Ugly Todd Bowles History … As Told By Darrelle Revis
June 20th, 2022
Former Bucs Darrelle Revis and Gerald McCoy … once upon a time in Hawaii.
It’s the time of year when Joe closes the blinds at JoeBucsFan.com world headquarters and gets deep into research mode while cradling a Big Storm beer.
Joe never knows where the day will lead. For example, a recent weekend journey landed Joe on a late-2018 interview with Darrelle Revis on WFAN radio in New York.
Why is this relevant? Because new Bucs head coach Todd Bowles was the Jets head coach for four seasons, 2015 through 2018. Revis is a Jets legend, a future Hall of Famer and a former Buccaneer, and he’s a very level-headed guy who played for Bowles in 2015 and 2016.
Also, Joe and Bucs fans are counting on Bowles having learned a ton from his rough Jets tenure and applying that successfully to running the Bucs.
Fans can soak in the YouTube interview here, complete with the annoying New York accents. Revis makes it clear that Bowles’ team was not mentally prepared for the 2015 season finale, when the Jets were 10-5 and needed a win against a nothing special Bills team they had beaten in November.
Revis said the team had a mindset that it would win the game easily. And Revis also strongly implied that Bowles wasn’t open to a lot of feedback from Jets players — if, hypothetically, Revis went to him to discuss the Jets’ attitude and the fact that Bills head coach Rex Ryan would have his players all jacked up to beat Ryan’s former club.
The Jets lost the game.
A Jets season later, a Week 3 locker room eruption between receiver Brandon Marshall and defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson “broke” the team, per Revis. Bowles said he addressed the issue immediately and it would not continue, but Revis called it a doomsday moment for the club.
The Jets under Bowles went 13-33 after that incident.
It’s all very interesting history, especially given how Bucs players often laud Bowles for his open-door policy and that Bowles talks about how much he learned during his first run as head coach.
Coaches, players and executives mature and grow like players do. Bucs general manager Jason Licht is a great example. He was not a good GM through his first four seasons and now he’s in the elite class — no matter what Peter King and his misguided comrades think.
June 20th, 2022 at 5:19 pm
If I recall in that game, Fitzmagic went Fitztragic and threw like 4 picks. I don’t know how that’s on Bowles.
Peter King creamed himself over Cuomo as basically the gold standard of Wuhan Flu response, when it was public knowledge Cuomo was forcing patients back into nursing homes, killing thousands of people. King is worse than dumb.
June 20th, 2022 at 5:27 pm
One man’s opinion anyway.
June 20th, 2022 at 5:34 pm
“had went”
–> had gone
June 20th, 2022 at 5:52 pm
Dumbernik!
June 20th, 2022 at 6:09 pm
If Bowles is head coaching material then he should kick butt with this team. He’s had the oppurtunity to learn from some great coaches, so if he has “it” the sky is the limit. Licht is indisputably the best gm in the league right now. Snead would be right up there with Licht if not for making more horrible decisions. National dudes love Brandon Beane and Brian Gutekunst, but wtf have they won? We are the Rodney Dangerfield of pro football, but that only makes it even sweeter when we win. 😛
June 20th, 2022 at 6:12 pm
Jets have always been a train wreck, he has a relationship with the team already so shouldn’t have to worry about a repeat. Besides if that is a lesson time hasn’t taught him, he’ll have issues
June 20th, 2022 at 6:27 pm
Revis did not impress me when he was a Buc.
Revis Island looked pretty easy to get on.
June 20th, 2022 at 6:38 pm
I always love any Jets and Bowles relationship as a HC. Bruce Arians and Bowles hand picked this coaching staff by a bunch of different amazing position coaches they have history with. Can you say that about me his Jets team and franchise?
June 20th, 2022 at 6:43 pm
Wait what ? Todd Is the head coach ? What about Brady ?
The goat has control of the locker room as long as he is here.
Todd Bowles may be too nice of a guy to be a head coach in this league, time will tell.
June 20th, 2022 at 6:46 pm
That NY Jets locker room went to hell in 2016, and it’s one of the reasons why you’ll never see Sheldon Richardson in a Bucs jersey. The NY Jets went from narrowly missing a playoff spot in 2015 to a death spiral the following season. Fitzpatrick regressed back to the mean, Richardson became a malignant cancer, and Revis himself deteriorated in 2016 from being very good (no longer elite) CB to a sluggish disaster. They switched him to S to no avail, he was finished as a player. The fight between Marshall and Richardson took a toll, and yes, it was probably a hangover from the 2015 season disappointment plus the rocky start to the 2016 season. Bowles probably could have done a better job handling the situation, but many problems erupted early on the Jets that season.
