Per the Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud, Todd Bowles confirmed in a text message that he will be returning as head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2026.
The topic of Bowles’s employment has been a hot topic since the final month of the season began and only heated up from there, as the Bucs lost 4 out of their last 5 games and 7 out of their last 9. An epic collapse from their conference-best 5-1 start, the Bucs looked stagnant on offense under first-time playcaller Josh Grizzard, while defense struggled immensely down the stretch and ended up finishing 20th in points allowed per game.
Questions about effort, scheme flexibility, practice habits, and in-game decisions have heavily obscured Bowles’s outlook, who has an overall record of 35-33 in the regular season and 1-3 in the playoffs. Tampa Bay did win three straight division titles under his guidance, but in 4 years the team has experienced at least one extended losing streak each season.
It’s been reported by Stroud and others, such as ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, that Bowles will remain under the condition he significantly alter his coaching staff. What those changes will be, however, are unconfirmed currently.
It’s assumed Grizzard is in danger of being a one-and-done, as the offense severely fell off from 2024’s record-setting numbers and did not improve even as it got healthier down the stretch. Despite that, the 35-year-old showed some flashes of getting it but also a concerning amount of stubbornness, and it doesn’t seem like patience will be afforded to a young guy learning on the fly.
Special teams should also see significant turnover, as Thomas McGaughey oversaw one of the league’s worst units. Between kick blocks, inconsistent returns, and coverage busts, the team always seemed to be plugging holes while others sprung elsewhere. It got so bad on kickoffs that the team simply opted to send the ball through the endzone at the end of the year — which, with new kickoff rules, automatically starts opponents at their 35 yard line.
Finally, defensive assistants will likely see some turnover as well. The defense continued its years-long struggle with coverage busts and ineffective pass rush. On the latter point, the Bucs failed to record at least 40 or sacks for the first time in Bowles’s seven-year tenure in Tampa (as either a coordinator or head coach).
This decision will undoubtedly rile a fan base that’s been vocal about the team’s relative failure to maximize a talented roster or take better advantage of a weak division. There’s no doubt about it though that this will be Bowles’s last chance to show he’s capable of elevating this team to the next level of contender.
