Buccaneers HC Bruce Arians To Coach Against New York Jets

Wide receivers coach Kevin Garver has cleared protocols, as well.

Photo credit: John A. Babiak/@Photog_JohnB

The Buccaneers have received some excellent news to start the new year: Bruce Arians has cleared COVID-19 protocols and will be able to join the team as head coach during the Week 17 matchup with the New York Jets.

Arians tested positive on Tuesday and his availability has been in doubt ever since. That is, until Saturday, of course.

Wide receivers coach Kevin Garver, who also tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday, has cleared protocols, as well. He'll be in New York coaching Tom Brady's targets alongside Arians and Co.. Running backs coach Todd McNair is the third member of the coaching staff that tested positive during the week leading up to game day, but has yet to clear protocol, therefore, he won't be joining the team in any capacity. 

The Buccaneers announced the Arians and Garver updates on Saturday afternoon, along with other roster moves.

HC Bruce Arians and WRs coach Kevin Garver will coach Sunday against the Jets.

We've also activated two players from the reserve/COVID-19 list and elevated four from the practice squad.

— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) January 1, 2022

Assistant head coach Harold Goodwin took over for Arians throughout the week, but will return to his role as assistant head coach/run game coordinator on Sunday. Goodwin said throughout the week that there was a chance Arians could test out and join in the team in New York, but only time would tell in regard to the situation. 

"As far as to my knowledge, if those guys meet that five-day window, they are eligible to come back," Goodwin told reporters on Friday. "The only thing is I don’t think they can fly with us. They would have to fly their own and I don’t know if the team will do something towards that of if they would have to pay for it themselves. That’s probably out of my realm right now, but if they met that five-day window, they are eligible to return.”

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