Staff Changes Coming? Todd Bowles Didn’t Exactly Say No.
January 15th, 2025
Staff changes not off the table.
One could argue some new coaching voices are needed on the defensive side of the ball.
Joe knows a lot of fans want a new defensive coordinator. Two straight seasons of dreadful pass defense support that assertion.
Todd Bowles was asked about staff changes at his season-ending news conference on Monday. He sure didn’t show a rousing sense of distaste against such moves.
“Not thinking about that right now,” Bowles said. “Again, we’re having exit interviews – we’re fresh off the loss. As the days come, we’ll go from there.”
Was that a flat out “no” to you?
Bowles has had no issue making staff changes on offense. Defensively? Bowles largely has been loyal to his staff. Maybe too loyal?
He did defend his defensive assistants without giving them a full vote of confidence.
“We went to the playoffs five times with the defensive coaches we have,” Bowles said. “They’re very good coaches, obviously.
“A lot of things have to happen in that … We’ve got to get more interceptions, we’ve got to coach it better, but we’ve got to play it better, as well.”
“Coach it better” has been a common phrase used by Bowles. His staff had at least a full season and offseason offseason to correct the fourth-worst defense in passing yards allowed per game. If his coaches are “very good,” then why no improvement?
If you went to any defensive coach and asked, “Hey, I can give you two stud defensive tackles, three edge guys picked in the first three rounds, a borderline Hall of Fame inside linebacker, an All-Pro safety, one corner who just had 17 pass breakups and another young corner who started for a Super Bowl winner, can you work with that?” The coach would probably run you over in order to sign a contract.
Joe knows this. Whatever Bowles and his staff are doing with that pass defense, it ain’t working. Whatever they are saying isn’t sinking in.
Bowles needs to do a full and complete defensive evaluation of what’s gone wrong — from the coaching in underwear football to calls made during December games to the lack of execution.
January 15th, 2025 at 6:04 am
Wink Martindale is looking to return to the NFL…..he would be a huge upgrade to the Bucs staff. The D needs a new direction.
January 15th, 2025 at 6:15 am
“” We’ve got to get more interceptions, we’ve got to coach it better, but we’ve got to play it better, as well.””
We’re doomed.
January 15th, 2025 at 6:18 am
Need to replace the D.C that’s for sure. Todd’s montra is we have to coach it better, we have to play it better. So sick of hearing that, and I think the players have tooned Todd, and his staff out too. One more year of this. How are the season ticket sales going? My guess is people aren’t rushing to renew, and sales aren’t moving up either. Who wants to pay to watch a home team that loses half their games? Certainly wouldn’t purchace night game tickets, that’s always a W. Excitement for the Bucs upcoming season can’t be very high with the thought of watching this D giving up last second victories.
January 15th, 2025 at 6:36 am
Joe, what about missed tackles? That is a huge problem with this team and the coaching staff is responsible for it. I know missed tackles is a subjective stat, but if you are even in the conversation, that is not good. Per PFF:
Buccaneers 41
Raiders 39
Rams 39
Falcons 38
Not good
January 15th, 2025 at 7:08 am
Hey Joe can I ask why we we bring up the passing defense, when aaron glenn and brian flores may be head coaches this cycle. And their pass defense is either worse or just as bad as ours? Help me figure this out….
Because if its takeaways, thats a personnel issue
January 15th, 2025 at 7:12 am
Interesting. Reading between the lines too, he didn’t say no. Possibly pending on what Coen does next too. If he leaves for a HC job, there will probably be changes. I could see an defensive consultant helping Todd out too.
January 15th, 2025 at 7:13 am
Yea…getting a new DC would be nice. But coach Bowles would still be the game manager…you know, same ultra conservative play calling (don’t risk it for the biscuit) same clock mismanagement etc.
January 15th, 2025 at 7:14 am
Bring on the change. We need it. Defensive execution: edge rush production, removing the soft-serve zone coverage, and working with a consultant on clock management would go a long way to improving our outcome next season. Go Bucs, excited to see if the old dog coach can learn new tricks.
January 15th, 2025 at 7:22 am
He has to make moves. The players spend the most time with their position coaches. I’d fire the entire Defensive staff and the Special Teams.
