Jason Licht, Todd Bowles Weigh In On Sorry Kickoff Coverage
December 7th, 2025
Core special teams player Anthony Nelson
The Buccaneers’ kickoff coverage is a problem issue well known and studied by the team over the past several weeks. Heck, it probably cost the Bucs a win in Buffalo last month.
And guess what happened today at The Licht House?
The Saints received the opening kickoff and Bucs practice squad call-up Marcus Banks was blocked too easily, Anthony Nelson was late to the hole and off to the races went wide receiver Mason Tipton to the Bucs’ 44 yard line. Joe can’t even explain what cornerback Jacob Parrish was doing on the return.
Todd Bowles acknowledged after the game that there’s a recurring problem.
“Can’t have that. We got a few new guys there, we may need a few more,” Bowles said.
Troubling kickoff coverage also was on the mind of Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht before the game.
Licht jumped on the Buccaneers Radio Network pregame show where he was asked about punter Riley Dixon winning NFC Special Teams Player of the Week, an honor kicker Chase McLaughlin and punt returner Kameron Johnson won earlier in the year.
“I’d like to see some more explosive returns on kickoff and I’d like to see us continue to cover the kickoffs better,” Licht said. “We’ve started to get a little bit better and shore [up kickoff coverage] a little bit. I’d like to see team awards than individual awards, but it’s good for those guys.”
Well, the Bucs haven’t fixed kickoff coverage and it’s December. Maybe it’s time to put more starters out there or, you know, hold the special teams coach accountable.
Video of the opening kickoff is below.
Tipton opens the game with a 54-yard kick return 🔥
đź“ş: CBS pic.twitter.com/JsjtWWFQN4
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) December 7, 2025
December 7th, 2025 at 5:13 pm
No more Licht house. Licht sucks. Fire all the loser from the GM down to that awful medical team. Losers!
December 7th, 2025 at 5:17 pm
Every article you guys write has the same root problem…. Coaching staff! If you can’t fix it after 10 weeks kick it out of the back or not in the landing zone so they start at the 35 or 40. Every fan watching would have fixed this 5-6 weeks ago…. This isn’t hard things to do and they fail at it every week!
December 7th, 2025 at 5:17 pm
It’s happened far too many times and continues to occur. It’s a Todd life….
December 7th, 2025 at 5:17 pm
Clown show. Todd weighs in sloppy and that’s about it. He is a clown of a HC
December 7th, 2025 at 5:17 pm
Welp, what should have been a relatively easy win with a team that says they have deep playoff aspirations tune into a display of ineptitude that I haven’t taken in a long time. This team ain’t doing sh!t this year…even IF they get in the playoff they will lose to good teams.
NO CHANCE, just playing for a record now…SB is a pipe dream
December 7th, 2025 at 5:18 pm
I’m flying on Wednesday for the Thursday night game. If I wasn’t taking my son, I would sell my tickets and cancel my airline flight. I’ve never felt so ashamed as a Bucs fan. There is no way you could tell me they have not tuned him out Ludacris.!!!
December 7th, 2025 at 5:18 pm
Just fire Todd
December 7th, 2025 at 5:19 pm
Licht getting crushed on sports radio right now. I’ve said it a million times on these boards, tom Brady and his super friends + spytek saved Jason’s job. He’s just not that good on his own.
December 7th, 2025 at 5:19 pm
Where’s the Todd Bowles fan club right now? The ones who called fans who called for this bum’s job as “spoiled”.
December 7th, 2025 at 5:19 pm
Did coaching allow the rookie QB to escape a sure sack for a TD…did coaching allow the kickoff team to put then on our side of the field on the opening kickoff???
No, the damn players aren’t good enough…it’s sad it true. No amount of coaching will improve the level of talent we have on this team right now.
Even with ME and JMac coming back soon, they will still lose in the playoffs, IF THEY GET THERE.
December 7th, 2025 at 5:20 pm
These people need to realize what they charge for tickets and concession. They need to put a better product on the field.
