FOX: Todd Bowles Not On Hottest Seat
February 12th, 2026
How hot?
This may come as a bit of a shock to some Bucs fans, but when looking at the NFL landscape, Bucs coach Todd Bowles isn’t on the hottest seat entering the 2026 season.
That’s the way long-time NFL scribe Ralph Vacchiano of FOX Sports sees it.
Vacchiano looks in his own front yard and sees Jets coach Aaron Glenn’s seat ablaze. Then Vacchiano looks down I-95 and sees Eagles coach Nick Sirianni in Philadelphia. who Vacchiano picked as having the second-hottest season.
At No. 3, no, Vacchiano did not overlook Bucs coach Todd Bowles, who ranks No. 3 on his hot seat list. And Vacchiano wonders if Team Glazer will run out of patience this fall?
3. Todd Bowles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The fact that a team loaded with talent couldn’t emerge from the worst division in football doesn’t speak well of Bowles’ ability as a head coach. Neither does his 35-33 record in four years in Tampa despite three playoff berths. Yes, injuries hurt the Bucs last season, but that’s not the only reason they lost seven of their last nine games. Even when they were relatively healthy, Bowles couldn’t shake them out of their funk.
If history holds, he’ll coach well enough that the Bucs will be mediocre again, but he’s got the quarterback and enough players to do better than that. It’s hard to imagine the Glazer family will be OK if the Bucs don’t break out of the pack in their awful division again.
Some would suggest it was hard to see Team Glazer bringing Bowles back after blowing one 6-2 record last season by losing seven of the final nine games. But that is exactly what happened.
Just when you think you have Team Glazer figured out, they throw you a curveball.
What surprised Joe about Vacchiano’s list is Dave Canales ranks right behind Bowles. Joe isn’t sure about that. Canales took over a dumpster fire in Carolina and he got them to the playoffs last month.
February 12th, 2026 at 4:28 am
Which glowing hot seat is glowing a tiny bit brighter than another red hot seat is kinda silly. They’re either red hot or not. Who’s to say which one is worse and by how much. Bowlzo has shown a pattern or consistently erratic coaching combined with a guaranteed mid season swoon. He lost the team last season. They all quit on him. They’ll do it again this year unless they replace most everybody. These players have lost faith in their coaches.
February 12th, 2026 at 4:47 am
Nick Sirianni wins a Super Bowl two years ago and he’s on a hotter seat than Bowles? What has Bowles done? He’s a .400 coach with an awful defense. This is so dumb.
February 12th, 2026 at 5:57 am
JBF, this is a form of gaslighting to this fanbase…lol. You guys writing articles having anything to do with Bowles, just stirs it up every time.
February 12th, 2026 at 6:01 am
If this is true, which is very doubtful it would seem to answer the question regarding what or whom is the problem. It would also prove empty ther comments on the prime special about doing whatever it takes to win.
I get it’s a business and in actuality the bottom line always is more important than a trophy. But there’s a line somewhere where your fans develop apathy. And it’s hard to get that back.
“They just love him”
Great business acumen.
February 12th, 2026 at 6:16 am
I’m waiting for the Chiefs’ fans to turn on Andy Reid and claim “The game has passed him by” if they have another down year.
February 12th, 2026 at 6:35 am
You didnt think this one out much. If he hasmt been launched by now of course his seat isnt the hottest. Instead they fired everyone else. Brilliant.
February 12th, 2026 at 6:37 am
Title of the article is rather misleading. Is it not? He is 3rd on the Hot seat!
February 12th, 2026 at 6:39 am
When asked what it’s going to take to break out of this losing streak….”We as coaches have done all we can”.
In a game that had massive playoff implications all this loser had to do was stop a 3rd and 28 and they’d win the division.
Luckily they still could pull it off by beating a Miami team who we’re legitimately tanking and starting a 3rd string QB to make sure they tanked. Another bitter shocking loss to lose the division after a 6-2 start.
The guru led a defense that was 32nd out of 32 teams in allowing points in the red zone.
A pass defense that was 29th out of 32 teams. Any other team would of fired this bum 10 minutes after the final game. I’ll never back off on slamming this fraud. In no universe is the fraud retained after the great collapse of 2025 except for this universe. P A T H E T I C.
February 12th, 2026 at 6:49 am
I’m looking forward to NCAA lacrosse season and ECU baseball……as the old song says: “See You In September”
February 12th, 2026 at 7:12 am
I thought Dave Canales did a terrific job for Carolina and has an improving Football team on his hands
February 12th, 2026 at 7:36 am
Yeah I don’t see Dave being on that list
February 12th, 2026 at 8:00 am
How about an open thead for Todd Bowles whining & bitching….
