Report: Bowles To Interview With Atlanta
January 6th, 2021
Interviewing.
Could the Dixie Chicks poach yet another key member of the Bucs? The first step to doing that is in the works.
Since the Bucs won the Super Bowl in January 2003, Atlanta has been a home for wayward Bucs types. First it was former Bucs general manager Rich McKay. Then it was former Bucs coach Raheem Morris. Then is was one of Rah’s successors, Dirk Koetter.
Could it be for Bowles?
Per the creator, curator and overall guru of Pro Football Talk, the great Mike Florio, the Dixie Chicks have an interview set up with Bucs defensive coordinator Todd Bowles to fill the vacancy for their head coach opening.
Per a league source, the Falcons will interview Bowles next week for their vacant head-coaching position.
Bowles served as head coach of the Jets from 2015 through 2018, generating a record of 24-40. He went 10-6 but missed the playoffs in his first year on the job.
If Bowles is interviewing for other jobs, perhaps lesser jobs, could that mean Bowles isn’t already lined up to succeed Bucs coach Bucco Bruce Arians when he leaves the Bucs?
Arians, 68, is in the second year of a four-year contract.
Joe has always suspected that was part of a deal to get Arians out of retirement: that Arians would set the table for his hand-picked successor and then after two or three seasons excuse himself for good from the dinner table.
The fact Bowles is already interviewing for a head coach gig tells Joe either Arians has no such plan, or that Bowles won’t be the beneficiary of such a plan. Unless there is no plan.
Or, if Bowles interviewing is a choreographed head-fake to motivate Team Glazer to agree to such a plan?
January 6th, 2021 at 1:10 am
Intriguing Bird play here….hmmm. Respect their competitive gamesmanship.
Thoughts below;
A) BIRDS -Divert Bowles focus for Bucs playoff game planning, or;
B) BIRDS -Take Bucs DC who knows how to game plan for Brady in 2021
C) Bowles playing Chess with Glazers to position as HC after BA?
January 6th, 2021 at 1:28 am
Good for Bowles. As a Bucs fan I don’t like the distraction. I remember how Monte rumors derailed the Bucs.
January 6th, 2021 at 1:30 am
You think arthur blank is gonna hire todd bowles after watching matt ryan throw for 1000 yards against our defense this year.
Hey. Our run defense is great. Dont get me wrong
Our pass defense is high school level
And teams realize they can make any throw they want against our defense
3rd and 17. How bout we just give you a td like last atl game
How many qbs just decimated our defense this year and last
Aint happening people.
And if it does , not sure that is a bad thing. We would have coordinators chomping at bit to come here. We got talent up the ying. And an offense that averages over 30 points a game
January 6th, 2021 at 2:44 am
Go get Wade Phillips
January 6th, 2021 at 2:54 am
Getting the Rooney out of the way
January 6th, 2021 at 4:02 am
Bird with that Trump math….
January 6th, 2021 at 5:38 am
I don’t like the fact that playoff coaches are allowed to interview during the playoffs. It takes away from focus and messes up the players. Blank is just screwing with the Bucs again.
January 6th, 2021 at 6:11 am
this sucks to be taking place in the middle of a playoff week if the bucs get past the foreskins…
didn’t interviews not begin in past years until the season was fully over for a team???
January 6th, 2021 at 6:30 am
,I agree Bird
January 6th, 2021 at 6:35 am
Bowles has about the same chance percentage wise to get the Atlanta gig as Raheem…which is to say slim to none. Seems like a McKay driven move…who appears to be Teflon-line in the eyes of Blank check.
I can’t imagine The Bros. Glazer would have guaranteed BA the right to name his successor. Nor should have they…a month ago at 7-5 and reeling, BA’s coaching future wasn’t even ironclad. Mr. Brady has made/saved many o’ careers the past 20 years.
January 6th, 2021 at 6:49 am
I don’t like this. Nope, don’t like this at all. This is Tony Dungy all over again.
Tony was an excellent defensive-minded coach IMO who needed an already-existing offensive powerhouse to really kick ass. Once our ‘brain-trust’ fired him, Indy saw the potential immediately and quickly hired him. With OC Tom Moore & DC Ron Meeks he created a solid team that over his 7-year coaching stint there went 85-27 (over 75% win-loss ratio), made the playoffs every year, and won the Super Bowl once. Ironically, had it not been for Tom Brady, he might’ve won it a couple more times (Patriots beat the Colts in the playoffs in both 2003 & 2004).
