Todd Bowles Says He Benefits From Scout Years
April 10th, 2025
“Jason, read my synopsis of this Western Michigan tight end?”
The pre-draft world at One Buc Palace is a little different with Todd Bowles as head coach.
That’s because Bowles began his post-NFL playing career as a scout for the Dolphins before moving into college coaching after two years.
Talking on the New York Jets’ YouTube channel recently, Bowles said his background as an evaluator gives him more “input” into pre-draft processes.
“I started out as as scout,” Bowles said. “It helped me a great deal because as a coach when you’re looking at players now, you really don’t know how to look at offensive linemen or defensive linemen, especially coming in being a [defensive backs] coach; you can do that with the wideouts and the DBs til your eyes are closed, but it teaches you a different perspective of what to look for when you’re looking for offensive linemen. So you have more input in the draft, and when you’re looking at players on [inaudible] and not just relying on the scouts because you were a scout yourself.”
No, this doesn’t mean Bowles is running the Bucs’ draft or is pounding his chest for players because he thinks his scouting skills are elite. But Bowles does bring experience other head coaches don’t have.
Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht once told a famous story of then-Bucs head coach Lovie Smith being disinterested when it came to watching film of offensive linemen.
Joe’s so glad The Lost Decade is harder and harder to see in the rear view mirror.
April 10th, 2025 at 3:04 pm
“Bowles does bring experience other head coaches don’t have.”
Yep,54-68 as a head coach. Basically a .400 win percentage.
Better fire up that contract extension dawg!!!
Hard to find championship caliber head coaching like that.
April 10th, 2025 at 4:56 pm
BucDawg Says:
April 10th, 2025 at 3:04 pm
Bowles 27-24 as Bucs HC. Winning percentage .529
Gruden 57-55 as Bucs HC. Winning percentage .509
Advantage Bowles.
Bowles did this while taking the oldest roster in the league to one of the youngest.
The hate is irrational.
April 10th, 2025 at 5:26 pm
You can’t count ANYthing with the Jets, pretty sure it’s a rule
April 10th, 2025 at 5:27 pm
@FilthyAnimal
Bowles will never see 112 games as a Bucs HC.
Gruden actually was able to coach his side of the ball enough to get them to the Superbowl and win it as a HC.
Bowles has one win in postseason as a HC, versus a seriously diminished Eagles squad that was circling the drain the last month or more of that season.
Advantage heavily in favor of Gruden.
The man love for Bowles is insane.
April 10th, 2025 at 5:38 pm
Bucdawg
Numbers don’t lie. Opinions are just that.
Arent you the one who suggested hiring McCarthy, hahahahahhHah
April 10th, 2025 at 6:17 pm
BucDawg Says:
April 10th, 2025 at 5:27 pm
There is no special love. Very few fans are unaware of Bowles’ shortcomings. Some of us choose a rational approach and defend him with perspective and realism when the lunatic haters spew nonsense. He’s improved as a head coach, and appears to be continuing to tweak things to improve more.
As for the Gruden “advantage”, he took a Super Bowl ready defense, upgraded the offense, and won the Super Bowl. Really only had 1 good year with us after that. And his player evaluation sucked. Big advantage Bowles on that one.
Regardless of the Gruden stuff, because some people here seem to worship him, Bowles is a better coach than a lot of people here give him credit for. At the same time, if they don’t progress in the playoffs this year, I would not hesitate to send him packing… which is rational and reasonable.
April 10th, 2025 at 6:29 pm
I think Lovie Smith became disinterested in the game and was more interested in the money he made just like Devin White.
April 10th, 2025 at 6:35 pm
Gruden and his GM Bruce Allen combined to be a couple of the worst draft team in Tampa Bay history. Allen was just as bad if not worse the Mark Mark Dominick. Gruden then went of to pick an NFL TV network draft analyst Mike Mayeock with the Raiders who discoved the waters were much different in drafting players in real time.
April 10th, 2025 at 6:52 pm
Filthy Animal
Been enjoying your posts and I envy your nickname almost as much ColonelAngus…Home Alone and SNL comedy gold.
“The hate is irrational.”
EXACTLY!!! I agree 100% with your post including your conclusion!!!
“At the same time, if they don’t progress in the playoffs this year, I would not hesitate to send him packing… which is rational and reasonable.”
I agree but still hold out a little breathing room for Todd if Baker goes down and is lost for a long period of time. Having said that if the D improves and Trask is the real deal it may truly be now or never time for Todd.
April 10th, 2025 at 6:53 pm
Lmao bucdawg you’re probably some guy that is a closet. Ethnic coach hater because every thing points to Todd doing better be for real why don’t you like him he bites the bullet for his players doesn’t seem to be making players want to leave and not one person besides some fans that don’t know the guy have anything bad to say about him he said he will fix the defense and just being honest how many games would we have one with a healthy roster last year and who ever said the jets record didn’t count your right jets and giants and Cleveland records don’t count
April 10th, 2025 at 6:55 pm
And panthers
April 10th, 2025 at 7:11 pm
Damn El Hefe, you graduate grade school or what?
You sound like you were kicked off the short bus.
No wonder you love Bowles.
April 10th, 2025 at 7:52 pm
I was all for getting rid of Bowles 2 years ago in that first mid season swoon, but after he brought them out of it AND had a decent run in the playoffs I took a step back cause that was good coaching, I thought he had lost the team. Last year injuries and lack of talent on the defensive side showed it’s head but he pulled them out of that as well. He has emphasized to the team the importance of not doing that again, and along with wanting his team to have a killer instinct and lock up the division earlier with better seeding so if that happens he should get an extention, he will have earned it. He see’s and say’s the same things we see and say and call’s his players out to correct it, that’s what he’s supposed to do and that is being a straight shooter, which is why the players like him. I respect him for that. If he doesn’t get us to the promised land then yes we have to start looking for a replacement cause in the end it’s about the rings. So if he can’t get us over the hump then yeah look for another HC.
April 10th, 2025 at 11:47 pm
Trust that Licht knows what he is doing with Todd Bowles. Hope that we see 4-5 new faces on defense this year and get rid of those who can’t help. Have already made some good moves along those lines. Walker is going to surprise many at LB this year. Hopefully, Reddick is refocused on football and will have a rebound year. There is still more deadwood to get rid of. We will know more after the draft. Curious what it would take to get Hendrickson away from Cinci. If Licht can swing that deal, it will mean Tampa wants to win it all now. Sort of like the Tom Brady signing.
April 10th, 2025 at 11:58 pm
Bowles is a humble laid back kinda guy, yeah he makes some mistakes we all get mad about but he’s still a good coach that the players really like
April 11th, 2025 at 4:29 am
Bowles is good with picks. He really cares about the game and players. It shows.
Swissbuc – Absolutely right. Bowles puts his head down, isn’t dramatic, and the players love him.
April 11th, 2025 at 11:11 am
It’s simple. Bowles is a half time head coach and half time defensive coordinator. That is Jason’s mistake, allowing that overdeployment to continue. Either of those jobs is so big that 100% devotion to each might not be enough.
And we have Mr 50/50. His job performance reviews with himself must be interesting.