NFL warns Bucs’ Bruce Arians about sideline outbursts

TAMPA — Former Bucs head coach Bruce Arians received a “strongly written letter” from the NFL warning him about his sideline behavior.

Arians, who serves as the Bucs’ senior assistant to general manager Jason Licht, argued with officials from the sideline during Sunday’s 20-10 win over the Saints.

The letter warned Arians that any further inappropriate sideline conduct could result in “discipline against him and the club.”

Arians, Licht and other members of the Bucs front office watched the game from the team’s sideline because they said the Saints did not provide them with a sky box or suite. There were, however, numerous seats in the press box reserved for the organization that they did not use.

Arians became animated when Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore was not called for pass interference in the fourth quarter on Scotty Miller.

Quarterback Tom Brady confronted officials and it eventually erupted into a physical altercation escalated by Mike Evans’ hit on Lattimore. Both Evans and Lattimore were ejected from the game.

Evans was suspended one game by the league Monday and his appeal was denied; he will miss this weekend’s matchup with the Packers.

Bucs coach Todd Bowles said the plan is for Arians to be upstairs during games.

“He’s normally upstairs,” Bowles said. ”This is the one time he was downstairs and usually we handle our sideline pretty good and everybody got irate. We’ve got to have better composure on the sideline as players and coaches.”

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