All the Tampa Bay Buccaneers needed to do was to keep pace after their bye week, which they entered with a 6-2 record. Instead, the Buccaneers finished the season 8-9 and missed out on the playoffs altogether, as the Atlanta Falcons defeated the New Orleans Saints to hand-deliver the NFC South Championship to the Carolina Panthers. The team went from Super Bowl contenders to watching the Super Bowl at home.
Buccaneers fans were fed up with the team continuing to fall off the proverbial cliff in the second half of the season. That anger was directed towards head coach Todd Bowles, and said fans were calling for his job.
On Monday, Bowles spoke with reporters and was asked about his job security. Bowles defended the job he's done with the team since taking over in 2022.
Bucs coach Todd Bowles has not yet met with the Glazer family about his future but said “I’ve earned the chance. I’ve won three straight division titles so that says at lot as far as I’m concerned.” pic.twitter.com/wxiML3nYsp
— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) January 5, 2026
"All I can do is coach and be myself. I've earned the chance. I've won three straight division titles so that says a lot as far as I'm concerned," said Bowles. "I don't really have a message to fans, other than true fans are true fans. We're going to try our best to go out there and win for them. They're going to feel how they feel, but that's not the coach's problem. The coach's problem is to make the team better."
Todd Bowles passionately defends job security after Buccaneers miss playoffs
Bowles pointed out that in his first three years as Buccaneers head coach, he helped lead the team to NFC South titles in each of them. In those three playoff trips, the Buccaneers have one win (2023 vs. the Philadelphia Eagles). Overall, Bowles had a 27-24 record from the 2022 through 2024 regular seasons.
But this season, the Buccaneers had the collapse of all collapses, losing seven of their final nine games to miss out on the playoffs altogether. Yes, the team dealt with countless injuries, but it was a very winnable division. Not to mention, you can point to the San Francisco 49ers, who had countless injuries yet picked up 12 wins and competed for the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
Even before the Buccaneers found out about their playoff fate, ESPN senior NFL insider Adam Schefter reported before Saturday's game against the Panthers that the team does not want to move on from Bowles. However, he did add the caveat that that could change if they lost on Saturday. Considering they won that game 16-14, he at least accomplished that.
It's unknown when the Buccaneers will make a decision on his fate. The team is expected to undergo evaluations on the coaching staff and conduct exit interviews. FOX Sports' Greg Auman expects there to be answers at the end of the week.
While some Buccaneers fans want a change at head coach, Bowles defended his resume.