Is Todd Bowles unfairly on the hot seat entering 2024?
![Oct 26, 2023; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles watches warm ups before a game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports Oct 26, 2023; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles watches warm ups before a game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_3191,h_1794,x_0,y_547/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/50/01j15hhfjjk3anq2m7bq.jpg)
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers named Todd Bowles as their head coach in 2022 after Bruce Arians transitioned to a different role. Bowles had been the team's defensive coordinator since 2019 and was a big part in why the Bucs reached and won Super Bowl LV.
In Bowles' first year as the Bucs' head coach, the team finished with a losing record but still won the pitiful NFC South. In his second year, they shocked the world by winning the NFC South despite Tom Brady retiring and not leading the offense anymore.
Despite Bowles helping lead the Bucs to the playoffs in both of his seasons as the head coach, he's still on Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports' list of coaches on the hot seat this year.
"Bowles can coach a defense as well as anyone, and his group of 2023 underdogs -- featuring the scrappy Baker Mayfield under center -- nearly advanced to the NFC title game. But his clubs have also gone .500 over two seasons in arguably the weakest division in football, and his situational decision-making has drawn critique. With offensive coordinator Dave Canales gone, it's fair to wonder if he can elevate a "run-it-back" roster."
- Cody Benjamin
Should Todd Bowles be on the hot seat in 2024?
Yes, the Bucs have reached the playoffs the past two years but as Benjamin mentioned, they haven't played as well as they could have and that ultimately lands on the shoulders of the coaching staff. Tampa Bay was under .500 in 2022 with freaking Tom Brady as the quarterback and they barely finished above .500 this past year despite playing in a weak division.
If the Bucs have a disappointing year in 2024, then it wouldn't be shocking to see Bowles let go from his head coaching position. That being said, it'd have to be a really bad season for that to happen considering the team has made the playoffs each year he's been at the helm.
Bucs fans might not like it but the reality is that Todd Bowles is likely here to stay for at least another couple of seasons.
feed