“Injuries Had Nothing To Do With That”
January 7th, 2026
Telling comment from inside the walls of One Buc Palace.
Like most NFL teams, the Bucs lost a bunch of close games this season. Unfortunately, the Bucs lost four one-score games in December against crappy teams.
That’s why head coach Todd Bowles sits on a broiling seat.
Injuries hit the Bucs hard this season, but again, injuries ravage many teams.
Early in the season the Bucs overcame injuries. In the second half of the season, they did not.
Bowles addressed this phenomenon on the Buccaneers Radio Network yesterday.
“In the second half of the season, the three-point games we lost. And there was about three or four of them in a row somewhere in there, between 3 and 5 points,” Bowles said.
“We didn’t execute in the end. Whether it’s schematically, whether it’s coaching-wise, or whether it’s just execution period, we gotta do a better job of finishing ballgames.
“And injuries had nothing to do with that.”
A very no-excuses, take-accountability answer from Bowles there, especially considering he was not asked about injuries.
Ironically, before the season, Bowles talked about how the Bucs must develop a better “killer instinct” and it can only come from players. It didn’t happen.
January 7th, 2026 at 11:04 am
Is he Fired yet? That’s the only question anyone has at this point.
January 7th, 2026 at 11:05 am
Get Harbaugh!
January 7th, 2026 at 11:05 am
Hopefully the fat lady sings today!!!
January 7th, 2026 at 11:06 am
It was your dumbass decision making that cost us games down the stretch cause you SUCK as a head coach and a DC.
January 7th, 2026 at 11:11 am
According to ESPN Bowles met with ownership yesterday and is meeting with his staff today. According to them he will find a new offensive coordinator and bolster the defensive staff. So yea he is not going anywhere.
January 7th, 2026 at 11:12 am
GET HARBAUGH.
ENERGIZE THE FANS.
TURN THE TEAM AROUND RIGHT AWAY.
DO IT!!!
January 7th, 2026 at 11:13 am
“and it can only come from players”
‘This’, is the only accountability that ‘coach’ Bowles recognizes.
It’s always the players
I am truly amazed that we are not seeing a glut of stories about ‘players’ being fed up with being run over by the fleet of Bowles busses.
January 7th, 2026 at 11:14 am
Bullsh*t, the coach has no killer instincts.
January 7th, 2026 at 11:15 am
If Glazers are keeping Todd. There’s a handshake agreement to lose, lose, lose, lose to get the number 1 pick then fire his arse and reset the franchise after th 2026 season.
January 7th, 2026 at 11:15 am
So when he says execution, schematically, coaching wise on lol If Coaches don’t know how to teach pass rush moves why do they have a job? Yaya Diaby hasn’t developed a single secondary move in two years. That’s not accountability if no one pays the price, it’s just Bowles talking out of the side of his neck. if your veterans in the secondary and making mistakes in year 3 they weren’t making in year 1 that’s coaching it’s schematics it’s YOU Bowles and your coaches
January 7th, 2026 at 11:16 am
Get new offensive and ST coaches, get Evans, Mayfield, and David back in the fold for one last go-around, cut Reddick, Dennis, Dean, McCollum, and Shepard, get that LB from Texas Tech, and continue to rebuild the lines.
But get an edge rusher!
We can win 10 or 11 games next year with just a few things.
January 7th, 2026 at 11:19 am
Every now and then, Todd will give you a small glimpse into why he’s not capable of getting the job done and it normally happens when he’s trying to make a point about how he’s so close to putting it all together.
In his mind, he’s telling you: “look, these were close games where if we just would have finished right, we would have won and had a much better record”
What he doesn’t realize or at least wants to fool you into not recognizing is that these games should have never been that close in the first place. It should have never gotten that far. It’s his mindset. That’s the big problem with Todd. Coaching not to lose.
January 7th, 2026 at 11:21 am
Madness! Fire this guy.
January 7th, 2026 at 11:22 am
Accountability is doing something positive to correct the problems, not just applying word salad in the abstract.
We expect the Glazers to be accountable to the fans with their action. Enjoy your post football career, Tood.
January 7th, 2026 at 11:22 am
They can’t cut McCollum he just signed a $48 Million contract!!!
Dennis is still on a rookie deal.
The LB from Texas Tech has to be there.
Holes everywhere in that plan!!!
I do agree that they only need competence and a few pieces to compete!!
They already missed on Coen, are they gonna let Harbaugh pass without even an interview? I guess you have to fire Bowels to even get that!!!
