Right on queue the Tampa Bay Buccaneers annual mid-season slump started with three straight losses to the Patriots, Bills, and Rams. After a narrow win over the Cardinals the Bucs were supposed to enter the easy part of their schedule.
Instead four straight losses have them facing a win-or-go-home game that won’t even decide their playoff fate. They’ll need to wait for the outcome of the Saints and Falcons game on Sunday and become the biggest New Orleans fans in the world for a shot to get in.
Also right on queue are fans calling for the job of head coach Todd Bowles. The third-year head coach of the Bucs deserves some of the blame for the situation the team is in right now but he has shouldered nearly all of it.
After yet another unexpected loss on Sunday to the Dolphins, fans once again took to social media, and X, to call for the firing of Bowles. However, they were met with push back from beloved Buc’s legend, Gerald McCoy. The former Pro Bowl defensive tackle has been vocal in his support of Bowles in the past and his disdain of fans pointing the finger solely at him.
Gerald McCoy sounds off on Buccaneers' fans calling for Todd Bowles to be fired
In a lengthy video posted on X, McCoy urged fans not to give up on the team and to look at the problems with a broader scope than to pin everything on Bowles.
“Alright, the game just ended. I'm sitting in this lounge, but here we are, guys. I know I’m going back and forth with people on X, but understand that I’m a fan just like y’all. On TV and on camera, I get paid to be an analyst. On social media, I’m just another fan. So, as a fan who wants to lead the troops. We got one more game. I’m sure it’s gonna be flexed. It’s a playoff game essentially, win or go home. We’re at home. Let’s defend the ship, good or bad, let’s ride with our fellas, and let’s see what happens. We just gotta go out and win one game. One game. We’re division champs and in the playoffs, and when you get into the playoffs, anything can happen.
Even with as bad as we looked. Not a good football team right now, but we still got a shot. We gotta put this one behind us, go out and win a football game. We’ll deal with coaching and all that other stuff later. Let’s finish this season the right way. Go out, win one football game at home, to get into the playoffs, where anything can happen, and host a playoff game. I told y’all I go down with the ship. The ship goes down, I’m going down with it.
So, fans, y’all could be mad at me for defending T.B. [Todd Bowles] or whatever. I’m never gonna call for no player or coach's job. I’m gonna root for whoever is in place as long as they’re there. Coaches and players, but it doesn’t mean I can’t call it like it is. The coaches are bad, the players are bad. I just don’t want us to single out any one person. We’re just not good right now, but the reality is we got another shot. One more. Let’s win one game, fellas. One game. Put this one behind us and let’s go win one game.”
The Bucs have one final game to end the season on a positive note, whether that comes with a playoff berth or not. The rest will sort itself out after the season ends. But either way, changes are needed in personnel and staff if the Buccaneers are going to bounce back next season.