How Unqualified Did Mike Evans Consider Josh Grizzard To Be?
March 5th, 2026
The most interesting news to come from the NFL Scouting Combine absolutely was Todd Bowles’ piercing words during his sitdown on the Ira Kaufman Podcast, presented by Bill Currie Ford, which celebrates its 65th anniversary in Tampa today.
Bowles hurled fired fall guy offensive coordinator under a fleet of buses.
The money line was concise. “I thought ‘Grizz’ was about maybe two or three years from putting it all together,” Bowles said.
Ouch!
Bowles didn’t seem to hold back. “…I don’t know; he came up with some good schemes and we had some good things, but we didn’t kind of call them all the time. We would run them in practice, we didn’t run them in a game. And I thought from a head coaching standpoint, there were certain situations that we probably could have done better. And it just felt like we were stagnant and we were not where we needed to be.”
Joe followed up to ask Bowles if players felt the same way about Grizzard. He said in some ways they did.
So that brings Joe to the most experienced offensive player on the Tampa Bay roster: pending free agent Mike Evans.
Surely Evans realized Grizzard was overmatched (assuming Bowles is accurate). And Evans’ good buddy Baker Mayfield, who had seven playcallers before Grizzard, also had to also believe the offense was in shaky hands.
Joe thinks this is a critical element to Evans returning to the Bucs after the free agency dinner bell rings on Monday at noon.
If Evans believes the Bucs won eight games last season with a sad defense, a slew of injuries to key players and an incompetent offensive coordinator, then he surely believes the Bucs can accomplish great things in 2026.
Catch up on your Ira Kaufman Podcast listening at Apple Podcasts, Podbean, iHeart Radio and other platforms.
Ira Kaufman Dives Deep Into The Mike Evans Debate, Talks Coach/GM Accountability, Trey Hendrickson & Much More
March 5th, 2026 at 10:10 am
Who hired grizzard? oh.
March 5th, 2026 at 10:18 am
“” “I thought ‘Grizz’ was about maybe two or three years from putting it all together,” Bowles said.””
How long have you been in your job position Todd? When are YOU gonna put it all together? If i was him I’d keep my mouth shut about critiquing any other coach in this league.
March 5th, 2026 at 10:22 am
yea no kidding. another todd foot mouth disease moment. you hire a guy who is 2 or 3 years away from putting it together to run the offense on an nfl team? or is this his way of socializing his obvious mistake and stating the obvious without saying “obviously i screwed up”
March 5th, 2026 at 10:32 am
Sure, Zac Robinson is an upgrade over Griz. ME13 will like Zac coming in but Zac is nowhere as good as Coen.
After hearing what Licht said about team building at the combine, I don’t see this team improving much this season. BUT, if Licht does bring in some impactful free agents (edge, ilb), there’s some hope for Mike that the Bucs can get past the first round of the playoffs. Mike may wait to make his decision – No impactful free agents could mean no ME13.
March 5th, 2026 at 10:37 am
Yes we all know Grizz was the scapegoat. However to Everyone’s credit , Bowles, Licht , Baker because they all signed off on it , the thought was Grizz would progress as the season went on. However, and likely for the injuries that did not happen. My guess Evans of course figured the same as the season progressed. However, the defense was the bigger issue to which the offense proved in cable of bailing them out.
Yes I think a huge part of Mike staying will revolve around a guaranteed improvement in personnel on defense and faith I in Robinson. I think a key signing like Hendrickson or Crosby would go a long way if Mike is on the fence.
March 5th, 2026 at 10:37 am
jimmy Says:
March 5th, 2026 at 10:10 am
Who hired grizzard? oh.
————
Who hire canales and Coen? Oh….
Like meatloaf said, 2 outta 3 ain’t bad
March 5th, 2026 at 10:38 am
2-7 in his last nine games last year…..and I am supposed to believe its going to change after he threw the offensive coordinator under the bus after the season…..uh ok,…….Hey Todd, what are your special teams going to look like this year? Just wondering because they have been garbage since you were named head coach with the exception of our place kicker………enjoy your final year of coaching this team, you will be out of time, and excuses, after this coming season tanks too… “We gotta coach it better” , no kidding…
March 5th, 2026 at 10:40 am
Special teams should be better due to actual competent coaching. Offense will be better with a much better coordinator, and we are going to bring in some more talent I’m not sure how some of you are chicken little “sky is falling” types other than the borderline racist hate that coach Bowles gets.
March 5th, 2026 at 10:47 am
Again ,, Who hired him !!
What the F , is the whole dam world becoming a Govt job with no Accountability!!
