Weak Market
February 7th, 2022
“Makes no sense to me, Todd.”
It seems like whenever a team wins a Super Bowl and has standout success for more than one season, its executives and coaches are in high demand across the NFL.
So what happened to the Bucs coaches and suits this offseason? It appears every one of them is likely to return for 2022.
General manager Jason Licht’s top people were not hot names around the league, and defensive coordinator Todd Bowles and offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich, among all others, appear to be coming back for their fourth seasons in Tampa.
It feels like the Bucs aren’t getting the respect they deserve from their peers.
Is it part of the Tom Brady Effect, meaning too much credit for the Bucs’ rise to greatness is going to Brady?
Other than Bowles’ poor showing as New York Jets head coach, Joe can’t think of another reason why the Bucs apparently are returning everyone from the coaching staff and front office.
Joe sees it as the league’s loss is the Bucs’ gain. Licht’s overall record through the last four NFL drafts is excellent, and that’s not luck. The Bucs have also nailed their share of long-term and short-term free agents in that time, and trades.
Arians’ staff is large, a blend of young and old with a quality mix of former players that have learned under a head coach that might be headed to the Hall of Fame one day.
Joe wonders if there is a collective anger, a chip on the shoulder, among all the Bucs coaches and executives.
February 7th, 2022 at 12:18 pm
As much they have to love and respect Brady, this coaching staff and team must be getting that chip on the shoulder to prove they’re ALL winners. It’s got to fuel their fire a little as all they hear now is that the Bucs are back to the basement now that the GOAT is gone. Fans still have a fresh wound from Bowles’ last play call and rightfully so, but he’s had more good days than bad her in Tampa. BL must feel like he’s got a lot to prove as well.
Hopefully One Buc Palace is full of that kind of energy to go prove they’re more than just Brady’s coat tailers.
February 7th, 2022 at 12:21 pm
TB made these coaches look better. let that sink in…..
welll, just wait till next year, and you batter have the keg tapped.
February 7th, 2022 at 12:23 pm
This year will tell us if they’re good coaches. Personally I don’t think they are good, and Brady had a huge effect on BA and BL’s longevity. This is confirmed by the 8 job openings not filled by a Bucs coordinator. But then again Joe is telling me that Lovie will be hired by the Texans so what do I know? Maybe nothing makes sense.
This season will be the measuring stick.
February 7th, 2022 at 12:23 pm
The ONLY reason I would want BL back is if we will probably run heavy with Trask at QB.
February 7th, 2022 at 12:26 pm
I think most attribute the winning to Brady. And to be fair they have not won anything without Brady. If they are really good next year I am sure someone would be hired from them.
February 7th, 2022 at 12:30 pm
A couple years ago Andy Reid said Brett Favre “Looks like he still could play.” Ask Favre!
February 7th, 2022 at 12:32 pm
Without Brady, the coaches and roster will be exposed.
February 7th, 2022 at 12:35 pm
Proud bucs troll, Go hide under your bridge.
February 7th, 2022 at 12:41 pm
let’s not fret the quality of our coaches based upon who gets what jobs when lovie smith is getting a head coaching job. we all saw that disaster train up close. no chance BL is worse as a head coach than lovie.
February 7th, 2022 at 12:42 pm
NFL teams may think the Bucs should be playing in the Super Bowl this Sunday and blame the coaches.
February 7th, 2022 at 12:43 pm
Bucs go get Joe Flacco.
February 7th, 2022 at 12:45 pm
Happy they are all back…..The best coaching staff in many many years…..despite some crying babies!!!!
February 7th, 2022 at 12:53 pm
It was all Brady. Bucs coaches are frauds. Especially Todd Bowles.
February 7th, 2022 at 12:55 pm
Bowles blew it with the lack of defense played against the Rams … again.
February 7th, 2022 at 12:57 pm
Its hard for Black coordinators to get HC jobs in the NFL. Period. Attrition got after the defense from jump street, and reared its ugly head at inopportune times. The aggressive style of blitzing the passer and stopping the run fails when your below average press corners start missing games. The only way to get a HC gig from that style is to have it dominate through a post season run, which did not happen for Bowles. He was likely a hotter prospect the year before. Byron suffers from a small resume that has Tom Brady written all over its success. I like both guys, and its obvious that they are going to have to work their magic this year to get some damn respect from the rest of the league.