January 15th, 2025 at 7:37 am
The only change they needs is Bowles. If you hire a defensive coordinator why do you need him?
January 15th, 2025 at 7:37 am
How does everyone else pay for the Coaching on the team EXCEPT the HC
THE BUCK STOPS AND STARTS WITH THE HEAD COACH
Ok let’s start with the DC
January 15th, 2025 at 7:47 am
That’s the default answer isn’t it. We went to the playoffs five times. Basically saying I got there so everything is all good don’t worry about stats. I don’t have anymore faith he’ll make a change now. A statement like that means he’s happy just to win the division and get to the playoffs as if that’s hard to do in the nfc south. Uh Raheem Morris almost did that with no defense and a rookie qb.
January 15th, 2025 at 7:48 am
He has to change the scheme he’s running because I think that’s part of the problem. I don’t think it’ll matter when he’s got the secondary playing in Pinellas county.
January 15th, 2025 at 8:10 am
Let Bowles be head coach but hire a defensive coordinator to oversea the defensive. Then let the new DC hire his own coaches.
January 15th, 2025 at 8:10 am
Resting on his laurels, too scared to make changes, set in his ways, not adapting to the game, sounds like the same old Bowlzes sh!t
January 15th, 2025 at 8:22 am
The Glazers need to have an exit interview with Todd and force him to hire a DC.
January 15th, 2025 at 8:25 am
I agree with Bama. The change needs to start with hiring a DC. We
January 15th, 2025 at 8:27 am
It would be almost unthinkable if the Glazers wouldn’t at least make him change his staff.
January 15th, 2025 at 8:31 am
It is misleading to argue anything but this, the Bucs surprised a few teams this year (early), but in the end, they play in what is unarguably the worst division ever in the NFL. Stats become BS when evaluating what turned out to be an average team. I am hopeful that next year the division becomes more competitive so our Bucs are forced to improve week in and week out. Baker needs to bring joy back to the team. And Joe, we can’t forget about you. It was great not hearing your Brady bashing all the time. It’s over and out. Keeping it real in Ireland. Look me up in Skibbereen.
January 15th, 2025 at 8:31 am
If Bowles is given an ultimatum by the Glazers like Dungy was given concerning his OC(s) or like Gruden was allegedly given about personnel after his 2009 collapse, you would have to wonder if he would agree to the demands.
These demands from OBP could be launching some of his assistants for some younger coaches with a fresh perspective or even making Bowles give up his DC status. I think Bowles is so stubborn and proud that he would never give up calling plays for the defense but perhaps he will retool his coaching staff even though he is loyal to a fault with his coaches.
The Glazers are patient but they have seen the same recurring problems with Bowles as us fans have seen: poor clock management skills, a very below average defense which cannot make a play with the game on the line, his team unable to win in prime-time, and his overly conservative approach to the game which tends to backfire most of the time….. Throw in the fact he is pretty unaccountable….. Does Bowles have enough positive points to offset all these drawbacks?
January 15th, 2025 at 8:34 am
I agree with all of you and disagree with some points. Bowles has value an executive/top mgmt/HC. Guys like him, he can be a FA draw, and he serves as ballast in the ship. With that said, a kick you in the a$$ DC is very needed to nail down fundamentals (TACKLING, ints, stripping the ball) and for putting players in a system/position that suits their skills. I do not think Hall, JTS, or Braswell are as bad as they look, Bowles is just incapable, or simply inflexible, to evaluate player strengths vs his system. Maybe it’s ego, since the NFL joes of the world have been calling him genius so long, that he cannot modify his system to fit the players at hand. A d!ckhead DC could have players prepared for EVERY game and father Todd could sooth their egos, but coming out flat, missing tackles, lackadaisical int/take away attempts is unacceptable at this level. I can live with Todd as an inspirational figurehead, but he can’t drive this D anymore. “Coaching it better” reflects on the HC and “Playing it better” reflects on the HC,” so when everything reflects back to you, YOU gotta change and it starts with dropping your ego and hiring a competent DC
January 15th, 2025 at 8:42 am
Well if they bring in a new DC and someone else to handle timeouts and clock management wouldn’t they then need to hire someone else to try and figure out exactly what is that Bowels does.