January 7th, 2026 at 11:24 am
Yes every team has injuries and to a certain extent, well coached teams can over come them. On the other hand, to make the sweeping statement that injuries are not ever an excuse for less than optimal results is bull. Coaches and players should never make excuses but reasonable objective observers should be able to see how injuries can impact a team. Again every team has injuries but some teams have more than others and the quality of the depth also matters. Some teams have better backups than others. Case in point, Mac Jones stepping in for Brock Purdy was invaluable. Measuring the impact of injuries on a a particular team isn’t easy to quantify and takes a lot of thought and analysis. Most fans are too lazy and/or ignorant to take on so much effort.
January 7th, 2026 at 11:25 am
Rumour has it that Hilton Hotels is looking for a new PR man.
January 7th, 2026 at 11:26 am
I’m all for hiring Harbaugh if he would take the job. However I believe he is not the answer, he is likely the only choice. Young energetic coaches are what is needed. Old retreads are just a temporary patch on a punctured inner tube. Just based from the info put out by JBF it appears BA convinced Bowles that defense changes are necessary and some of his buddies must go. That would set the stage for Bowles to stay should a replacement not be found. From a long term point of view keeping Bowles only buys the owners time for a new plan. If Bowles stays I still think Baker asks for a trade. The Pirate ship is taking on water fast and the crew is floundering.
January 7th, 2026 at 11:28 am
You have to give him credit here. He nails it on the head and did not excuse himself, players or other Coaches. Just maybe he has learned his lesson. I have said before believe it or not, you can go backwards by just changing coaches. The Bucs proved that after letting Gruden go. There are a multitude of other teams that can show you that as well. In fact most of the teams looking for Head Coaches are doing just that. They are bringing in Guy after Guy because they can’t get it right.
I will add, I think the way they are bringing inplayers also needs to change. I think we need flexability in hanging on to draft picks and picking up people in free agency. Adding 1 or 2 more players this year may have done wonders. Yes, I will never be convinced we can draft an edge rusher, because we have failed miserably. Yes, players also need to change, scheme needs to change, some coaches need to change. I guess can Bowles adapt to that is the question.
I don’t think just changing the Head Coach is going to fix all. I believe, if you bring the wrong guy in you can easily continue the downward spiral. I think you need to take a serious look is Harbaugh going to solve all the Bucs issues, if you bring him in?. I mean he got let go in Baltimore for a reason. I just think you have to take that into account
I am just playing devil’s advocate here. The Bucs need to change a multitude of things, that need to happen and yes that could include the Head Coach.
January 7th, 2026 at 11:28 am
36-36
Honestly, in what other division would this be acceptable?
Are the Glazers willing to kick the can down the road even further?
It doesn’t make much business since especially with your customer base up in arms and ready for a change.
That 16-14 snooze fest was exactly how Bowles tries to win every game.
Those types of instincts do not change. They just get worse.
We were very close to a 5-12 season if not for the early games Baker won.
I guess wasting another year is worth it to the owners. Very sad.
January 7th, 2026 at 11:32 am
@bucsfan81 send the link link
I don’t see it
January 7th, 2026 at 11:35 am
If all these tbings can “only come from the players,” why do we pay for a head coach?
January 7th, 2026 at 11:40 am
If you didn’t coach foe a 3-5 point game maybe you wouldn’t have to worry about finishing games. Finish the games early and don’t let off the gas until the last whistle blows.
January 7th, 2026 at 11:40 am
Darcie is our only hope of reason on that committee/ please Darcie fire him
January 7th, 2026 at 11:41 am
Is he gone yet?
January 7th, 2026 at 11:42 am
Somewhat unrelated, but we lost Dave Canales and Liam Cohen – both minority coaches – but we didn’t get an compensatory picks while many other teams that lose minority assistants do.
It was garbage.
January 7th, 2026 at 11:42 am
I said it in another thread and I’m not tried to toot my horn. I said get that kid from Texas Tech do your research fans. He will be there @15 he’s a professional.
Wish he was a tad faster, but yeah 👏🏾👏🏾🤙🏾
January 7th, 2026 at 11:43 am
There’s more roster management than meets the eye when running a team. That’s really what a HC does. Look at Harbaugh for example, a special
Teams coach background. Special team coaches are more prepared to be a HC than a play caller. We’ve moved away from that model in past years, but this has always been true. A special teams coach manages players more so than a play caller.