February 7th, 2022 at 1:08 pm
It is pretty sad actual Bucs fans berating the coaching staff that helped the Bucs organization win a Super Bowl. Though it was vital that the GOAT was here, last I checked he did not make a single defensive stop. Remember the Super Bowl defensive performance? It was Todd Bowles attacking defense that roughed up the Chiefs explosive defense and helped the offense score…one man, even the GOAT did not win the Super Bowl it was a TEAM effort. This coaching staff helped the Team win 13 games – the best regular season the Bucs ever had with a busted up defense until the end. It’s a crying shame they are not head coaches and a testament the NFL has a ways to go. Be careful what you ask for regarding wanting our coached gone. Regardless of the haters Go BUCS…
February 7th, 2022 at 1:10 pm
Maybe they didn’t want to leave.
February 7th, 2022 at 1:17 pm
It’s better to go “to” somewhere than “from” somewhere.
February 7th, 2022 at 1:24 pm
Since its inception in 1976 the worst preforming NFL team by win % is Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 291 W 433 L 1 T 0.402. This counts two years with Tom Brady and another good year in 2002 for a super bowl. In 46 seasons the team went to playoffs 12x. Only Jacksonville (1995) Carolina (1995) and Houston (2002) have less playoff season but are 20 younger. For their age Tampa and Arizona are the two worst performing NFL teams of all time. Prior to Tom Brady the last time Tampa Bay made a playoff game was 2007 15 years ago. A single player and his friends turned the worst NFL team of all time, into a SB winner in 8 months and they should be in the SB game again this week if not for an AB implosion and a bad defenive play calling v. Rams. If this team without Brady now plays well and makes the playoffs both BA, BL and Bowls will be hired by any team in the NFL next season and be future Hall of Famers, but the NFL market in telling you in 2022 everyone thinks it was Brady.
February 7th, 2022 at 1:24 pm
Other than Bowles’ poor showing as New York Jets head coach, Joe can’t think of another reason why the Bucs apparently are returning everyone from the coaching staff and front office.-
Rewatch 1st half of Rams playoff game.
February 7th, 2022 at 1:25 pm
I have lost my voice:
BA’s staff is BELOW average compare with league quality.
BA’s coordinators are NOT HC quality, not even DC/OC high quality.
BA’s is a retiree, he was one three years ago, most definitely today.
With THEM, we are about to witness one of the worst season in last 7 years, yes I’m including JW years as well.
The whole managements around the NFL can see this; it is just us that refuse, (ignorance/by -choice), cause other factors not connected with football are involved.
Shame, cause we are just football fans, and the most we want SHOULD be wins wins wins.
February 7th, 2022 at 1:28 pm
Without Brady and with the human turnover machine, we almost made the playoffs. So not time to dispair.
February 7th, 2022 at 1:34 pm
However, the NFC has weakened so much in 2022 because of retirees and the movement of QBs, that Tampa with a decent QB should be able to win the NFC South. So the fans and GM should be happy to get a Cousins, Teddy, Watson, Wentz or Jimmy G. As the NFC South is so weak they are all SB contending QBs now in this division.
February 7th, 2022 at 1:34 pm
Yup, they’re all winners. For Christ sake, the greatest coach of all time doesn’t get respect because of Brady, at least not as much as he once did. Players win games, that has and never will change. Coaching is important, but give me the team with the loaded roster any day. Can coaching put a team over the top? Ben would argue yes. We’ll all get to see it next year when Sean Payton coaches the cowboys to a Superbowl. Ben despises Dallas, but that roster with a good coach, should achieve.
As for the bucs coaches, we need to see what they are without Brady. Namely leftwich. It’s still a very good to great roster. If leftwich manages to get into the playoffs next year, he’ll get a gig, no matter who the QB is. Bowles isn’t head coach material. He’s shown no ability to adapt. He just keeps rolling out the same stuff, game in game out. A head coach must understand complementary football. He blitzed far too much this year. When your offense scores thirty a game, you don’t need volume blitzing. Besides, they have tremendous front end speed. They should be able to generate pressure without blitzing. You could argue the secondary let them down this year. All the more reason not to blitz.
February 7th, 2022 at 1:43 pm
@New England Patriots Fan
Well, is just your opinion, and it´s fine
The Bucs with brady and without Evans, Godwin, barrett JPP Lavonte, White, Winfield Suh, Gronk Marpet Lenny Cappa, Wirfs, and I can keep on…..wouldn´t go anywhere to.
Football is a team sport Sir, you can have the best ever, like Brady, but if you dont have the rest,you won´t go anywhere…..And you like a Pats fan should now it better….
Brady is not stupid, he knew exactly where he was going…..He tried again this season and injuries killed the team, that´s exactly what happened….Thinking that the Bucs are not in SB because of a bad defensive call is just shows me a lazy brain….