February 12th, 2026 at 8:06 am
Welcome to the offseason.
February 12th, 2026 at 8:08 am
Might be better if we concentrate on March 9th and forget about our HC for a bit.
Let’s see how serious the team is in fixing the holes on defense.
Lots of 25-26 year old free agent linebackers.
February 12th, 2026 at 8:08 am
No. 3 is not the “hottest.” That would be No. 1.
February 12th, 2026 at 8:10 am
He should be.
February 12th, 2026 at 8:20 am
Since they still brought Bowles back after this collapse of a season, I’m not sure what more he could possibly do to get himself fired. Seems safe.
February 12th, 2026 at 8:42 am
Joe please explain this???
Gruden won a Superbowl and then lost 4 games at the end of a season and was gone
Bowles has won nothing (no I don’t count division titles) Blew a 6-2 record in which he beat the eventual superbowl champion this season, the Glazers have fired the coaching staff under him TWICE
The Man Who is the Leader of the team BOWLES STILL HAS A JOB
and all these media people are like oh he’s good he is a nice guy he won a division 3x
WHY????? What makes Bowles different from EVERY OTHER COACH that he doesn’t have to win anything and is still considered a great defensive coach
😂 even saying that last
February 12th, 2026 at 8:46 am
The Bucs organization is like a man with a brain tumor worrying about a hang nail! ( sooner or later the head is going to kill the body if it doesn’t redirect its focus to the actual problem).
February 12th, 2026 at 8:48 am
Bowles is the worst out of all of them to be honest. If Bowles doesn’t get fired by this time next year and we go another year not making the playoffs then the owners need to be fired. It’s ridiculous that Bowles is even the coach right now. Especially after firing pretty much the whole staff.
February 12th, 2026 at 8:57 am
Fire Todd
February 12th, 2026 at 9:00 am
If I was the owner, Bowles would need an appearance in the NFC Championship game. If it’s close, he stays. If it’s a blowout, he’s gone. If he doesn’t make the game, he’s gone.
February 12th, 2026 at 9:08 am
That is actually a good analysis. Bucs obviously should have already fired Bowles.
February 12th, 2026 at 10:04 am
Look, Joe’s last name is not “Glazer” and it is pretty clear and obvious the Glazer Family likes Bowles or he would not be here. Ira has heard Team Glazer likes the culture that Bowles has built. Hey, it’s their team.
But yeah, Team Glazer does not share most fans’ view on Bowles.
Joe not too long ago was told by an NFL suit that that owners look at division titles in a completely different light than fans. Division titles, Joe was told, makes owners millions (a home game). You make an owner millions they tend to like you.
So while division titles are only slightly relevant, to owners, they mean a lot. And that may explain, in part, why Team Glazer does not share most fans’ views of Bowles.
February 12th, 2026 at 10:44 am
If the Vikings fire their head coach the Bucs should replace Bowles with that guy immediately.
February 12th, 2026 at 10:45 am
Thank you Joe
I didn’t think of the money aspect on division. Titles
Appreciate your feedback back
That’s Why I love Joebucs
February 12th, 2026 at 11:10 am
Bowles is being protected for non football reasons. Same reason bad bunny was chosen for non musical talent reasons.
February 12th, 2026 at 11:25 am
if Bowles or Zac Taylor dont reach the conference championship game, both will be canned!!!
nick being on that list is crazy!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
February 12th, 2026 at 11:32 am
Yup keep getting distracted wake up sheep you are just saying bahhhh.
February 12th, 2026 at 11:48 am
If he could just get a DC….but no….and thats why this will probably be his last year here.
February 12th, 2026 at 12:03 pm
A monkey could have won 3 division titles…
February 12th, 2026 at 12:05 pm
BucU….you are 💯 spot on…we continue to seek “top notch” players while retaining a fraud for a coach! The absolute worst coach in the NFL…not even close!
February 12th, 2026 at 12:14 pm
Not shocked. The Glazers committed to Bowles for financial reasons, so they can’t say they have buyers remorse at this time, thus the :we like him” comment. I’d like to think they are not stupid and really meant that as the reason they kept him. FA is going to be the prime indicator of what their intentions are for next season. All I know is the Glazers are not interested in paying for two HC contracts right now and its not worth the risk if they hired another HC and still had another mediocre or bad season.