Todd Bowles’ Seat Temperature
February 20th, 2023
Bucs coach Todd Bowles.
Joe has no earthly idea what to make of Todd Bowles’ job security.
The Bucs underperformed last year. Raise a hand if you bet a month’s mortgage on the Bucs having a losing season and e-mail Joe a photo of your winning ticket.
Thinking Tom Brady would have a losing season with the Bucs’ talent was unthinkable. Yet, the unthinkable happened.
Could you ding the head coach for that? Absolutely. Bowles didn’t want to run Bruce Arians’ offense that lit up the NFL for three straight seasons. Major mistake there.
Should Bowles have canned failed offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich midseason? He absolutely should have. Possible mistake No. 2.
And Bowles probably cost the Bucs a win over Cleveland by taking the ball out of Tom Brady’s hands — who the hell does that?! — in an overtime loss that likely proved much more costly because in that overtime the Bucs lost Tristan Wirfs and Antoine Winfield to sprained ankles.
Joe doesn’t think Winfield ever recovered. Mistake No. 3.
Yes, despite a losing record, the Bucs did win the NFC South and did have a home playoff game. This is a major factor for those who monitor revenue at One Buc Palace. So does Bowles get a mulligan for his bad first season due to a division win and home playoff game? It’s hard to say.
Former NFL suit Jeff Diamond, a shot-caller at Minnesota and Tennessee, thinks Bowles enters the 2023 season sitting on a seat with a rising temperature, as Diamond listed coaches on the hot seat at The33rdTeam.com.
Bowles enters the second year of a five-year deal, so one would think he’s got some leeway in case of a further downfall with a new quarterback to break in post-Tom Brady. The good news for Bowles is he lives in the suspect NFC South that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers won last season, albeit with a losing record at 8-9. He also has a new offensive coordinator in former Seattle Seahawks QB coach Dave Canales, who is among six new coaches on the staff.
The Bucs have the NFL’s worst salary-cap situation — $56 million over the projected cap — so it will be a huge challenge to sign a quality free-agent QB. Perhaps they will draft Brady’s successor at No. 19 overall and use Blaine Gabbert or Kyle Trask as a bridge starter. Bowles also needs improvement from a shaky offensive line that produced the league’s worst running attack in 2022. He’ll likely need his No. 9-ranked defense to carry the team in order to earn a third year in Tampa Bay.
If the Bucs draft a quarterback, say Hendon Hooker in the second round, Joe thought that could buy Bowles at least two more seasons. Then Joe remembered how Team Glazer rightfully launched lousy Lovie Smith after the rookie season of Mr. Entertainment, America’s Quarterback, Jameis Winston.
Joe will remind readers the only Bucs coach to survive consecutive losing seasons since Team Glazer bought the team last century was Chucky. And Chucky also won the team a Super Bowl. In other words, he had street cred.
Was a playoff appearance despite a losing record enough to earn Bowles a mulligan? Or, as Ira Kaufman says, last season was the mulligan?
February 20th, 2023 at 6:51 am
They must be selling the Bucs to a new owner.
February 20th, 2023 at 6:51 am
The thought of Bowles being around another two years is depressing in itself.
February 20th, 2023 at 6:52 am
Let’s all be real frank here- Todd Bowles is still here because after the Lovie Smith fall out in Houston and everyone targeting the reason he was only given a year is because of race was a rabbit hole that the Glazers did not want to go down- so the sacrificial lamb was BL. The difference here is Lovie inherited a team that was already bad- Bowles has a track record of sucking as a head coach and look what the Bucs have done since his takeover as HC- completely went from SB champs to one play away from probably going back to the SB to barely making the playoffs by default as the division champ where they won in the last two weeks of the season with an offense that ranked and couldn’t score and a defence that underachieved and was gashed at times when they needed stops- primarily because we can’t apply pressure with just the front four and have to blitz in order to do so- I’ll tell you where bowls seat is- it’s o E of those toilet seats where the plastic screws are loose and the seat keeps moving- he’s got one more year and then if the Glazers don’t cut sling load with him- they are idiots-
February 20th, 2023 at 6:54 am
Last season can’t be a mulligan. Bowels lack of courage, not trusting Brady, poor clock management, failure to adjust, failure to do anything to save the offense from leftwich are all on him. I don’t care what coaching staff he inherited, he could have made changes to try to save the season. He did nothing. Fire Bowels! Signed, One Of The Crazies.