February 7th, 2022 at 1:53 pm
I am glad we are keeping our coaches. I know a lot of people on here hate on them. Bowles has had a few mishaps and Leftwich still has his stupid run up the middle into the defense. However for the most part they have been good and they have had this team in the playoffs 2 years in a row and a Super Bowl win. This staff has experience and been around awhile. I would rather have them than some of the coaching staffs these other teams have. I mean really Houston Lovie Smith been there done that experiment. Even the dolphins they had a better coach in Flores as the 49ers offense kinda sucked. 49ers were only good because of their special teams and Defense. Fans must have forgotten what it was like before BA was here and the inept coaches we had after Gruden left.
February 7th, 2022 at 1:59 pm
i think tom just wants 5 minutes in the octagon with bowles 🙂
February 7th, 2022 at 2:04 pm
100% all Tom Brady
February 7th, 2022 at 2:06 pm
yall relax!!! we have a sh* schedule, no qb. lets take our lumps this year with gabbert and get ready to make a run in 2023 with trask
February 7th, 2022 at 2:13 pm
Here’s some ugly truth for you:
Knowing that most NFL owners are reluctant to hire black men as head coaches (truth is in the numbers), the wise move for head coaches is to hire talented black coaches to be their coordinators so that the head coach doesn’t have to worry about his coordinators getting poached by another team for a HC position.
If hearing that makes you uncomfortable, it should. The fact that there is some truth to it shows you we have a real race issue in this country.
February 7th, 2022 at 2:15 pm
wrong kyle…uber freeeekin’ wrong…
our entire division basically has the same schedule…
it’s an even playing field in the nfc south and 10-7 should win the division by a game or even two…
we can win 10 if we play our cards right…
add in a russell wilson, somehow, and this is an 11 win team
February 7th, 2022 at 2:20 pm
FIY I just stick around here, as I actually do like the Bucs fans, and their players, and Florida in general, it is my favourite state. After being forced to watch the team for 2 years, I feel better about Tampa, then NE in 2022 with MacJones and BB as the AFC is stacked especially is AR goes to Denver/Tenn. I like the website and the writers and commenters, I think they do a good job with their content and website. And while I was negative on the team when I heard TB and maybe Gronk retires, I still think based on the QB/Coach talent in the NFC in 2022, Tampa has a real shot at winning the NFC South again if they can get a decent QB and retain Chris. While I think he’s not a good guy, Watson would be the best QB available if Tampa wants to win now, but he has to settle big time with 22 accusers whom rejected 100k a piece already. But talent wise he is the best young QB available in the NFL.
February 7th, 2022 at 2:22 pm
Maybe teams are raci$t…..or perhaps it’s Brady…..
BL gets no credit because on one hand he has Brady & on the other hand (being held) he has BA.
I just made the raci$t comment to stir the pot.
February 7th, 2022 at 2:35 pm
BL comes off to me as very arrogant in his media talks. Maybe he interviewed the same way.
February 7th, 2022 at 2:38 pm
Todd Bowles had a bad game. Unfortunately, it was a huge game, and still fresh in mind. What’s weirder is looking at position coaches, strength coaches , etc. not getting promoted? Light and Arians are proven at grooming front office and coaching. At a time when diversity is a hot topic , The 4 coordinators are black, Shelton Quarrels will be a GM one day that assistant DL coach she might be a DC one day. and women . He ain’t trying to be the EEOC , we lead the league consistently in rushing but nobody gets a Def Coordinator job even? The exodus might be next year. When people start getting better opportunities, we’ll see the difference!
February 7th, 2022 at 2:40 pm
Now, now, nown. Why don’t we all wait to see what the Bucs bring to the table this new season coming up before we condem anyone with this outrageous bench racing. That can take place after kickoff.
February 7th, 2022 at 2:42 pm
I thought Bowles was a strong candidate for head coach, despite his NY Jets gig. After that loss to the LA Rams, no. Retired head coaches and analysts almost universally panned Bowles for the failure that led to the Rams final scoring drive.
You can argue that Bowles shouldn’t be judged on that botched play, but like it or not, he’s in coaching purgatory. As they say in Hollywood, an actor is only as good as his latest film. The film study on Bowles’ defensive series shows that it was a resounding flop.
February 7th, 2022 at 3:06 pm
@NewEnglandPatriotsFan
So do you concede BB is the worst HC ever without Brady? OK so EVER is hyperbolic. In reality he had a losing record in 4 of his 5 years with Cleveland.
Got that. LOSER for four of five seasons. Was five years not enough to turn it around?
He was a LOSER the first season in N.E. THEN comes Brady!!! BB FINALLY wins.
Brady leaves and BB gets humiliated. This past season he salvaged a tad of respect by at least making the playoffs before getting embarrassed.
