Bucco Bruce Arians Names Todd Bowles “Coach Of The Year” At Midway Point Of Season
October 29th, 2025
Shoutout from former boss.
Bucco Bruce Arians has changed his tune. A little.
A few weeks ago, the former Bucs’ Super Bowl-winning coach stated Liam Coen of Jacksonville ought to be the “Coach of the Year” for his turnaround of the lowly Jags.
The Jags, behind the former offensive coordinator of the Bucs, trail first-place Indianapolis by two games in the AFC South.
Coen is no longer so fortunate. In his weekly in-studio appearance on the “Pat McAfee Show” yesterday, Arians said Colts head coach Shane Steichen should be the AFC coach of the year.
For the NFC? Arians tagged his former defensive coordinator with the Cardinals and Bucs, and the man hand-picked to succeed Arians in Tampa Bay, Todd Bowles.
Why? Rarely playing with a full deck and still entering the bye at 6-2.
“In the NFC I got Todd Bowles,” Arians said. Bowles has led the Bucs to “6-2 with a plethora of injuries.
“They needed the bye. Nobody needs a bye week more than they do right now.”
Boy, ain’t that the truth. If the Bucs can get their injured players back, and perhaps Mike Evans and Calijah Kancey can rejoin the team for the playoffs, look out.
Joe remembers how Vita Vea in 2020 came back from a messed-up ankle to rejoin the Bucs just in time for the NFC title game in Green Bay. That was just the juice the Bucs needed to get over the hump.
With Vea in the lineup, Shaq Barrett went nuts.
In part because teams had to account for Vea, the Bucs for a two-game stretch — in the two most important, biggest games of the year — had a pass rush so fierce that even Simeon Rice stood on his feet and applauded.
October 29th, 2025 at 5:23 am
Don’t know his name, but that honor should go to the Colts coach. The Bucs were picked to be a pretty good team. They’ve owned their division, were expected to make the playoffs. The Colts were expected to be playing for the first pick in the draft. Their QB is castoff Danny Dimes. It’s been an amazing season so faar for the Colts. Right now, I’d give their coach the award.
October 29th, 2025 at 5:23 am
Would love to get Mike Evans back just prior to the playoffs assuming he’s at 100% (coming back at 80% can actually be detrimental to an offense IMO), but I already wrote off Calijah Kancey for this season once he had to have surgery.
Elijah Roberts is doing a more than adequate job as his replacement, and I think Bowles is gaining more & more trust in him. His def snaps have now increased to 44% (and he got 46 snaps in the Lions game & 48 snaps in the Saints game).
October 29th, 2025 at 5:53 am
I know Jason Licht NEVER makes BIG trade deadline deals , but getting the leading tackler in the NFL who can cover backs and TE’s like glue in space for a 4th rounder and Izien seems like a super smart trigger pull right about now. His name is Jordyn Brooks of the Dolphins.
October 29th, 2025 at 6:31 am
Well, you told me I have a plethora. And I just would like to know if you know what a plethora is. I would not like to think that a person would tell someone he has a plethora, and then find out that that person has *no idea* what it means to have a plethora.
October 29th, 2025 at 6:37 am
The indie guy is in the,AFC. Bowles deserves NFC.
October 29th, 2025 at 7:06 am
Agree with Marky mark, Coach Bowles deserves NFC.
I disagreed before when Bruce said Coen. Boo-hoo-hoo to Coen. Last season he had a strong offense with Evans, Bucky, …, along with Baker and they all helped him look good. Bucky was the it factor last season. This season we have offense injuries early on. Not to forget how Coen left the Bucs. Grizz has been here. He has to learn to switch it up with the mounting injuries. He will. Go Bucs!
October 29th, 2025 at 7:19 am
Shane Steichen. It says it in the body of the story. Colts head coach.
October 29th, 2025 at 8:18 am
Bowles for sure…
take away jonathan taylor, their starting RG, and starting RT for 3 or 4 games and see how they fair lol…
6-2!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
October 29th, 2025 at 8:50 am
BA’s sense of humor is off the charts.
October 29th, 2025 at 9:10 am
Don’t pay much attention to the AFC so whoever. I am glad the Ravens stink! NFC? Well, Todd Bowles has done pretty damned well for a HC with star players injured. You can’t argue with 6-2. However, he’s still a Buc so he won’t get it. NFL political bias rules the roost.
October 29th, 2025 at 9:27 am
If TB can get the Bucs into the Superbowl than he gets my vote!!! Of course I don’t have a vote! LoL
October 29th, 2025 at 9:54 am
hahahah. funny man. and “rarely”? No full decks this year yet, and none coming. Bowles is better than last year though.
October 29th, 2025 at 9:57 am
They don’t give out half season awards.
They’ve accomplished nothing yet.
If they think they have, they will soon learn.
October 29th, 2025 at 10:39 am
Since Arians is receiving a paycheck from the Bucs, I hope he is earning it by mentoring Josh Grizzard. He should be in Tampa and sitting in the film room with grizzard sharing observations and discussing strategies.
Enough already with his self serving man crush on his protege Bowels.
October 29th, 2025 at 10:40 am
Some real breaking news here. A man on the Buc’s payroll/Todd’s lifelong friend and mentor picks Todd? What’s next? Are you going to tell us Baker’s favorite LT in the league is Wirfs?
October 29th, 2025 at 2:44 pm
@HeartyDickerson
He picked Liam (the weasel) Coen 2 weeks ago.
October 29th, 2025 at 3:02 pm
Mod Hair Ken is correct
Also- we got spanked by the two teams that matter in our division.
Bravo for hanging in there, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves