On Sunday afternoon, right after the Jets stunningly blocked a field goal for a scoop and score to go up 27-26 on the Bucs with a little over a minute left in the game, Tampa Bay head coach had one thought.
“You gotta’ f**king be sh**ting me!”
But he and the offense didn’t panic after the initial shock. Instead, the offense went to work.
Led by Baker Mayfield and rookie receiver Emeka Egbuka, the Bucs marched down the field, and kicked a field goal with no time remaining to win 29-27.
That put Tampa Bay at 3-0 and one of only four teams to start the season with an unblemished record.
Yet while most are talking about how Josh Allen and the Bills will meet Jalen Hurts and the Eagles in the Super Bowl, or how the Chargers have become legitimate contenders in the AFC thanks to Jim Harbaugh, not many are talking about what Todd Bowls is doing, and has been doing, down in Tampa Bay with the Bucs.
That’s unfortunate for Bowles is, arguably, the most underappreciated head coach in the NFL.
In 2015, in his first season as the head coach of the Jets, the team went 10-6 and showed great promise. But thanks in large part to GM Mike Maccagnan, management hamstrung Bowles by releasing key veterans and drafting poorly. Three losing seasons later, Bowles was fired.
Bowles eventually linked up with Bruce Arians, who he played for at Temple University, as the team’s defensive coordinator and won Super Bowl LV.
In 2022, Arians stepped down and handed the reins to Bowles in a true example of a succession plan.
“I wanted to ensure when I walked away that Todd Bowles would have the best opportunity to succeed,” said Arians at the time. “So many head coaches come into situations where they are set up for failure, and I didn’t want that for Todd.”
In his first season, Bowles went 8-9 but won the NFC South. In 2023 and 2024, the team improved to 9-8 and 10-7, respectively, repeated as NFC South champions and made three straight playoff appearances.
Yet not many have acknowledged what Bowles has been building down in Tampa.
Under Bowles, who is the 11th Black NFL head coach to have the rare second opportunity to be hired as a head coach, not only have the Bucs improved each season, but he has forged the defense into one of the most formidable units in the NFL and has transformed Baker Mayfield from a castaway into one of the best QBs in the league that people seem to overlook.
All of this is why, this past June, the Bucs rewarded Bowles with a three-year extension, keeping him in Tampa Bay through the 2028 season.
“Jason [Licht, team GM] and Todd’s leadership has been critical to our organization’s success. The winning culture they have established has us well positioned for the future,” said Buccaneers owner/co-chairman Joel Glazer in a statement.
In 2025, that future is on the right track and is moving ahead nicely with three straight wins to start the season.
So why hasn’t Bowles gotten more credit or shine for all that he’s accomplished?
Some will probably point to the fact that he coaches in the talent-depleted NFC South where the Bucs compete against weak teams like the Panthers, Falcons and Saints. Others might simply not care.
But there’s no doubting that Bowles has done, and continues to do, an amazing job as the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Through his leadership, the Bucs are poised to have another great season in 2025.
And with games against the defending Super Bowl champions Philadelphia Eagles, the upstart Seahawks, and Super Bowl hopefuls Buffalo Bills and LA Rams, the Bucs have the chance to show the entire NFL that Bowles’ team is the real deal.
So look into what Bowles has built during his tenure in Tampa, watch what he does over the next few weeks and if he continues to win, celebrate him as the great coach that no one is paying attention to.