So BB is a HOF Defensive Coordinator but he SUCKS as a head coach.
February 7th, 2022 at 3:11 pm
Is it Brady or the coaches or just Brady 2022 will tell.
February 7th, 2022 at 3:13 pm
How many times did we see the Buc Slow Open? That is on the coach. This year we will not have The Brady 4th qtr. Rally with Brady calling plays in the hurry up. We will fall behind early and have no answer late with these coaches.
February 7th, 2022 at 3:24 pm
LOL! “TB made these coaches look better”!
Look, there’s no debate over the GOAT. Lets get some perspective here. In 2019, the Bucs offense was the 3rd-ranked offense in the league. It was the same year our QB garnered the dubious honor of 5,000 yards and 30 interceptions…THIRTY!
Why do I bring this up? Well, one could argue that all Brady had to do was not throw 30 INTs and he would be an instant upgrade. That says as much about Brady as it does how bad Winston was. And, all while being a top 3 offense!
This coaching staff deserves credit too!
February 7th, 2022 at 3:27 pm
Oh, and if Mr. 30/30 wasn’t tossing INTs like candy, we wouldn’t need 4th quarter heroics.
BTW, Brady is as much to blame as the coaches and other players for those slow starts. How many passes did he sail or bury?
February 7th, 2022 at 3:27 pm
brady is a savant at reading defenses…
now give him bowles in the octagon 🙂
February 7th, 2022 at 4:52 pm
Lefty blew it when he tryed to dictate who the Jags GM should be. I hope he lives to regret it. What a jerk. I hope to hell he doesn’ become the Bucs head coach. I’d rather see Bowles & get a new DC.
February 7th, 2022 at 4:57 pm
Well with Lovie Smith in the mix for the Texans, I don’t understand any of this…
February 7th, 2022 at 5:37 pm
Returning most of them, especially the OC and DC, is fantastic. It only means good things for this team. Another year of growth, and almost guaranteed to have less injuries, they just need to get busy with the free agents and figure out the quarterback situation
February 7th, 2022 at 6:14 pm
New England Patriots Fan … ‘Since its inception in 1976 the worst preforming NFL team by win % is Tampa Bay Buccaneers’.
In 1964 (around the time your Patriots started) Chad & Jeremy had a song titled ‘Yesterday’s Gone’ with a great line in there … ‘But that was yesterday, and yesterday’s gone’.
In THIS decade the Bucs are ONE of only TWO teams to win a Super Bowl. Wow, that’s even better than your Patriots.
February 7th, 2022 at 7:03 pm
That should strengthen the case for TB12 to be MVP
February 7th, 2022 at 7:10 pm
I thought I read an article by one of the Joes that basically said that Special teams Coach Keith Armstrong has to go. I guess the market for coaching has to be mega weak if he is still pulling a paycheck despite the Bucs being mediocre at best in all aspects of special teams despite having a talented roster, even Succop regressed last year.
February 7th, 2022 at 7:14 pm
I read an article by one of the Joes that said that special teams coach Keith Armstrong has to go after his squads basically have been below average across the spectrum. You think the guys at One Buc would try to fix this gaffe. The Bucs got gashed on returns, had no return game, had poor punting and Succop was not all that good this past year either.
February 7th, 2022 at 8:53 pm
D.R.
Drop the mic! You not only answered Patriot fan with a reality check you worked in a great musical reference. Only a few of us may be old enough to remember it..lol…but you picked the right line for sure.
BTW youngsters..YouTube Chad and Jeremy it’s a great song with an even better message,
February 7th, 2022 at 9:29 pm
Maybe the rest of the NFL saw the dysfunction on this team, as well as some bad playcalling on both sides of the ball, as well as the (perceived) lack of discipline overall. How good would the Bucs offense be without TB12? How good would the team be with lesser talent on the roster?
February 7th, 2022 at 11:27 pm
Lets see what they do without Brady. I think everyone is waiting to see that.
February 7th, 2022 at 11:49 pm
Yup everyone will see next year what the Brady affect was in the Bucs. Unless they get one hell of a quarterback the Bucs will be lucky to go .500 next year. Look at it this way. We may be losing Jensen, Fournette, Gronk, Godwin, Suh, Gholston, Carlton Davis plus a handful of others who were starters or gave quality minutes. That is a lot of top end talent that just can’t be replaced in the draft in one year. In addition our defense isn’t that good. How many career games did we give up to smuck QB’s this year not to mention the debacle against the Rams. Without Brady a lot of guys are going elsewhere to get paid, and that along with Brady’s absence spells trouble for the Bucs.