Todd Bowles is also an excellent defensive-minded coach who needs an already-established offensive powerhouse to really kick ass. The Jets obviously didn’t provide that … but Atlanta does. If the Bucs let Todd Bowles escape Tampa, it’ll rank as the second-dumbest move we’ve ever made, and we’ve made some doozies. Todd Bowles rebuilt this defense in essentially one year, and brought it from being a 29th-ranked doormat to being a Top-10 playoff defense. Arians’ offense without a strong defense would get us a break-even record at best.
January 6th, 2021 at 7:00 am
Atlanta already interviewed Raheem. Rooney rule is already covered, Lamarcus.
January 6th, 2021 at 7:02 am
And how has plucking coaches from the Bucs exactly helped the Fowlclowns? Sure….go ahead and take him…lol.
January 6th, 2021 at 7:02 am
Just as Mr. Brady has made/saved many o’ careers…Peyton Manning did the same. Dungy owes him a great deal of gratitude. Had Peyton not waved off the punt team vs The Pats during their Super Bowl winning season, Dungy is without a SB ring as well as a spot in Canton. The Bucs interviewed several teams assistants…including Sean McDermott of the then Panthers. It’s just what teams do.
January 6th, 2021 at 7:06 am
Bird … Look at the big-picture for a second, not just at one part of it. Bucs’ defense EARNED a Top-10 ranking this year in both Points Allowed (#8 ranking) and Total Yardage Allowed (#6 ranking). In the process we have the #1-ranked run defense and yes the #21-ranked pass defense. Even with that though, we still ranked #5 in takeaways and #5 in least 1st downs allowed.
Those are all significant improvements over last season. I’m admittedly one of those who wants a 3-and-out on every single series; maybe you are too. Quite unrealistic I keep telling myself given that offenses know what they’re attempting to do and defenses are more reactive. Still, I’ll tip my hat to Todd Bowles for taking a very inexperienced group & molding them into a Top-10 defense. Without that, we’re not talking playoffs; we’re talking probably another 7-9 season even with Tom Brady.
January 6th, 2021 at 7:33 am
Plans change.
The original plan was to fix Jameis, and then Bowles take over in a few years.
Then the 30&30 happened.
Then TB12 arrived.
New plan.
TB12 leads us to the Superbowl.
TB12 retires and takes over as coach.
TB12 wins 7 rings as HC and gets his final revenge on Belicheat (talk about holding a grudge)
January 6th, 2021 at 7:56 am
D.R.
You know how to scare a guy. I’m pro everybody getting their shot so I’m happy for Bowles. But I agree his loss represents a threat to the Bucs but especially if it’s to a freaking Division rival…and the Dixie Chicks have a good team that is close. A great draft and they’ll be truly tough to beat. And they have an excellent OC with a great QB and two great WR’s although one at least is beginning to show his age.
In addition you’re the D guy I tend to look at O but it seems to me this team is LOADED when it comes to offensive minds. BA..BL…and of course TB12 who is probably a hybrid QB/OC…bottom line is we are deep BEHIND the bench on offense.
Who do we have on the D side. Perhaps our DLine coach. I honestly haven’t looked past Bowles but I suspect BA has some backup in mind.
Any nominations or ideas if Bowles does leave. Do we go outside or is there somebody on staff you respect enough to give the position.
BA tends to be loyal to those who have been loyal to him so if somebody is on staff they’ll probably be next up.
January 6th, 2021 at 8:01 am
Jason, you’re in dreamland to think Brady would ever want to coach. Maybe head of operations who knows. Interviewing during PO’s, I don’t get that, clearly a distraction to both coach and player. Other than this year and offense continuing to make up for defense , I say let him go, he is a losing coach. The players play, he has NO influence on why this team is winning.
January 6th, 2021 at 8:04 am
He’s great at blitzes, coverage and head coach not so much.
January 6th, 2021 at 8:06 am
And Brady will be out of football if he wins SB. He knows when to cash in his chips and will probably have many other, easier, gigs.