January 15th, 2025 at 8:47 am
Who is he going to hire to get better at game management cuz that’s losing the bucs gamew too. How many hires is he going to have to do before you get past his short comings as a head coach.
January 15th, 2025 at 8:50 am
I just don’t get how you can be a coach or a player for this long and still make the same o mistakes. That TD in the endzone where dude was wide open is just something I cant get over. Ok we lost but again its the way we lost that my issue. Bowles keeps saying over and over that he knows what the problem is but it doesn’t seam to ever get fixed. I just dont get it
January 15th, 2025 at 8:51 am
If I’m a coach and I know one of the problems is we have to “coach it better,” that means I know what the problem is but can’t do anything to fix it. If most people admitted to that level of incompetence in their performance review, they’d be at the unemployment line within a week.
941bucsfan – in defense of Aaron Glenn, he’s been running that defense with practice squad players for most of the season.
January 15th, 2025 at 8:55 am
Just love Bowles comment after one of the losses this season. “We need to improve communication”. Basically the same system for 4 seasons and practicing since training camp. Sounds like a ‘communicator’ problem to me.
January 15th, 2025 at 8:55 am
Couldn’t agree more. Pass defense needs a major overhaul. Poor tackling needs to be fixed. How many times during the Commanders game, did we allow them to get a first down when the runner should have been tackled for a loss?
January 15th, 2025 at 8:59 am
New DC that is impartial to current players. The Bucs need better players on defense. Sunday night finally made it very painfully evident that players in key defensive positions are simply not very good. Everyone on this blog knows who they are.
January 15th, 2025 at 8:59 am
I don’t think it was the Glazers sons that made the Tony and Jon decisions. It was their dad Malcolm. Things are different now and they are doing a fantastic job.
The Glazers are not going to fire Todd yet. They may bring on a defense consultant that he chooses though. Todd only has 2 years left on his contract and will be retirement age at that time. He was also chosen for the NFL committee that he currently serves on. He isn’t going anywhere.
January 15th, 2025 at 8:59 am
Again, simply put the positives on one side and negatives on the other side. The negatives far outweigh the positives!
January 15th, 2025 at 8:59 am
Why do people keep saying he needs to hire a defensive coordinator? He already has two. Kacy Rogers and Larry Foote. I typed in a different article he has his damn inside linebacker as his passing game coordinator not anyone that actually played in the secondary or coached the secondary.
January 15th, 2025 at 9:18 am
Todd Bowles is the Ozempic of defensive head coaches.
Advertised as a miracle solution to ongoing issues that are largely self inflicted.
But without any real time tested approach to improving your situation.
Very well financed and sold to the masses while all the negative side effects are papered over.
Basically, just shut up and take it. No need to stop going to Taco Bell.
The Joes are like the band that kept playing as the Titanic sunk.
January 15th, 2025 at 9:20 am
As I’ve been saying all season long is, I think the Bucs need changes at least with the DL and CB coaches. 3 years and they still have not developed a stud DE or CB. One other thing that must happen for Bucs to make it to the big game. Mayfield has to step up in the big games. Yes he plays well but he’s had some issues in the big games. Interception 1 game from the title game. Fumble this year That what made Brady and Mahomes hall of fame QBs they make the big plays when needed regardless of how their teams are playing
January 15th, 2025 at 9:26 am
Communication. Fundamentals. We’re doing some good things, just a few plays here and there. Missed tackles. Middle of the field a sieve. No pass rush. Need to get more interceptions. Doesn’t matter where the sacks come from. Linemen dropping into coverage.
These are words from or about Todd Bowles and staff regarding the defense. I’m paraphrasing/shortening, but these are to the point. I keep saying it, but the defense is too dependent on starters. If 1 person goes out the whole scheme takes a crap. We should be able to plug and play, not change everyone’s responsibilities because a guy goes out. We have had predominantly man coverage guys since SMB, Dean and CD3, yet we play a lot of zone. It just doesn’t make sense.
January 15th, 2025 at 9:26 am
You are right, Pewter Power. They are defensive and linemen coaches. Foote also being a coordinator. I am thinking a consultant is brought in or there could be some major changes.
