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BY IRA KAUFMAN
The Glazer family just showed Todd Bowles the money. A Hall of Fame coach believes it’s a wise investment.
Bill Parcells took some time out from his annual summer trek to Saratoga, N.Y., to discuss Bowles’ contract extension and Baker Mayfield’s success in Tampa.
Bill Parcells weighs in on the Todd Bowles contract extension.
Parcells was Director of Football Operations for the Jets in 2000 when Bowles was hired to run New York’s secondary — his first NFL coaching job. Bowles was also an assistant on the Parcells staff in Dallas and Parcells brought Bowles to Miami in 2008 when he oversaw football operations for the Dolphins.
“I have a very high regard for Todd,” said Parcells, who owns thoroughbred racehorses and has a home in Saratoga. “I know him very well personally. We’re both from close-by areas of New Jersey and I’ve known him since he was playing for Washington.
“This guy’s smart. He knows what he’s doing and he’s doing it. They’ve won like what, three division titles in a row down there since he took over? And I don’t see it slowing down anytime soon. He’s done a good job and he’s a good man, he really is.”
In his first NFL head coaching stint, Bowles went 24-40 with the Jets before he was dismissed following the 2018 season. When Bruce Arians replaced Dirk Koetter as Tampa Bay’s head coach in 2019, he quickly named Bowles his defensive coordinator.
Bowles has averaged nine wins in his first three years as head coach of the Bucs, twice overcoming midseason slumps to win the NFC South.
According to Parcells, the sobering experience in New York has served Bowles well.
“You always learn from your first time around,” Parcells said. “Sometimes it doesn’t end as well as you’d like, othertimes it does. I can’t emphasize this enough — Todd’s very smart. It’s clear that he’s getting the job done in Tampa.”
Mayfield has thrown 69 touchdown passes during his two years under center in Tampa, earning plaudits from Bowles, Jason Licht and the Glazers. Parcells hardly sounds surprised that Mayfield has resurrected a once-promising career.
“He was very well thought of, obviously, coming out of the (2018) draft,” said Parcells. “The scouting opinion on Mayfield was very high and it’s turned out to be true. Most of the time, the situation you get into has a lot to do with it.
“Who is there to groom you has so much to do with a player’s success level. A lot of people don’t realize that. They think it’s like going into Walmart and you can win anywhere …it doesn’t work like that.”
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