Most coaches understand that players are mostly developed by the time they get to the NFL. You improve players – not develop. A head coach job is less about directly working with players (that’s why they have assistants) than it is balancing the roster and the management side of the game.
January 7th, 2026 at 11:43 am
We barely pay for a HC at $3 Million a year. He and Canales are Tied for the lowest salary in the NFL.
It’s not like trying to buy out John Harbaugh for 3 years.
The writing on the wall is Todd’s staff.
They are all his friends and OLD, like him.
We will need to hire a ST, Defensive Backs, LB and DLine coaches anyway so why not just bite the bullet?
I’m so over even entertaining this Bowles is coming back scenario!!!!!
January 7th, 2026 at 11:46 am
How the hell is Coen a minority ?
January 7th, 2026 at 11:49 am
Bowlo’s style of coaching is sting and his defense scheme is terrible. Brady could had won the playoff game against the Rams, but Bowlo forgot to cover Cooper Kupp. If Bowlo is coming back next year, the most the Bucs will win is 4 to 5 games. The Bucs can sink the ship to get draft picks next year with Bowlo.
January 7th, 2026 at 11:49 am
I was bummed this morning when I woke up and Bowles was still HC.
January 7th, 2026 at 11:50 am
Another feather in the cap for firing Bowles is that we took an almost sure thing for OROTY award in Egbuka and threw it away to none other than 2 other teams in our Division.
It will be Tyler S. Or T. McMillan for the Saints and Panthers!!!!
That is a harsh reality.
Having 4 elite pass catchers and only averaging 17ppg is atrocious!!!
January 7th, 2026 at 11:52 am
You know Harbaugh has lost a lot more close games than that and that is with Saint Lamar as QB. Just saying. I would welcome Harbaugh with Baker as QB.
January 7th, 2026 at 11:55 am
First of all “killer instinct “ is a team culture that starts with the HC. He had none and blames players.
I am over all this TB BS.
Only 2 things matter:
Winning, and not quitting when you’re not winning. His teams have never had “it”.
Find a new leader, find some passionate fierce dawgs and play like it matters.
January 7th, 2026 at 11:56 am
Killer instinct is not just on the players. When he basically ran out the clock and settled for a FG at the end of the half against the Panthers, that didn’t look like a killer instinct. How can he expect his players to have a killer instinct when he plays so conservatively?
January 7th, 2026 at 11:57 am
The Bucs aren’t getting John Harbaugh. He took over as HC of the Ravens in 2008 and has played us 5 times since he became Ravens’ HC. His record against the Bucs is 5-0 since then.
No secret how he did it: Baltimore’s defense was always better than ours. In those 5 games over 17 years the Bucs scored 92 points; Ravens scored 153. And yes, they ran the ball a BUNCH: 173 rushes in those 5 games versus 146 passes. THAT’S what John Harbaugh does … plays excellent defense & loves to run the ball.
No idea which team he’ll go to, or even IF he wants to still coach (he is 63). But IF he does still want to coach, I can’t see him coming to the Bucs. Ours isn’t a team with a quality defense & good running game that he could turn into a Super Bowl champion in 1-2 years. We’ve got some rebuilding to do.
January 7th, 2026 at 11:57 am
This statement is why you fire him. It proves his incompetence.
Winning close games is not a repeatable skill. It’s a coin flip. Teams go on streaks with close games not because they are good (or bad) but that’s how probabilities work. The Chiefs were awesome in close games in 2024 and terrible in 2025, the truth for both years is right in the middle.
The Bucs were lucky early, unlucky late, and finished exactly where they should have.
Todd’s style of play directly leads to lots of close games. Which means his record will be around .500 in the long run provided his team has okay talent. He will never be one of the best teams. If he has a great record it’s simply due to Lady luck.
You want a coach that wants to maximize blowouts in their favor. Full stop.
January 7th, 2026 at 11:58 am
I wonder who passes the ball for the Bucs???? Oh that’s right! I’m hurt, wifey speak up for me, would you please…….another feather in the cap for cutting or trading little ol’ baker…….
January 7th, 2026 at 11:59 am
Yep…slow walking to try to mitigate the outcry from fans. Ownership has been gifted a chance to atone for last years Liam debacle but seem not to grasp the consequences of retaining Todd. The fan base doesn’t care for him. Never have and never will. There will be a mass exodus when word finally leaks he’s staying. Unbelievable
January 7th, 2026 at 12:02 pm
@ Rusty Shackleford – CUT McCollum and then what… Just EAT $35-MILLION+ of the 3-YEAR/$48-MILLION Contract that Lickt just handed HIM!? So, that’s what YOU would do!?
