB BITCH (@SAINTSlovenia) September 19, 2022

Arians is in hot water with the league for being a verbal agitator in a melee between Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore and Buccs wide receiver Mike Evans. Both players were ejected from the game and Evans was issued a one-game suspension. Arians was issued a warning letter from the NFL this week.

Saints head coach Dennis Allen was particularly perturbed with Arians being down on the field and standing on the striped sideline, which is an area that is typically "reserved for players, coaches, and trainers."

Saints HC Dennis Allen was asked about Bucs assistant to the GM Bruce Arians being on the sideline Sunday. Allen noted Arians was not just on the sideline, but in the white painted area.
'Typically that’s an area that’s been reserved for players and coaches, trainers,'' he said
— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) September 19, 2022

Bruce Arians made it one whole game before heading back down to the sideline pic.twitter.com/69qvODJGu1
— Tony Arnoldine (@tonyarnoldine) September 18, 2022

Arians stepped down from being Tampa Bay's head coach this offseason before taking a job as assistant to the general manager. He reportedly still appears at practices as if he is coaching.

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