February 20th, 2023 at 6:56 am
HC Grover I sure hope so!
February 20th, 2023 at 7:04 am
Yes, despite a losing record, the Bucs did win the NFC South and did have a home playoff game. This is a major factor for those who monitor revenue at One Buc Palace.
____________
Like how much cabbage are we talking Joe?
February 20th, 2023 at 7:27 am
If you can’t win with last years roster WTF do the Glazers think is going to happen this year.
February 20th, 2023 at 7:29 am
It’s hard to have faith.
Leftwich was a great OC under Arians but now terrible under Bowles? Just doesn’t add up. There was an obvious philosophical shift and I wonder how much Leftwich was just trying to do whatever that was vs actually changing his own ways
February 20th, 2023 at 7:31 am
Can we see how the season goes before we start firing people already? No Brady, no money, no way Bowles can win next year. It’s not all his fault either. Licht is the guy who drafts the players. I think Bowles will get to 2024.
February 20th, 2023 at 7:31 am
Trade for Purdy! Mr irrelevant. Good QBs can be found that are not the #1 pick.
February 20th, 2023 at 7:42 am
I think hooker goes first round possibly before 19. Some have him as qb2. No telling how the draft shakes out. Wouldn’t mind drafting him tho even in the first.
February 20th, 2023 at 7:44 am
Only two ways Bowles survives…
!. Trask turns out surprising good and wins the division.
2. He actually recommends a tear down to Licht and the Glazers and orchestrates it in 2023…..(actually, this is what is needed)
February 20th, 2023 at 7:46 am
Is race a factor as Mike WD says? Well, you hope not. Racism for the “right” reason is just as wrong as racism for the wrong reasons.
The Glazers history shows race has never been a concern of theirs. They hired Dungy when he was the Eric Bienemy of the day. They hired Lovie. They hired Raheem. There was a colorable basis for all of them that had zero to do with race.
But if anyone thinks these owners, collectively, are not aware of the woke media and the cancel culture, that person is dishonest or naive.
Hopefully, Bowles rips off a 12-5 record this year. He was handed the reins last year to have one good year before the purge and, to quote Deniro to Stallone in Cop Land, “you blew it!!!!”
If they look disinterested and lethargic in multiple games, it better be bye be or the seats will be cold. And the hot dogs will burn on the grill.
February 20th, 2023 at 7:53 am
We don’t need a quarterback this year because Bowles is a bad head coach and it will effect the whole team might as well throw Trask to the wolves.
February 20th, 2023 at 7:55 am
Agree with Ira on the mulligan. Agree with Joe on fixing the O-line, no excuse with two good running backs on the roster
February 20th, 2023 at 8:10 am
Drew Lock will be the starter and win 11 games.
February 20th, 2023 at 8:25 am
I have been rough on Jason Licht but when I see some of these other GMs hes not as bad as some. At green bay they sign karen rodgers to a huge contract and now they are ready to move to jordan love, at las vegas they sign derek carr to a huge contract then release him I think they should give GMs drug screening also.
February 20th, 2023 at 8:29 am
Look, BUCS….just fire Bowles now, and save us all some time and ire and wasted pixels. Because WE ALL KNOW he’ll be fired within 2 years in any case!!!
February 20th, 2023 at 8:34 am
If we dont win the division and we have a losing record Bowles is a goner period. The team still has a lot of talent and Glazers & Licht know it. We might not have a super bowl team but we should be making playoffs easy with this bad of a division.
February 20th, 2023 at 8:41 am
Bowles should be on the hot seat behind last season. However, I am not gonna just bash, call him unfit to be HC until the 023 season is over. He was a lot better than N Hackett How do get a HC job and have to hire someone to do your job? Remember Matt Rhule this great offensive mind who got the best out of his players. Be careful what you wish for. With the talent the Bucs should have after salary cap cuts and other players loss the Bucs should at least win 10 games
February 20th, 2023 at 8:47 am
If it weren’t for Bruce Arians he would, should, have never been hired as HC and should have been fired after the bye week.
Call a plumber!
February 20th, 2023 at 9:08 am
They have to play better than they did last year. If not then he’s gone.
February 20th, 2023 at 9:16 am
Rising temperature? If his backside isnt halfway on fire right now then the Glazers are as incompetent of owners as I believe they are. Last season was inexcusable though some seem to love making excuses for this bum.
February 20th, 2023 at 9:19 am
I’m already accepting we’re going to be 3-14 next season.
February 20th, 2023 at 9:21 am
We are back to being the Succaneers!
It’s really who we are in the end.
February 20th, 2023 at 9:22 am
I agree with aceofaerospace! Another losing season and he should be gone for sure, unless the team is shooting for a top 3 draft pick.
February 20th, 2023 at 9:25 am
Took the ball out of Brady’s hands in Cleveland and shoved it down his throat in the Wildcard game. Results…
Bowles is not a good HC. Him and Lefty (and Brady) could not for the life of them scheme together a winning season. While Id like to see us win this season, my vote of no confidence in Bowles remains. I agree with Ira- last chance. I wonder what the Glazers will measure his success by? W-L? One more win than last year? Rankings? An offense that is top 10? Top 10 defense? A running game? I’d be interested to know what is good enough for the glazers to turn down the thermostat on the chair in the HC office.
February 20th, 2023 at 9:29 am
Todd Bowles couldn’t lead a very talented team with Tom Brady at QB to a winning record and the team had losses against very bad teams like Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Carolina, and Atlanta. What makes anyone think he’ll do better in 2023.
That being said the team has lost out on hiring a quality head coach. The 2023 season will be a lost season with the purpose of making things right for 2024. Todd Bowles is a fine coach for that kind of season. I’m sure he’s a good person but the game is coached in a different way than he is willing to do. Punting late in the 4th quarter in Cleveland should tell you all you need to know about Bowles and he will not change. Bucs don’t need to go 4th and Staley but they have to be coached more aggressively. It’s about scoring points. Bucs should have, at minimum, won 12 games last season.
February 20th, 2023 at 9:31 am
Nancy Kerrigan
Why !
Why ?
Why !
February 20th, 2023 at 9:57 am
Bucs fan lets hope for the best this season. From what I just read, Bowles has a 5 year contract which mean he’s really gonna have to stink not to be back for a third year. After reading about that 5 year contract I am thinking it’s a sneaky rebuild. Think about it. I mean We have to find a QB L David is 34. Evans is 30 OL Smith is getting up there so is Jenson. I mean all are still productive players but we need to replenish the team starting now so we don’t end up like the team was after we won the Super Bowl with Gruden. We gave away a lot of draft capital.
February 20th, 2023 at 9:58 am
We have the talent and a strong core of players To compete every game and with some good coaching we can win 10 games. Just need someone to throw the ball …
February 20th, 2023 at 10:13 am
The Glazers would not tell you there is a problem because as far as they are concerned, this is planned downtime/planned gap between contending. Life without the G.O.A.T. was coming and they prepped. Yes, this past year was the mulligan as anyone can see had they NOT had TB12 and others, they may have won two or less games. The fact they lost with Brady means the team really was much worse than it looked. That is on the coaches, GM, and especially the ownwers. But they are good. 2nd price hike since the pandemic started, huge cutback on gamedays and fan services and perks, and the recent record doesn’t embarass you. Yeah, I think we don’t scream “hot seat” out of courtesy alone but Game 1 will fix that…one way or another.
February 20th, 2023 at 10:21 am
Any chance that the sale of Manchester United will have a positive affect on the Bucs, i.e. being the Glazer’s only play toy?
February 20th, 2023 at 10:27 am
Hendon Hooker is not going to happen.
Bowles cleaner still thinks defense wins games, so the first three or four draft picks will be defensive.
They might grab Stetson Bennett in the fifth, or might give open tryouts to UDFA folk. There are going to be a lot of undrafteds on the team next season; warm bodies to fill roster holes.
Bowles cleaner is safe this season and the next, maybe not past that.
