Baker Mayfield Prefers Stoic Todd Bowles
August 7th, 2025
Consistent.
One reason why fans loved Chucky so much is Chucky wore his emotions on his sleeve.
Fans knew he cared as much about winning as they did. Fans could relate to Chucky.
Not everybody is Chucky.
One critique fans have about Bucs coach Todd Bowles is his stoic nature. Fans hate that. But Baker Mayfield loves it.
On Kay Adams’ FanDuel TV show yesterday from One Buc Palace, Mayfield told Adams he really appreciates Bowles’ even keel. And Mayfield thinks that style works best for the current makeup of the Bucs.
“He’s just so consistent, good, bad, indifferent, like he doesn’t change,” Mayfield said. “And so some people, they want emotion, you know? That’s what you kind of hear. It’s like, ‘Why doesn’t he show emotion? Why doesn’t he do this?’
“He’s the same guy each and every day. And from a leadership standpoint, rocky or successful, having that be your model, that’s really important for us.
“He allows us to go out and be ourselves. So he’s just, he knows when to display leadership. And he knows when to take control. And that’s a God-given talent.”
Joe used to say the same thing about Father Dungy; emotion or lack of it doesn’t matter a hill of beans. Many of the best coaches in NFL history were cigar store Indians on the sideline.
And yeah, there have been a fair share of emotional coaches who have won rings like Chucky and Bucco Bruce Arians.
Whenever this subject of coaching emotions comes up, Joe always remembers what old Bobby Bowden told Joe.
Bowden, as a young coach, would go to NFL training camps (which in those days opened around July 4th) so he could learn a thing or two and network.
Two camps Bowden would always go to were the Packers’, when Vince Lombardi coached, and the Browns with Paul Brown at head coach. Bowden told Joe the two coaches couldn’t have been more different. Lombardi was non-stop hollerin’ and cussin’ while Brown, Bowden said, barely talked above a whisper.
Yet the two men arguably were the two best coaches who ever lived.
The moral of the story for Bowden? You have to be yourself because players can sniff out a fake real easily.
“He’s just so consistent. Good, bad, indifferent — he doesn’t change.”
Baker Mayfield says Todd Bowles’ steady leadership never wavers — and that consistency sets the tone for the entire team@heykayadams | @bakermayfield | @Buccaneers #WeAreTheKrewe pic.twitter.com/KlA0zbiLL9
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) August 6, 2025
August 7th, 2025 at 6:08 am
Excellent and straight-forward post, Joe. Baker is right on point too. Good video. You don’t have to be the loudest person on and off the field to get it done. Bowles and other more silent coaches have shown us that.
August 7th, 2025 at 6:30 am
Although admirable in some circles, I find the stoic’s aversion to conflict rather frustrating. “Nothing I can do about it, so why become upset?” In other words, the stoic’s comfort zone can appear as an acquiescence of conflict instead of facing it head on. Stoic outsiders often find themselves thinking, “Speak up man! Say something in your own defense or they’ll walk all over you!”
Meanwhile, us Epicureans live to enjoy the day. I find the release of emotions healthy. Best to get what’s eating at you out of your system and start anew.
Chucky might get under your skin, or even make you want to throw a punch, but you will always know where you stand. You’re never off to the side wondering what he is thinking. Even when he’s lying his lie is plain enough for all to see.
When exploring fear and loathing in Bucsville, your easiest summation would conclude that Bowles and Gruden could not be more different.
And … to each his own.
August 7th, 2025 at 7:45 am
“ You’re never off to the side wondering what he is thinking. Even when he’s lying his lie is plain enough for all to see”
Weird take. No one appreciates being lied to.
August 7th, 2025 at 8:19 am
Players making millions still have to be motivated. Todd sure looks like a master of motivation. HAHAHAHA
August 7th, 2025 at 8:52 am
Stoic: The late great Chuck Noll comes to mind.
August 7th, 2025 at 9:10 am
So does Tom Landry, Shula to an extent. The key word Baker used is balanced. When Bakers head is spinning from the adrenalin flowing Bowles is there provide the balance. Just be yourself, that’s honest.
August 7th, 2025 at 9:11 am
Oh Bill Walsh too
August 7th, 2025 at 10:17 am
Game theory — play calling — all come from those early Greek philosophers and Stoicism was an unrecognized leader of our logic basis.
That being said, football is also sometimes played best with emotion too. So, while I don’t want to see Todd lose all of his Stoic traces — adding and understanding when an emotional lift could help success of his team would be great IMO.
August 7th, 2025 at 11:37 am
I don’t mind Todd’s stoicism. It’s his (lack of) coaching his DBs to line up 12 yards off the ball on 3rd and 5, and poor in game decision making that chaps my butt.
August 7th, 2025 at 1:02 pm
While coaches like Gruden and Arians may be more entertaining, I don’t really give a rats a** about that. As was written above, some of the best coaches in NFL history didn’t display emotions on the sidelines.
I loved Bruce Arians, who was a great coach, but my favorite coach in the Buccaneers’ history was Tony Dungy, closer in style to coaches like Tom Landry.
I was in touch with some of the players back then via some business I was doing, and saw how Dungy took one of the most pathetically losing teams in professional sports, flipped the losing culture 180 degrees, and instilled a rock solid certainty in the players that the team was on the path to greatness – and this was even before the team began winning games.
August 7th, 2025 at 2:04 pm
I appreciate the stability and consistency, but at times a fiery leader can sometimes turn the tide and stop a game from going south. Enthusiasm is infectious. I guess Bowles motivates in a different way.