January 15th, 2025 at 9:33 am
The problem is not Bowles being the HC…a great guy, very articulate, & sometimes funny, its him being the DC. Solution to the team’s problem:
1.) retain Bowles only as the HC & get an assistant, for him, who knows the analytics of the game to assist him on in-game situations. Its all about analytics in the NFL now…ask Dan Quinn about it…no punts the other night equals winning 99% of the time.
2.) for whatever it takes, keep Coen as OC, at almost any cost.
3.) hire someone, like Dan Campbell, to be the DC, who would have no problem “chewing kneecaps” on defense.
Recipe for Super Bowl success!
January 15th, 2025 at 9:42 am
The defense was pretty lousy most of the year. Yeah, we had a boatload of injuries, but damn, our outside linebackers fell off the face of the Earth when it came to rushing the passer. All this pass coverage crap is for the birds too. They need to really consider dumping at least that Rogers guy. If Bowles won’t hold those defensive assistants accountable it will likely be his own job that ends up in the trash. I’m getting the distinct vibe that if we don’t get some better coaching we will be just like the Steelers. Or the Vikings.
January 15th, 2025 at 9:46 am
Couldn’t have said it better ChiBuc.
I saw Vita drop back into pass coverage.
Think Bowles is too infatuated with gimmicks and being called a ‘Defensive Genius’. I’m convinced he’s over complicated the defense.
Can’t put a square peg in a round hole and I think that’s in part a reason for all the injuring the secondary the last couple of years.
January 15th, 2025 at 10:03 am
now that we are slowly getting out of salary cap hell, maybe we can retool our defense to fit whatever scheme it is that Bowles wants to run. It became obvious that we didn’t have the players to run the scheme he wants to run…
I hope Bowles can see that he needs an aggressive defense. Running a defense that plays it safe is killing the potential of your offense. We can’t allow teams to never punt – hold the ball for the last 4min of the game waiting to kick a short field to win and call that a good defense game. The rules in the NFL favor the offense; you have an offense. Use your defense to fuel that offense – its 2025, the league is about scoring points…not about point prevention. Rethink your strategy, how can my team’s offense have the ball last. Either to preserve the win or go get the win.
its going to be $$$ but we need to get an edge rusher via FA or trade. We need to get some alpha players on D to get them ready to play week in and week out – set accountability. (think JPP)
I’m fine with Bowles staying as Coach – my fear is that we don’t change it up and just keep on doing the same thing expecting a different result.
Go Bucs
January 15th, 2025 at 10:13 am
Buccaneers need…
#1’Get It Done’ DC.
#2 DL coach
#3 Time Management Game coach(with direct line to HC)
#4 Mental Coach( Yogi)
January 15th, 2025 at 10:20 am
Clueless Todd is Dungy stubborn. Hell never change his coaching staff unless he is forced to do so. Still can’t believe Dungy is in the HOF. Lucky idiot had Peyton Manning fall in his lap.
January 15th, 2025 at 10:42 am
“I know one of the problems is we have to “coach it better,” that means I know what the problem is but can’t do anything to fix it.”
Why does it mean that? Perhaps it means that EVERYBODY including the coaches are responsible for a TEAM and its valuable to reassess HONESTLY every year.
I LOVE PERSONAL responsibility!!! Todd does it and he gets blasted. Baker does it after his fumble and he’s accused of covering for his rookie teammate. Who the eff cares it was something LEADERS do.
January 15th, 2025 at 11:21 am
Don’t see the “personal responsibilty” from Bowles in this at all. He rarely, if ever, points to himself as needing improvement. It’s always a “we” or “the players” response. Mike Tomlin’s “coaches seeking comfort” quote rings so true with this guy. Would be refreshing to hear something like “I really need to look at everything… including the scheme, how we’re communication & teaching the concepts, etc. to find out where the disconnect is”. There’s a reason the players continue to make mistakes & have communication issues. It comes down to poor coaching & ZERO lack of accountability. Of course Todd will say the players hold each other accountable (the same things he says about motivation & leadership), which is just him not understanding what’s required to be a successful HC.
