The Tampa Bay Buccaneers finally found their way into the win column with an upset victory over the Dallas Cowboys, but one win wasn't enough to take the pressure off Todd Bowles. According to CBS Sports, Bowles remains the head coach with the hottest seat in the NFL entering Week 6, despite Tampa Bay showing signs of life on Thursday Night Football.
CBS Sports ranked Bowles first among 10 coaches whose job security is being questioned, ahead of Washington's Dan Quinn, Los Angeles Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh, and Philadelphia's Nick Sirianni. The ranking is another indication of just how much pressure has accumulated around Bowles following Tampa Bay's collapse last season and its disastrous start to 2026. The Buccaneers began the season 0-4
before defeating Dallas 24-16, but the problems surrounding Bowles extend well beyond those four losses. Tampa Bay finished 2025 with an 8-9 record after starting 6-2, losing seven of its final nine games and missing the playoffs. Rather than making a strong start in 2026, the Buccaneers repeated many of the same mistakes that contributed to last season's collapse. Poor communication, questionable clock management, penalties, and an inability to consistently execute in critical situations have become recurring issues under Bowles. At some point, those problems can no longer be blamed entirely on the players or assistant coaches. Bowles has already overseen multiple coaching staff changes, yet many of the same concerns continue to surface.
To his credit, Tampa Bay's defense has shown considerable improvement against the run, ranking second in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game at 72.8. The Buccaneers also received strong performances from Bucky Irving and rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels against Dallas, showing that this roster still has enough talent to compete.However, that also raises an uncomfortable question. If Tampa Bay has the personnel to produce at a high level in several important areas, why has the overall team struggled so badly to put together consistent performances?Bowles deserves credit for keeping his team competitive enough to secure its first victory, but one Thursday night win cannot erase months of disappointing results. The Buccaneers now face the Pittsburgh Steelers in another opportunity to build momentum, and another loss would only intensify questions surrounding his future. For Bowles, the expectations should be higher than simply avoiding another embarrassing defeat. Tampa Bay needs to win football games, and fast. Losing a few more after beeming about the roster this offseason and dooming the season could be the final nail in the coffin.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Todd Bowles still has hottest seat in NFL despite upset win