Well it is the Woke NFL where good speaking educated players have to butcher words and speak in butchered statements to fit in !!
Yep it all sounds about right for a 500 billion valued Company/ Organization !!Scheeeeeezzz 😂😂
March 5th, 2026 at 10:56 am
ME says good things when the Joe’s ask him about anybody.
QB’s every single one.
Offensive line every single one.
Offensive Coordinators every single one.
Wide Receiver Coaches every single one.
The Joe’s in the archives have articles on Mike Evans approving every single guy.
For instance, last year:
Mike Evans Details One Reason Josh Grizzard Will Succeed
February 3rd, 2025
March 5th, 2026 at 10:58 am
He doesn’t know why grizz was killing it in practice but not in game that’s because a chicken sandwich can score against bowels defense status quo let’s go no complications here everyone elses fault.
March 5th, 2026 at 10:58 am
Im not sure that gizz wasn’t the fall guy. Hell, almost every asst coach was fired. Did Bowles hold gizz back wanting to try to pay ball control bc the D was so bad? The O looked pretty good and wide open at Sea
March 5th, 2026 at 11:09 am
I don’t think Grizz is a scapegoat or a fall guy. I think those terms are for people who had little or no actual responsibility for a bad outcome. I think his poor performance was a significant cause of the team’s poor performance. scapegoat and fall guy also imply that everyone else was exonerated, but in this case a number of coaches and players have experienced negative feedback.
March 5th, 2026 at 11:10 am
… says the guy that hired him. And the special teams coach… No accountability from the guy making the decisions once again.
Meanwhile the Bowles defense just gave up another 3rd down conversion. #mydefensecannevergetoffthefield
March 5th, 2026 at 11:11 am
How unqualified does Mike Evans consider Todd Bowles to be? That’s the bigger question for Mike’s future without the tag.
March 5th, 2026 at 11:17 am
Miken – lol, not sure if you meant it, but you’re missing the letter “r” in his nickname. You’re pretty close to calling him something else, lol.
March 5th, 2026 at 11:26 am
The Bucs are not tendering Sean Tucker??? Are they imsane? He’s fantastic and behind THAT line could get a gaIllion yards next year!
That’s a terrible decision.
March 5th, 2026 at 11:45 am
Huh!? So, Bowles thought The Grizz was 2 to 3 YEARS BEHIND!? Well, HE allowed Lickt to hire him. Tells ya all you need to know. A total S-Show. They don’t know what the hell they’re doing.
March 5th, 2026 at 11:50 am
so when did bowles figure out grizz was about 2 or 3 years away?….
during PS?…after the philly game?….during the bye week?….after the PATS game?….after the saints game?
6wins with bowles and baker at the helm
GO BUCS!!!!!
March 5th, 2026 at 11:52 am
Mort Says:
March 5th, 2026 at 10:40 am
Special teams should be better due to actual competent coaching. Offense will be better with a much better coordinator, and we are going to bring in some more talent I’m not sure how some of you are chicken little “sky is falling” types other than the borderline racist hate that coach Bowles gets.
What a idiotic post! Special teams: New coach =better.
Offense: New OC=better.
Talent: More talent= better
Fans: Chicken Little= Borderline racist.
How about Defense: The same HC/DC= repeat of this year.
Fans: Chicken Little’s= realistic.
Mort: Homer= Dumb.
March 5th, 2026 at 11:53 am
Bowels does know he is the head coach? At anytime he could get him to run the plays they did in practice?
March 5th, 2026 at 12:01 pm
Evans should be asking himself why the majority of his teammates quit the second half of last year. My opinion has always been lack of on the field leaders especially on defense. Finger pointing and lack of passion start at the top though!
March 5th, 2026 at 12:03 pm
“The Bucs are not tendering Sean Tucker??? Are they imsane? He’s fantastic and behind THAT line could get a gaIllion yards next year!”
I think they’re gambling he goes out on the market to get his worth, and taking the gamble he won’t get $3.5M the tender would cost him, but also gave up the right of refusal and would basically have to replace him if he decides to take whatever money anybody offers him elsewhere.
Oh, and we brought back Connor Bazelak(why!?)
March 5th, 2026 at 12:15 pm
If everyone is going to judge Bowles for Grizz, ok…Also Judge him for Canales and Cohen right?
March 5th, 2026 at 12:17 pm
I don’t even know what to say after reading this post.
