Big Day For Todd Bowles In Two Weeks
April 7th, 2026
While only six NFL head coaches have been on the job longer than Todd Bowles, the Bucs will sort of kicking off a new era when the team reports back for duty on April 20.
Gone are Mike Evans, Lavonte David and Jamel Dean, and their combined 33 years of service to Tampa Bay. Gone are the coordinators on offense and special teams. Gone are longtime defensive backs coaches and senior offensive advisor Tom Moore, among others on the staff.
That’s a ton of signficant change without a team replacing its head coach.
Bowles seems to recognize that, per his words to Josina Anderson of The Exhibit.
Bowles sat with Anderson last week at the NFL annual meeting in Phoenix. He addressed the Bucs’ staff overhaul. how it was difficult but necessary and how Bowles is eager a critical Day 1 later this month.
“It’s hard because a lot of [departed coaches] you’re very close to and extremely close to,” Bowles said. “And a lot of guys I came up with from nothing, from the dust. And I’ve been with them for many years. And from a football standpoint, when the game changes and the coaches change, you have to concentrate on the thing that got you there — and that’s just understanding how to coach. Concentrating on the fundamentals and teaching the guys that come in the building because you can’t worry about the relationships from a football standpoint. It’s never personal.
“And some guys have moved on to go to better places, as far as head coaches. Some guys have retired and been in it a long time and then some guys just didn’t fit anymore. You have a combination of all that as a head coach. So it’s never easy. It’s always a difficult process. But it’s important to find the right fit and I think we’ve kind of found the right fit this year.
“… It starts with me. Obviously, that first meeting is going to be important to lay the groundwork of what we want to do. Then you have to practice what you preach every day. If we do that, I think we’ll be fine.”
Interesting hearing Bowles says of coaches, “some guys just didn’t fit anymore.”
Joe likes the Bucs’ changes. It feels like there’s just enough new blood to prevent the stink of last season’s collapse from lingering.