December 7th, 2025 at 5:24 pm
It’s almost like our coaching staff is incompetent and the players have tuned them all out… imagine that?
December 7th, 2025 at 5:24 pm
Bucs can’t cover on special teams and when they have a decent return they held. Such is the coaching on this team.
December 7th, 2025 at 5:26 pm
Guess the smoke and mirrors of a bad division can’t save toilet bowels anymore. He did the same crap in New York and now it’s here. He can go and Byron grizzard can go too
December 7th, 2025 at 5:27 pm
The coaches picked these players from the crap the Jason delivered. the coaches have had these players for thirteen games. The players regress. The defensive and offensive schemes are not working. That some of the players are ‘bored’ and disinterested is on the coaches and team leadership. I’m not sure the Bucs have team leadership or coaching. I don’t believe I’ve seen anyone with their hair on fire since Todd’s been here.
December 7th, 2025 at 5:29 pm
Glazers have to make the move and fire the slovenly Toad. Stop licking the Toad!
December 7th, 2025 at 5:36 pm
Coach it better play it better, tackle better. It never happens, just talk little action. This game was written on the wall after last week’s medicore play. Unforunately , I predicted it. You can never take anything for granted in a division game and the Saints hate us. I also said we would make the rookie qb look good and we did. The defense has few play makers and Licht and Bowles should have aquired a real edge rusher, why they did’nt is hard to understand. I also don’t understand the thoughts behind not getting a real mlb. They know LVD is not what he was and can’t carry the middle by himself any longer. Dennis is not even average and would not start on many teams. We also have no depth behind him. Then I predicted the Saints would go after MCColumn early and often and they did just, missing on a clearly beaten MMcColumn for a touchdown early. Asit turned out that did not matter as they scored with ease anyway. Yes McColumn got an interception, but that was not due to his play. I have been saying McColumn needs to be benched, why that has not happened, I don’t know.
Anyway with the season over, maybe some shake ups will occur. Yes you can hope the Bucs have a shot to win the division, but don’t be disillusioned the Bucs may not win another game this year. Counsins, will be all pro next week, count on it, Miami is playing well these days and yes can see us now getting swept by Car, 7-9 anyone . Yes we have Evans and J Mac coming back, but the way the offense and defense is playing they won’t be enough.
December 7th, 2025 at 5:41 pm
Awwww. So sad to hear….Wait I thought I heard this a couple month ago. Oh well. Lets keepm paying Bozo to run the show.
December 7th, 2025 at 5:42 pm
Joe, are you actually paying any attention to Bozo Babble?
December 7th, 2025 at 5:48 pm
Exactly Miller5252.
The biggest weakness on this team is the coaching. It was that way with Bowles and Leftwich. It’s been that way for the D the previous 2 years, and as hit or miss as Canales was… the offense with him and Coen kept this team afloat, getting them to the playoffs.
What’s the common denominator here… Todd. It’s always been Todd. He should have been fired with Leftwich after the Pittsburgh debacle 4 years ago.
He hasn’t contributed a damn thing, other than keep players happy in a comfy everyone is friends locker room. You can point at coaching for like 20 losses over the last 4 years and maybe 4 wins.
December 7th, 2025 at 5:55 pm
if Bowles is staying on as head coach after this season I am done with this organization after 25 years of fandom!
December 7th, 2025 at 6:14 pm
The fact that the “problem issue well known and studied by the team over the past several weeks” kind of says it all. Bowles doesn’t know how to fix it. Time to retire.
December 7th, 2025 at 8:41 pm
Bowles should have fired the special teams coordinator after the Jets game. Launching practice squad scrubs will not send a message and guys like Parrrish and Nelson are not going to be cut or penalized.
December 7th, 2025 at 9:10 pm
That video is absolutely horrifying…that has to be the worst special teams coach in the nfl
December 7th, 2025 at 9:43 pm
How do you not fire this ST coach? Zero accountability.
Then again how do you have a defensive head coach (in an offensive league) with a defensive that blows?
All on Licht.
December 8th, 2025 at 7:13 am
This entire organization makes me want to vomit.