February 20th, 2023 at 10:38 am
Joe has to confess, he doesn’t give two flips about the Glazer’s kickball team. Owning an NFL team is a license to print money. And there’s a salary cap. Not sure why/how/if one kickball team affects an NFL team or vice-versa. Nor does Joe care.
So, that’s a long version of Joe saying he doesn’t know and has zero desire to find out if it does or not.
February 20th, 2023 at 10:47 am
@Wokeizdunn
That’s actually close to how I feel about what’s going on in the circle. There maybe a little more here and there but I’m thinking that in general your tea leaves you’re pretty much spot on.
February 20th, 2023 at 10:49 am
Bowles is what he is and too bad that some of you think he will evolve into a good HC it’s nonsense.
February 20th, 2023 at 10:55 am
IF BOWLES HAD THE BEST ROSTER ALL-TIME
He’d still lose. He had an amazing team and went 8-9
February 20th, 2023 at 11:04 am
Our old pro ‘Stars’ have become excess baggage. Trade em while we can. All of them.
February 20th, 2023 at 11:05 am
I wouldn’t say Bowles is a good coach either but damn, give the man at least next year with his O staff in place and his philosophy before we monkey stomp him. Andy Reid was fired from Philly, Belichick was fired from Cleveland it took Sean Payton 6 years to get to the Super Bowl. All I am saying is all of those coaches are great ones but they didn’t get there in 1 season.
February 20th, 2023 at 11:05 am
HaHaHa ‘Kickball’ ROFL
February 20th, 2023 at 11:06 am
‘Was a playoff appearance despite a losing record enough to earn Bowles a mulligan?’
Must be some of the worst owners/business men if that it did!
He was GIFTED an already established and proven (multiple years) winning team.
1 of the best qbs to ever play, great receivers, decent backs and tight end….
Rookie HC have won with MUCH less…
This Bucs team isNOT going to get better than what he had to work with last season… IF he couldn’t win with that team, he is NOT going to win with less!
WHO gets a ‘mulligan’ because everyone around you was worse?… Bad is BAD and Bowels is a BAD HC!
February 20th, 2023 at 11:15 am
It’s hotter than the closest star to the earth. Clueless Todd! Here comes 2-15!
February 20th, 2023 at 11:17 am
Bowles is still around because next year is going to be rough. No cap, no QB, and a roster that suddenly looks old and slow. 2024 will be a complete reset.
February 20th, 2023 at 11:21 am
Bowles’ biggest mistake was ditching Arians offense. The team was built for the no biscuit no risk it offensive philosophy.
February 20th, 2023 at 11:23 am
Last season was disgusting.
Sadly, since Bowles remains, the fans will not.
Attention Glazers, in case you didn’t notice, you need a head coach. Not defensive coordinator who plays one.
February 20th, 2023 at 11:24 am
This franchise will be stuck in the mud for next few years with toilet bowles
February 20th, 2023 at 12:04 pm
@Stebobucsfan Bowles had his coaching staff with the Jets and how did that turned out? I tell you how, the excuse then was that people was unfair to Bowles cause he never had a good QB. Fast-forward to last year, he skunked it up and now the excuse is he needs his own OC, you see where I’m going with this. And please don’t compare or put Bowles name in the same sentence as some of the greatest coaches in the NFL.
February 20th, 2023 at 2:52 pm
Best among four of the worst teams in the league, ending up 9-9 overall (5 out of the 6 the six wins being against those three bad teams), and getting run over in the first playoff game, means a division championship and a contract extension? Only in the sports world is that something to hang your hat on. In the normal business world, no way.
February 20th, 2023 at 3:07 pm
recently when coach went shopping for a luxury vehicle, the car salesman said “would you like the heated seats package?”
coach quickly said an emphatic “no thank you” 🙂
February 20th, 2023 at 3:28 pm
I don’t know how he isn’t in a hot seat…
And to be honest, it’s almost not fair to him. The team is going to be shedding talent due to the cap situation and us finally having to pay all the bills for the Brady time.
Last season I will put PLENTY of blame on Bowles for his failures. But it feels like this seasons he’s just doomed before it starts. Is that fair? No, not really. But neither is life.