March 5th, 2026 at 12:22 pm
Bowles hires em then throws em under the bus. Bowles is the opposite of a good leader and HC. Listen to guys like McVay saying they need to coach amd call plays better when they lose. Thats why those guys win. Bowles is lucky of hes three years away from success
March 5th, 2026 at 12:24 pm
Who hired Bowzo? There lies the problem. This is getting old. Rehabbing Bowzo is not going to work.
March 5th, 2026 at 12:26 pm
“Oh, and we brought back Connor Bazelak(why!?)”
Need SOMEONE besides Baker to throw during the off-season and camp. Can’t have less than 4
March 5th, 2026 at 12:34 pm
@Joe, that headline should not exist unless you actually interviewed Mike and can offer an answer. Otherwise, this is a nothing article. What does Otten think of Grizzard? How does White feel about him? On and on rehashing the same chum. Headlines should coincide with reporting not your personal thoughts as you drift off to sleep. Boo
March 5th, 2026 at 1:02 pm
Maybe the Bucs could hire a qualified Special Teams coach for 2026 instead of adding double duty to the guy who fills the Gatorade bottles?
It was very apparent that they didn’t have one last year.
March 5th, 2026 at 1:04 pm
Was the offense “shaky” in the first half of ’25, when we went 6-2 with a makeshift Oline and short key offensive weapons?
Or did it become shaky when Bowles decided to drop his duties as HC/DC to “help” Grizzard in the second half of the season?
Oddly, it was during “that” time that the offense got healthy yet regressed!
From the outside looking in, it seems that The Grizz wasn’t the biggest problem.
It seems to me that a change in coaching philosophy and accountability is sorely needed.
March 5th, 2026 at 1:07 pm
Love the large photo of the Buccaneers Clown.
March 5th, 2026 at 1:09 pm
Plain and simple if Evans chooses another team is Todd’s fault.
3 and 28 has nothing to do with Grizz.
March 5th, 2026 at 1:12 pm
Bucs71
At anytime he could get him to run the plays they did in practice?
************************************************************
Those plays worked well in practice against our own defense.
That doesn’t mean that they would work well against the defenses we were seeing on game days.
March 5th, 2026 at 1:12 pm
How unqualified did Grizzard consider Bowzo to be?
March 5th, 2026 at 1:14 pm
Bowles should know about an unqualified coach, if he actually did LOOK IN THE MIRROR, one of his catch phrases.
March 5th, 2026 at 1:17 pm
So Bowles didn’t have any input until he got fed up and made sure we ran the ball 33 times in a loss.
Got it.
March 5th, 2026 at 1:17 pm
All I know is Bowles is not the problem.
Clearly it was the OC that caused the defense to be ranked 32nd in red zone defense.
Anyone with a brain can see that. Bowles is above criticism.
Without Bowles we would not be 1-3 in the playoffs the last four seasons.
You don’t pass on that level of success.
March 5th, 2026 at 1:25 pm
Not a good headline it worked to get me to read it but Mike Evans deserves es better
March 5th, 2026 at 1:38 pm
Amazing how all-knowing I am. I said last year when he was picked, after everyone was calling him wiz-kid and talking about how he was a genius, that if he was really a genius, he’d have said we’re not changing anything about the offense. Instead the man from Lot Lizard talked about throwing deep more and more college run plays. I said at the time, the guy sounded like a lightweight, and in preseason, the first time I heard him talk long form on the Ronde Barber podcast, I said the guy sounded like an idiot.
I was right.
As for Bowles, I do not think he was ever sold on Grizz, but was sold by probably the owners and Licht that they wanted continuity more than anything – and all the guy had to do was keep running the same playbook. Personally I called on the team to just make a CoenAI and have it call the plays based on what Coen would do – and again, I was correct in terms of what should happen.
Praise be to me.
March 5th, 2026 at 1:45 pm
Munch,
Keep going you have been right about what a great defensive effort the Bucs had last year. You were right on how great those 3rd string OG’s were last year. Finally, starting three years ago you and your other girls who post here, were all right about Mayfield except for the part where he has thrown for the second highest TD totals of any NFL QB’s in the last 3 year.
March 5th, 2026 at 1:59 pm
Baker Mayfield sucks too
March 5th, 2026 at 2:18 pm
Offense was bad last year, especially that falcons games. Baker screwed it up throwing that pick when he had a two score lead. All you had to do was burn 5 downs…..5 downs. Run the ball.
Everyone on the Bucs knew the D was the weak link, that’s why as a TEAM, the offense needed to step it up.
Rinse and repeat with the offense the last 5 games.
March 5th, 2026 at 2:39 pm
Also facts that the mods on this site aren’t based (aside from Ira) considering all my comments get removed when I have said nothing but facts.. Steve your making me want to avoid this place