Michael Lombardi: Todd Bowles “Should Be A Head Coach”
January 19th, 2022
Receives strong endorsement.
Joe has learned through the years that folks outside of journalism have agendas. That’s just the way the world spins.
Journalists, in theory, are not trained to have and should not have agendas. But don’t get Joe started about the sorry shape “journalism” is in as we near the quarter pole of the 21st Century.
Michael Lombardi, the former NFL suit and coffee fetcher for Bill Walsh, Al Davis and Bill Belicheat, is a fantastic listen on his various media spots and his podcast “GM Shuffle.” Lombardi likes to talk about inherent biases. Joe is confident Lombardi has them as well.
Of course, in Lombardi’s eyes. one such bias is that anyone who worked with Bill Parcells and Belicheat is superior.
Lombardi, to his credit, is outspoken on many coaches. One of his favorite foils is Packers coach Matt LaFleur. Lombardi constantly rags on LaFleur using a nickname that Joe cannot type on a family website such as this. Lombardi thinks LaFleur is a terrible coach, but who has won more games than LaFleur the past couple of years?
So either Lombardi is totally missing the boat here on LaFleur or Lombardi has a personal ax to grind.
Lombardi hasn’t spoken much about Bucs Super Bowl-winning Bucco Bruce Arians. The few times he has, Joe gets the sense that Lombardi thinks of Arians as the cool uncle you want to sit in the bar with who just happens to be an NFL head coach.
When it comes to Arians’ defensive coordinator, Todd Bowles, Lombardi is a huge fan. Of course, Bowles once worked with Parcells. Do the math.
This week, Lombardi took to his podcast and beat the drum that Bowles should be a head coach somewhere, provided he selects the right organization. Lombardi has spoken highly of Bowles but this time Lombardi really leaned on his sales pitch.
“As the games become harder, the better chess players show up,” Lombardi said. “[Buffalo offensive coordinator Brian] Daboll, really good. [Todd] Bowles, really good. Bowles should be a head coach. He had one of the worst front offices at the New York Jets, ever.
“I mean he holds players accountable. He’s not afraid of confrontation. He has a lot of Parcells in him. If he gets with the right organization, I think he will be a superstar coach. I think he will be like Mike Tomlin. I really do. Because I think he can coach the defense. Players like him.
“Look, he shut down the Eagles and they put their tail between their legs.”
Joe has always had a hunch the past two years — no one has told Joe this, just reading the tea leaves. Joe always had an idea that Bowles is the coach-in-waiting, that Team Glazer has a handshake deal with him to take over whenever Arians decides to play golf in Georgia full-time.
The way Bowles explained last offseason how much he enjoys coaching and living in Tampa only fuels Joe’s speculation.
Joe does know that NFL people sometimes go to great lengths to reach their short-term goals. Like players, they are always looking for an edge. Joe would not be surprised if Bowles, unless some team fully knocks his sock off, plans to stay with the Bucs.
Joe saw last year how happy Bucs defenders were when they learned Bowles got a contract extension and he was staying. Joe would not be shocked one bit if Bowles uses upcoming head coaching interviews as a motivational device for his players. You know, “See, Coach is staying because he thinks so much of us. Now we can’t let him down.”
Anything for an edge in a playoff game.
And Joe is all for that.
January 19th, 2022 at 3:08 pm
I agree, Joe… Bowles should definitely be the next head coach in Tampa. I’ve been on the fence between it being Bowles or Leftwich but I’m all in on Bowles now. It’d be much easier keeping this defense intact which would keep us competitive post Brady. It would be terrible to lose both Todd/BL. That can’t happen.
January 19th, 2022 at 3:16 pm
With 8 coaching vacancies, there are NOT 8 candidates better than Bowles.
It’s really up to him. He should take the Bears job.
January 19th, 2022 at 3:23 pm
With al due respect Joe– I have no respect at all for Lombardi…..In another life I bet he´s been a Parrot….
January 19th, 2022 at 3:32 pm
I was watching BRADY play deep into that game last weekend and I had a thought… it was almost as if he were savoring the moment. As much as Bowles may be the next HC, I get the feeling Brady is on his last season, it was jus lt weird he kept playing and playing. Hope I’m wrong. If I’m right, Bowles may be HC next season depending on whether Arians wants to wait and see who Licht and the Glazers can lure to the Bay.
January 19th, 2022 at 3:43 pm
Absolute hate that they do interviews during the playoffs. Seems intentional
January 19th, 2022 at 3:56 pm
I actually would love it after this year BA retires and Bowles becomes next HC of the Bucs……………………But……………..BA said he’s coming back for a third year.
Soooooooooo……….oh well???????
January 19th, 2022 at 4:07 pm
‘Joe always had an idea that Bowles is the coach-in-waiting, that Team Glazer has a handshake deal with him to take over whenever Arians decides to play golf in Georgia full-time.’
I’ve had exactly the same feeling since the day he was hired Joe. Bucs’ heritage is DEFENSE, and Todd Bowles has made huge strides in taking us back to those glory years where our defense always ranked in the Top-10 in the league.
If the Bucs let him get away they’re dumber than dirt.
January 19th, 2022 at 4:34 pm
Nothing against Coach Bowles, but Lombardi is the definition of a hack.
Win a 2nd SB by playing incredible defense. That’s the only interview/resume he needs. He’ll be able to write his own ticket anywhere.
January 19th, 2022 at 4:45 pm
Off subject but BA said today they are still looking for players. Cincinnati just released Michael Jordan. A young previously starting guard.
January 19th, 2022 at 4:46 pm
Ummm..cab we wait a couple weeks. Good Grief. Great Scott we gotta beat the Lambs first.
January 19th, 2022 at 4:50 pm
Seems like everything is just past Sunday. Hello…we got a game this week people.
January 19th, 2022 at 5:37 pm
I would like Bowles to be the next head coach of the Bucs.
January 19th, 2022 at 6:45 pm
I hope we are lining up interviews…
Rich Bisaccia for ST.
Brian Flores for DC. ( just in case)
January 19th, 2022 at 7:28 pm
Todd can coach, just needs to have players.
January 19th, 2022 at 7:31 pm
Nothing against Todd Bowles, but if teams had any sense, they would be in line to hire Raheem Morris.
Raheem did so much with so little here in Tampa, who can forget him ?
Same with Flores, who was let go all because he told Tua to his face that he was a POS for playing Golf, instead of studying Football.
I will be surprised if either of our coordinators get head coaching jobs this year.
January 19th, 2022 at 10:53 pm
Staley da Bear should be the next Bears’ coach.
January 20th, 2022 at 1:58 am
Sometimes it seems our defense falls off, with the pass rush being inconsistent at times and the dumb blitzes where a guy is 7 yards off the line of scrimmage, but between this year and the last, they do seem to show up at the right time.
It’s certainly true the Jets front office was terrible. In every other sport its understood that roster building is essential. But in football we always blame the coaches or the quarterback.
I was on this site lamenting our offensive line for years as it didn’t provide a run game or protect the quarterback. Heck, Bruce Arians pretty much admitted he couldn’t run to the right side because of Demar Dotson. Licht pays for a great center, finds Alex Cappa, and drafts an absolute stud in Wirfs, and now we have one of the best lines in football. We run the ball well, we pass protect well, and the offense hums along.
It’s a team sport people. I’d be curious to see what Bowles could do with a quality roster. Hopefully he stays