Here’s what Tampa Bay’s Bruce Arians remembers about his Kansas City coaching stint
Tampa Bay coach Bruce Arians’ favorite memory from his Kansas City days wasn’t just on the football field. It instead had to do with his son, Jake, being a ball boy for the Chiefs. Jake had to clean laundry and other tasks up in River Falls, Wisconsin, where the Chiefs spent training camp from 1991 to 2009.
Arians started his NFL coaching career with the Chiefs, making the jump from Temple to the pros. He was running backs coach from 1989-1992 under former Chiefs coach Marty Schottenheimer.
That started Arians’ journey from KC to Tampa Bay, where he’s game planning against Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid and current Chiefs stars for Super Bowl LV. And it all started in KC for Arians.
“I grew up a Baltimore Colt fan, so when I put that blue horseshoe on for Jim Irsay, that was like the ultimate (moment),” Arians said. “But wearing that Arrowhead for Kansas City was right next to it. Great place to live. Just the organization. (Former Chiefs general manager) Carl Peterson was fantastic. I still look forward to seeing Carl every time I see him.”
Arians said he still “has love” for the Chiefs. He added he remembers the great coaching staff he joined, guys like Tony Dungy, Bill Cowher, Tom Pratt, Howard Mudd, Joe Pendry and others.
“First-class organization,” Arians said. “Lamar Hunt might be the greatest man that I’ve ever worked for. The (Tampa Bay owners) Glazers were fantastic, but Lamar was very, very special. And being a part of that organization.”