Good luck Todd, hopefully you can surprise us all.
February 20th, 2023 at 4:21 pm
Yes Glazers how did Bowles get to keep his job?????
Pointing the finger at everyone else
Fire all the other Coaches
Bowles will lead this team to the Toilet Bowles
February 20th, 2023 at 5:04 pm
I always looked forward to a new season. Now I’ll join thousands in a mass depression
February 20th, 2023 at 5:43 pm
Online Hendon Hooker!
February 20th, 2023 at 9:56 pm
Bowles job is not in jeopardy. Everyone outside One Buc thinks it is, but Team Glazer has given him everything he has demanded. No indication of any problems. He will run (pun intended) the team even further into the ground, but they will let him.
February 20th, 2023 at 11:35 pm
If you’re happy and you know it, stomp the Toad!
February 21st, 2023 at 9:01 am
JOE..I’M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE BUC’S & VETERANS THEY STAND TO LOSE THIS YEAR..MAINLY MIKE EVANS & LAVANTE DAVID..BOTH ARE HEADED TO AT LEAST THE BUC’S “RING OF HONOR” ONE DAY (IF THEY CAN REMAIN BUC’S), I JUST HEARD OF THE COWBOYS WANTING EVANS ( IT IRKED ME )..IF HE MUST BE TRADED AT ALL,WE NEED TO TRADE HIM & PERHAPS LAVANTE DAVID ( PACKAGE DEAL ) TO CHICAGO FOR #1 PICK IN THIS YEARS DRAFT ! WE NEED TO DRAFT ANTHONY RICHARDSON OUT OF FLORIDA AT QUARTERBACK..HE’S GOING TO BE A SPECIAL PRO ( I CAN JUST FEEL IT)..IF TRASK WORKS OUT, THEN WE WILL HAVE 2 YOUNG HIGH QUALITY QUARTERBACK’S ON THE ROSTER..I LOVE EVANS & DAVID..BUT IF THEY MUST BE TRADED, CONVINCE JASON LIGHT, TODD BOWLES & THE GLAZERS THIS IS OUR ANSWER TO A BAD SITUATION ( NOT TRADING FOR A HIGH PRICED OLD VETERAN AT QUARTERBACK..PLEASE MAKE SURE THE MEN IN POWER AT ONE BUCCANEER PLACE READ THIS IDEA OF MINE..BEFORE THE DRAFT &ASAP..THANK YOU..
February 21st, 2023 at 9:03 am
JOE..I’M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE BUC’S & VETERANS THEY STAND TO LOSE THIS YEAR..MAINLY MIKE EVANS & LAVANTE DAVID..BOTH ARE HEADED TO AT LEAST THE BUC’S “RING OF HONOR” ONE DAY (IF THEY CAN REMAIN BUC’S), I JUST HEARD OF THE COWBOYS WANTING EVANS ( IT IRKED ME )..IF HE MUST BE TRADED AT ALL,WE NEED TO TRADE HIM & PERHAPS LAVANTE DAVID ( PACKAGE DEAL ) TO CHICAGO FOR #1 PICK IN THIS YEARS DRAFT ! WE NEED TO DRAFT ANTHONY RICHARDSON OUT OF FLORIDA AT QUARTERBACK..HE’S GOING TO BE A SPECIAL PRO ( I CAN JUST FEEL IT)..IF TRASK WORKS OUT, THEN WE WILL HAVE 2 YOUNG HIGH QUALITY QUARTERBACK’S ON THE ROSTER..I LOVE EVANS & DAVID..BUT IF THEY MUST BE TRADED, CONVINCE JASON LIGHT, TODD BOWLES & THE GLAZERS THIS IS OUR ANSWER TO A BAD SITUATION ( NOT TRADING FOR A HIGH PRICED OLD VETERAN AT QUARTERBACK..PLEASE MAKE SURE THE MEN IN POWER AT ONE BUCCANEER PLACE READ THIS IDEA OF MINE..BEFORE THE DRAFT &ASAP..THANK YOU…I HAVE NEVER SAID THIS BEFORE.
February 21st, 2023 at 3:24 pm
Good job Tommy, I am sure they will get right on it…..