January 6th, 2021 at 8:10 am
I like Bowles, I hope he stays with the Bucs. I doubt that he’s at the top of the Falcons list (Bieniemy, Saleh, etc.).
January 6th, 2021 at 8:11 am
The choice has been made. As of now B.L. looks to be the next in line.
January 6th, 2021 at 8:14 am
Robert: Brady has already won 6 Super Bowls. He’s still playing because he loves playing football.
January 6th, 2021 at 8:27 am
Brady has stated he wants to play until 45. Get the future QB in quickly cause next year most likely will be Tommy Boy’s last. At least he will bring the Bucs 2 SB runs. Whether they win one or not, that verdict is out.
January 6th, 2021 at 8:53 am
Dear God I ask for so little but PLEASE let this be true. If it wasn’t for Bowles, we would be 13-2 or maybe even undefeated. PLEASE go to Atlanta or any frickn where. If I was the owner of ANY team playing the Bucs, I would tell the coach “if you run the ball, I will fire your dumbass.” Just PASS. ESPECIALLY dink and dunk.
January 6th, 2021 at 8:54 am
@Joe, but if he wins another, it proves his point. It was him not bilicheat…and he he is undeniably the goat. why would he risk injury after proving it twice and shoving it down bilicheats throat. I mean I love dirt bikes, street bikes etc…but at a certain age you realize you are overdue to cash it in.
January 6th, 2021 at 8:57 am
This would ensure ATL is not very good for 3-4 years, so as a Buc fan I am all for it. Some coaches should embrace their role as being good only as coordinators, being a HC isn’t for everyone
January 6th, 2021 at 9:14 am
Dueces!
January 6th, 2021 at 9:30 am
Cya! I wish Bowles would be the hire in ATL, but that won’t happen
January 6th, 2021 at 9:45 am
BL seems to be in line to take over after BA….been saying this since day1….
let Bowles walk if he wants to be HC….we have our next HC already…
BL IS WORKING MAGIC!!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
January 6th, 2021 at 10:20 am
Or an alternative- Bowles IS the planned next step, and Ariens is confident that he will choose to stay. I have no clue what the reality is, and neither does anyone else, outside the Bucs’ offices
January 6th, 2021 at 10:33 am
This is just the Falcons trying to weaken a divisional rival during the playoffs with a distraction. Similar to the Monte Kiffen fiasco that tanked the Bucs many years ago.
January 6th, 2021 at 11:19 am
Unless we win the Super Bowl, I don’t know why BA would still be around next year. He should take over the Bucs HC, keep BL at OC, and use his defensive coaching talent to scout a new DC. A 4-12 team with Matt Ryan out the door and Dirk at OC.
Bowels is a great DC, but just like the NYJ I think it would be a bad idea for them to throw him into a bad situation and be able to fix it in two to four years.
Don’t think the Bucs haven’t already had many conversations with Bowels about his future with the team.
January 6th, 2021 at 11:26 am
I would love a new DC, and OC for next year……good luck to Bowles , and hope there are teams there that are impressed with BL as well…..
January 6th, 2021 at 11:32 am
this is too much speculating ..my brain hurts
January 6th, 2021 at 12:23 pm
I’m also not a fan of coaches interviewing while their teams are still playing. Just seems like an unnecessary distraction. Would be better if no teams could interview until SB was done.
As for the Falcons “poaching” another key member of Bucs… this is a bit of revisionist history.
– Rah was fried by the Bucs
– Dirk was fire by the Bucs
– Dirk also worked for the Falcons before he was with the Bucs
So I would not call any of those “poaching”
January 6th, 2021 at 1:03 pm
I live in the Atlanta area and Eric Bieniemy who is the OC at the chiefs has the inside track. His problem will be he can’t bring Mahomes with him. I could Mahomes!!
January 6th, 2021 at 1:03 pm
I live in the Atlanta area and Eric Bieniemy who is the OC at the chiefs has the inside track. His problem will be he can’t bring Mahomes with him. I could coach Mahomes!!
January 6th, 2021 at 6:49 pm
Robert: I see your point, I’m no longer a spring chicken, either. As much as I HOPE the Bucs win the Super Bowl this year, I don’t see it happening. We’ll see, hope I’m wrong.