June 20th, 2022 at 7:07 pm
Bowles has proven team, winning culture, and strong captains. He also has a great GM and BA as a mentor. I like his chances.
June 20th, 2022 at 7:32 pm
Revis basically stole money from the Jets, his second time around. He got his superbowl in NE, and literally got fat and happy. The Jets signed a bunch of toasted vets during bowles tenure. It’s not a fair representation of his HC skills. Tell me who could’ve done much better with that group. When the GM does what he wants, with little input from the HC, thing often fall apart.
I feel like there’s a growing opinion here, that bowles isn’t up for the job. It’s funny how the same folks that think this way, also are avid BA fans. I can hear the clamoring for BA, especially if they get off to a slow start.
June 20th, 2022 at 9:12 pm
Bowles has to prove that he knows how to manage big egos and crazy personalities.
June 20th, 2022 at 9:30 pm
GOB
I don’t know how prevalent the “growing opinion” is around here. I’m a huge BA fan but if the Bucs struggle those first four games against a tough schedule I’ll be the last to call for BA.
As Expose sang back in the 80’s…”Seasons change”. I do not long for the past nor do I fear the future. Let’s see how things work out? I do not really believe we could be better prepared it’s not up to the football gods. Injuries? Bad bounce of the football…a single play…who knows.
I just say BA is gone…Bowles is here and I hope he brings it!
June 20th, 2022 at 9:39 pm
The Revis story can be summed up like this: The Jets are losers
June 20th, 2022 at 9:41 pm
smart coaches rip their players behind closed doors in private, not in the media. No Arians fan however Bowles is going to have to show me for me to believe it.
June 20th, 2022 at 11:05 pm
only bowles can change his career W-L record as head coach .. there is concern…
June 20th, 2022 at 11:33 pm
steele Says:
“Bowles has to prove that he knows how to manage big egos and crazy personalities.”
.
.
It seems that Licht has put together a team without too much of that, at least as far as I can tell from my couch.
June 21st, 2022 at 12:28 am
In what way specifically are the Bucs worse off with Bowles as HC?
If the same guy from the Jets Era shows up (I hope not) Bucs are still better off.
Why?
Because BA was the laziest coach in Bucs history and did nothing!
He didn’t coach.
He didn’t call plays.
He didn’t work on the game plan (contrary to some MSM red pen reports)
He was laughable at times in the way he managed games. Tom couldn’t believe the time out he called during the Buffalo game with 1:04 remaining.
BA was the laziest coach in Bucs history. I was stoked when we picked him up, but we never got the AZ BA. We got Lazy BA
At least Bowles will coach and call plays.
He will work on the game plan. Wow! Imagine that!
It’s hard to see him being significantly worse as an in-game coach than BA (see Buffalo timeout)
Tom canned BA so we can get to another Super Bowl. Thank you Tom!
June 21st, 2022 at 1:12 am
Revis Buccaneer tenure is summed up this:
Dumdumnik! Trade premium pick for a guy rehabbing a knee who would have been cut anyway, and pay him $16 large to play for a 4-12 disaster! Yeah.
June 21st, 2022 at 1:19 am
And look at the picture of attention whore Softy McCoy, celebrating his non-impact on a 4-12 team at the pro bowl. Fraud and double fraud,
June 21st, 2022 at 7:35 am
Welp, good thing for Bucs fans is he went through all that BS with the Jets and can take what he learned to apply it to his DC turned HC job with Tampa. Also, Jason Licht >>>> Mike Maccagnan.
June 21st, 2022 at 11:28 am
Did that first comment really just compare a head coach to a political body not knowing how to handle a new disease which ended up killing millions of people? Insane how some people view the world at all times.
June 21st, 2022 at 11:39 am
I just hope he calls better plays then that final one vs the rams
. That still makes my blood boil.
June 21st, 2022 at 12:24 pm
RPK: didn’t we win the Buffalo game and go on to have the best record in franchise history? So damn BA for a call TB didn’t agree with? I saw Toms face after that inconsequential time out, he did not agree but I doubt Tom would point to that call as why BA is or is not a good coach. Give credit where credit is due! Super Bowl champion Bruce Arians is the best coach and staff we have ever had.
June 21st, 2022 at 12:34 pm
Dayum Goatfarmer tell us how you really feel.
June 21st, 2022 at 12:46 pm
Based weeb Says:
“Did that first comment really just compare a head coach to a political body not knowing how to handle a new disease”
No he compared Peter King (a sportswriter) to Cuomo.
June 21st, 2022 at 2:37 pm
Remind me of his greatness once Brady is out the door and we’re picking in the top 10 of the draft the remainder of his coaching stent in Tampa. He might even be able to neutralize the TB12 effect. No excuses now.