January 15th, 2025 at 11:24 am
@ 941bucsfan
The lack of takeaways is a personnel issue? I couldn’t disagree more. It’s a scheme issue. How can guys get picks when they’re playing 8-10 yards off the WR then immediately bailing at the snap to play soft zone? If you watch any amount of football, you’ll see we allow WAY more uncontested catches than almost any other team (first Redskins TD ring a bell?). If you’re not around the WR BEFORE he catches the ball, it’s kinda hard to pick it off after he’s caught it… As far as fumbles, we suck at tackling (you know, a fundamental part of defense), so that’s all that needs to be said there.
While I do think it’s been overblown, CD3 had 2 picks in one game with the Lions. For the record, our secondary had 6 total in 18 games! Pathetic!
January 15th, 2025 at 11:43 am
@Iremember21 you can argue that its the scheme. But have you seen Dean and Zyon when they play up close.
Zyon in the cowboys game, torched in tight man to man
First drive for commanders was close man to man, what happened Dean got burnt.
And idk if you remember the first game vs commanders, but dean got smoked by mclaurin then too, but it was over thrown. Everytime we try to play tight man these guys get smoked, and its not because of dean and zyon are bad, its because the bucs get to pressure off the edge. Teams like vikings have 2 guys with 10 plus sacks off the edge. Tampa thrived playing the same off coverage or tight man, when jpp snd shaq were beast on the outside. Fix that, and everything else will come
January 15th, 2025 at 12:31 pm
Safety play was horrific this year including AWJ and Whitehead
January 15th, 2025 at 12:37 pm
6th string corners, 5th string safeties, no quality depth at ILB. Ditka couldn’t do much better with the players we currently have, or have been forced to play, this season.
January 15th, 2025 at 1:04 pm
Great comments. Myself, just don’t know what to do. Bowles seems to be that Dilbert character who dresses in a devil suit and carries a giant spoon instead of a pitchfork. I think his name is Phil, King at the darned. Those not bad enough to go to Hades, but not quite good enough to go to heaven. Most of the team is kinda like that too. Devin White 45 was their exemplar, before he fell apart. Very good, but mistake prone. Gives a performance that is both awe inspiring and head scratching simultaneously. Like Schrodinger’s cat.
January 15th, 2025 at 1:21 pm
More interesting 2024 NFL offensive team Stats:
Detroit Lions offensive plays/game had the highest in the NFL at: 65.8/game
Washington Commanders offensive plays/game at: 65.0/game
Buccaneers offensive plays/game at: 63.2/game
Average NFL offense plays/game was at 61.2/per game
Jacksonville offensive plays/game was: 58.4/game
Washington Commanders had 69 offensive plays for Sunday’s playoff game
Buccaneers had 44 offensive game for Sunday’s playoff game
Last weekend’s game teams’ offensive plays:
-Bills…72 offensive plays 31 pts (won)
-Ravens…72 offensive plays 28 pts (won)
-Vikings…70 offensive plays 9 pts Rams had 9 QB sacks & Rams had 10 penalties (loss)
-Texans…70 offensive plays 32 pts (won)
-Packers…60 offensive plays 10 pts (loss)
-Eagles…57 offensive plays 22 pts (won)
-Rams…51 offensive plays 27 pts (won) Rams defense had 9 sacks…forced one fumble & one interception. COMPLETE DEFENSE DOMINATION!!!
-Chargers…54 offensive plays 12 pts (loss)
-Buccaneers…44 offensive plays 20 pts (loss)
-Broncos…42 offensive plays 7 pts (loss)
IF THE BUCCANEERS WERE ALLOWED TO RUN THEIR AVERAGE 63.2 OFFENSIVE PLAYS PER GAME, THEN AS CALCULATED, THEY WOULD HAVE SCORED CLOSE TO 30 POINTS FOR THIS GAME….
If you can’t still believe that it wasn’t the defensive inept ability to stop the Commanders then, please watch the game again! it was hard to watch….
January 15th, 2025 at 2:11 pm
Because Bowles absurd nepotism has kept coaches on staff that wouldn’t even been in the league if it wasn’t for his supposed loyalty. We need young, hungry coaches on the defensive side. What the team did on offense should have been done on Defense for f*#*ks sake
January 15th, 2025 at 2:30 pm
Question on this subject Maybe Joe can answer or someone else
The Owners fired a coach (after a winning season) that took them to a Superbowl and won
But are Satisfied with Bowles and what the Bucs have done in the last three years?