January 7th, 2026 at 12:05 pm
Joe, I just checked in to see if he’s fired yet. If they eventually keep him, I’ll be checking in a lot less.
January 7th, 2026 at 12:06 pm
There was no Liam debacle, this narrative is just annoying…. He was offered a better job and he took it.
There was no path where a HC, fresh off the playoffs was being replaced by his OC. Shoot I’lll go even further and say there was no chance that Liam was being hired by a team with a winning record as a first time play caller and no HC experience.
He got a shot with the paper jags and has proved his worth. Good for him and no one should wish him anything but luck in the future.
Keep whining years later, but it’s best we move on
January 7th, 2026 at 12:09 pm
Todd: The Rams would’ve put 55 points on you, if they chose to. Buffalo had 40 something, Patriots had in the high 30’s.
January 7th, 2026 at 12:14 pm
@Rusty Shackleford
It’s not the players! The team with the fewest sacks in the nfl is the 49ers but that’s their record? How long did they play with a back up quarterback? George little kittle how many games? Lost basically on of the best linebacker in football and never played Brandon aiyuk. They lost a couple linebackers. THE COACH has the backups ready to play, Bowles can’t even get the starters ready for a game.
January 7th, 2026 at 12:17 pm
@ Rusty Shackleford Says: “Somewhat unrelated, but we lost Dave Canales and Liam Cohen – both minority coaches – but we didn’t get an compensatory picks while many other teams that lose minority assistants do.
It was garbage”
Yeah, and the weak ass owners never even mentioned it! Not the first word publicly about it. NEVER ONCE. No PR campaigns. No grievances filed. No protests. No calls of it being TOTAL COMPLETE BS. NO NOTHING. Now, it more than likely, would have done no good, BUT at least “I” would’ve THROWN A FIT and brought it up to everyone’s attention. Not one single thing made ANY amount of SENSE about it. I would’ve been like, THE WHAT’S THE POINT!? One year, versus “2-YEARS!?” I mean, do you REALLY THINK that teams are going to waste a hire on some BS OC/DC, JUST to potentially get a LATE 3rd-ROUND PICK, AT BEST!? Seriously!? Just Absurd. Or, at least make THE NFL explain to everyone else, WHY TF!?
January 7th, 2026 at 12:18 pm
Patriots only had 28.
January 7th, 2026 at 12:18 pm
“We didn’t execute in the end. Whether it’s schematically, whether it’s coaching-wise, or whether it’s just execution period, we gotta do a better job of finishing ballgames.” This exact statement is all you need to read about how sorry Toilet bowels is. He has no clue what the problem is/was. And it’s because the problem is HIM PERIOD END OF STORY. FIRE HIS SORRY ASS NOW
January 7th, 2026 at 12:22 pm
@ Daryl Green – “Toot Your Own Horn!?” Toot your own horn about WHAT!?
January 7th, 2026 at 12:27 pm
“We gotta coach it better and we gotta play it better.” That seems to be all that ever comes out of Toad’s mouth.
January 7th, 2026 at 12:32 pm
@ Deeboooo Says: “There was no Liam debacle, this narrative is just annoying…. He was offered a better job and he took it.”
With a COMPETENT GM and FO… There NEVER would’ve been a “BETTER JOB,” in the first place. There never would have any “INTERVIEWS.” It would’ve already been a DONE DEAL. CLOSED. SHUTDOWN. LOCKED. But, we got “LICKT.” We got Lickt. In every possible way imaginable.
January 7th, 2026 at 12:32 pm
Todd Bowles has a storruck personality which doesn’t resignate well with some people. I haven’t witnessed many people (players) motivated to leap tall buildings by a monotone coach/leader.
Mayfield motivates his teammates by example in many ways. Don’t see that in Nice guy Todd Bowles. When the team is struggling his demeanor remains storic. He’s a good DC but not a OC. His record reflects it.
Loyalty should not factor in a decision to retain or fire a coach. It’s your record. His record has been at 50% or below as a head coach. The answer is staring the Glazers right in their face.
I’m not sure they will execute it.
January 7th, 2026 at 12:34 pm
Message to Todd:
You need to rewrite in your mind what killer instinct is for a coach. The sad part is you have been in a team where your Head Coach showed a true killer instinct. Please have a sit and take notes for it is obvious you didn’t when the following happened.
