Warren Sharp: Todd Bowles Is A Middling Coach
July 7th, 2025
Ranking.
Whenever Joe types a post about Todd Bowles, the Bucs coach seems to lure both defenders and haters alike.
The defenders point to playoff appearances in each of his three seasons in charge. Also true: The Bucs have improved their record in each season after his first in 2022.
Bowles’ haters will point out that his pass defenses are terrible, which shouldn’t be when your head coach is a defensive guy. True. Also true: The lack of a killer instinct on offense demonstrated by Bowles has cost the Bucs critical games and possibly playoff games, too.
So given there are logical, reasoned arguments for and against Bowles, should it really surprise anyone that Warren Sharp, on his website Sharp Football Analysis, has Bowles ranked in the middle of the pack in his annual preseason coach rankings?
Sharp and his gang have Bowles as the NFL’s No. 14 coach.
Todd Bowles has been solid during his three year run with the Buccaneers, making the playoffs in each of those seasons. He jumps to 14th in this year’s rankings after finishing 20th a year ago.
Joe understands fans still kill Bowles over the Cooper Kupp catch that doomed the Bucs in the 2021 playoffs. That’s fair, but dang, isn’t that just about ancient history now?
If you want to bang on Bowles for having a lousy pass defense, that’s fair. In only one season has his pass defense not finished ranked in the 20s, which really shouldn’t be given Bowles was an NFL safety.
If you want to rag on Bowles for rarely going for the kill shot when just about everyone watching the game can see that’s the obvious move, that’s fair.
But what is also fair is Bowles is always rallying the team through potholes that would wreck most teams’ seasons. Bowles has also developed players and developed a tough team (with injury-prone players). And Bowles has improved the team’s record the past two seasons.
Those are very good traits.
So yeah, when you balance the good with the bad, No. 14 seems reasonable to Joe.
July 7th, 2025 at 3:57 am
The good bad and ugly with Todd = 500 record. The definition of a middling Coach.
Todd is a good guy, players seem to like playing for him, but the bottom line is it equals a 500 record.
Hopefully this year, that changes and they make a deep run in the playoffs and maybe Super Bowl.
It comes down to this, the Defense needs to step up. The Offense will be fine. If the Defense steps up, then they are legit contenders to win another Lombardi. If the D does not step up, then division Round of the playoffs is the ceiling.
GO BUCS!!!!!!
July 7th, 2025 at 4:48 am
Bowles didn’t miss the coverage on Kupp, pretty sure that was AWJ.
July 7th, 2025 at 6:10 am
I’ll agree with a number 14 ranking.
For all of the reasons (good and bad) in the article and many more that have been Nd will be discussed here on jbf.com.
I’m “cautiously optimistic” about a much better W-L record and deeper playoff run this year.
And in turn, a ranking higher than no. 14 next year.
All the right things were said during the off-season and we rightly focused on defense with our personnel moves.
I just need to see it happen on the field during the season.
Go Bucs!!
July 7th, 2025 at 6:14 am
14 best of 32. Up 6 from last year. Let’s see another jump after this season to 8th best. With the limited information we all have it seems like a fair ranking.
July 7th, 2025 at 6:27 am
All eyes will be on this defense at ATL in game 1.
July 7th, 2025 at 6:42 am
Agree with Mr. Sharp. Coach Bowles is the definition of average.
July 7th, 2025 at 6:43 am
I appreciate Bowles for several reasons, but the main one for all of us long-time fans is being able to keep us competitive through the post-Brady rebuilding process. Will he be able to get us to the Super Bowl? Not sure, but he’s done well winning the division with a sub-par roster. Until now! This is the year that will show fans whether he can make a serious run or not.
July 7th, 2025 at 7:10 am
I think the defense will be a lot better this season with the new additions.
July 7th, 2025 at 7:19 am
I remember when a small percentage of fans would defend Byron Leftwhich as a good playcaller to the death. Todd’s not a bad as lefty but the results have not lived up to his “defensive guru” label. He’s a middle ranked coach at BEST. Nice guy though.
July 7th, 2025 at 8:09 am
I don’t agree with Sharp staff football voters. Todd should be around number 11. He has done a lot and has kept the team culture together, no drama.