Why would the Bucs fire Chucky but Keep Bowles
January 15th, 2025 at 3:00 pm
Talent! Plain and simple at this point. Need more talent on defense. I would say less talented 4th string players miss more tackles. Offense need seasoning seems to have the talent. The game losing fumble. Rookie center hikes to qb who hands off to a rookie wr. Future looks good on offense. Should be mostly defensive draft. Go Bowles!
January 15th, 2025 at 3:05 pm
WTF is wrong with the mother%=>{$g post I’ve tried to make 10 friggin times. Some people’s copy/paste redundant bulls&+t shows up on every thread but I can’t ask the questions or challenge their comments. Stop protecting the Shane’s and ballhawk75s on the site. Let them fight their own fights unless you guys prefer a certain narrative to be more represented than others 🤔
January 15th, 2025 at 3:44 pm
Unless he fires himself he’s not going to matter. I highly doubt he’s going to have another cupcake schedule again next year. It’s the only thing that saves him. This year we played 10 teams with a losing record you’re not going to get lucky like that every year.
January 15th, 2025 at 4:31 pm
GoneGator
Sadly I have to also agree with your opinion about beating a dead horse trying to convince some of these bandwagon negative nellies! They can’t see a great game that came down to a doinked FG that bounced the wrong way.
The game LITERALLY came down to the bounce of an oblong ball! That’s EXACTLY what everybody not infected with the B”owe’ls fever predicted before the game. I know I did, check yo sheets! Not the ending just an evenly matched contest.
I visited my life coach this week. I basically pay her to let me vent and spare my poor wife my gripes in life. I mentioned comments here and she pointed out a fact that I checked out when I got home. She was RIGHT. I know many of you must be too lazy to google since you generally just bring insults with no facts.
Here you go…a life LESSON! Scroll here GG you already know this.
Not my opinion simply posting the science. You can look it up yourself.
According to the National Science Foundation, 80% of our thoughts are negative and 95% of our thoughts are repetitive. WOW. That is a lot of negative, repetitive thoughts! We all have thoughts and feelings about ourselves and important aspects of our life—relationships, work, school.
Think about that last sentence…relationships, work, school, and YOURSELF!!
Additional studies have found that a positive attitude improves outcomes and life satisfaction across a spectrum of conditions—including traumatic brain injury, stroke and brain tumors.
If that upsets you do not blame ME!!! If you do, I’m going to have to go all Jack Nicholson…”YOU CAN’T HANDLE THE TRUTH”!!!
January 15th, 2025 at 4:35 pm
GG
I feel sorry for the owners. They do awesome work but their tech guys suck.
I dropped out for a couple of months out of frustration. JJJoe is as frustrated as we are! Of course we could go all Todd Bowles on him and blame him personally but perhaps with the off season coming up, like Todd and Licht getting some new personal for the D JJJoe can get a new Tech guy.
BTW this is a tip for all. The reason I now always spell JJJJoes name with multiple J’s is to stay one step ahead of the algorhythms which toss your post into the bin. That has helped but when the tech monster grows hungry it’s going to eat!
January 15th, 2025 at 5:11 pm
Nope. Get rid of Bowles. We will not win a Super Bowl with him in charge. Horrible time management, to scared to take a risk. Should’ve went for 2 in KC. Should’ve went for it against the niners, Should’ve went for it against the Commanders. All three we had the momentum and yes we might not have gotten the needed score but everytime handed it back to a defense that has proven over and over they can’t get the stop. I mean come on, enough is enough!
January 15th, 2025 at 6:15 pm
If that defensive staff goes into next season without some major changes we are looking at the same if not worse results next year. Oh, and it’s hard to get interceptions when the defensive backs aren’t even in the same area code as the receiver catching the ball.
January 15th, 2025 at 6:22 pm
Changes need to start at the top. Keep doing same thing over and over, but expecting different results. Definition of insanity. Todd Bowles may be the nicest guy in the state of Florida, and his players may adore him, but he is a .500 coach, and that’s all we’ll get.