This happened in 2020. In case you can’t recall you ran the defense for a true Head Coach Bruce Arians. Remember Leonard Fournette??? He tried to become a problem in the locker room and with the team by having the wrong selfish attitude. Coach Arians didn’t hesitate to remind him he is part of a team and selfishness will not be tolerated. The options where to be one with the team and have patience for his opportunity would come or be cut from the team. Coach Arians handle the situation man to man. The end result because he handle Fournette as an adult – “Playoff Lenny.”
Unfortunately Todd in your situation you had players that got bored and didn’t listen to you and you decided that the captains of the team will solve your problem. Hmmmmmm
How do you think your captains felt to hear you QUIT ON THEM?
You quit on the Galzers. You had a tantrum and continue to treat them as your boys not men.
If I see this the Glazers did too. There is no way he is kept. There is no way his players respect him after that.
To keep him is to show that how the fans or players feel is irrelevant. SMH
January 7th, 2026 at 12:56 pm
“the Bucs must develop a better “killer instinct” and it can only come from players.”
This is the reason he needs to be launched! That’s bull! Are the players pulling themselves off the field on 4th and 1? Are the players not calling timeouts and draining clock cause they are happy to settle for 3?
I’ve been a pro athlete under many different coaches. The ones who coach scared aka don’t show trust in their players, are happy to milk clock and go for 3 points instead of 7 are the worst coaches. No players buy into that! We play to win the game and impose our will while doing it!
Killer instinct comes from the individual performing their job on the field, there’s no question that players need it within themselves but that is much easier to do when you are confident in the scheme/gameplan… to say it can only come from the players is garbage.
January 7th, 2026 at 1:00 pm
This is toddler stuff.
You grow up hearing that if you do your best, try your hardest, that no matter the result you can look yourself in the mirror and be proud.
To me that means you go for the win. You be aggressive and maximize the time you have with the ball to score as many points as possible. Bad things are gonna happen from time to time. Turnovers and missed plays, maybe just a great play from the D.
Those mistakes are easy to live with if YOU ARE DOING YOUR BEST TO WIN! Playing it safe is death and it’s a shame that Todd hasn’t been shown this with a firing!
January 7th, 2026 at 1:18 pm
Is he fired yet? All i care about.
Like seriously though. How do you rub almost every single person the wrong way with the press conference, have showed no signs of improving the defense since being the HC, have players call out practices, and yet you keep him?
Sell the team Glazers
January 7th, 2026 at 1:27 pm
If not for the heroics of Baker in the first half of the season, this team would be a a 4 or 5 win team. Winning close games is great….but having as many games as the Bucs did come down to 5 or less points is telling. Remember, we beat the Seahawks but we gave up like 35 points…or however many. Using Todd’s perspective, division titles are the level of acceptance for being considered a success. He is 62-77 as a head coach. idk. That’s 7 seasons being at the helm. Not a great record as a HC. I like him. The players say they like him. But it sure does seem that Todd isn’t motivating players. I do think the players take on the personality of their coach…and Todd seems to be meh all the time. I’m not losing sleep over it.
January 7th, 2026 at 1:31 pm
Keep Bowles, keep Licht, and keep losing! I am so sick of repeating myself but here goes again. We can’t tackle anyone, we can’t pressure anyone, we can’t cover anyone and we can’t protect our QB. We only had about 30 sacks on the season and it secondary is bottom 3 in the league. We made every QB we played this season look like Joe Montana because we could not get pressure on them and they picked our lousy secondary apart. Unimaginative play calling ruined Baker’s passing game and killed our offense. All these things are coaching related.. We need coaches that can motivate players, who will focus on bettering positions of need, and who can admit btheir own coaching inadequacies and adjust when needed.
January 7th, 2026 at 2:13 pm
Just cannot see a coach who f bombs his team on television continue. He is not creating a winning environment. If he has personal issues why doesn’t he just take a break or retire for awhile.
January 7th, 2026 at 2:19 pm
Sacsbucs then maybe Jason should stop drafting players that want a paycheck but don’t want to play up to their potential every game to earn it then.
January 7th, 2026 at 5:35 pm
Injuries had *everything* to do with that. 2 turnstile guards interrupts 90% of the run plays and 99% of the pass plays.
January 7th, 2026 at 8:39 pm
“We gotta coach it better.”
JFC