“We Haven’t Lost Any Faith In Todd”
March 1st, 2026
Bucs GM Jason Licht.
Joe thinks it is fair to refer to Todd Bowles as one of the more unpopular Bucs head coaches this century.
Joe’s weekly in-season “Confidence Poll” started during the Lovie Smith administration. No coach since had 92 percent of participants vote “No Confidence” or “Little Confidence” in a Bucs coach as Bowles got this past season.
And if you haven’t guessed, since the powers that be at One Buc Palace retained Bowles for the 2026 season, Joe thinks it fair to say the Bucs seem to have a different perspective on Bowles than most fans do.
Appearing on PFT Live with the creator, curator and overall guru of ProFootballTalk.com, the great Mike Florio — also seen on both Peacock and NBC Sports Network from the combine last week from the Indiana Convention Center — Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht said the Bucs do have confidence Bowles can get back to the playoffs and maybe do something other than just winning the division.
“We haven’t lost any faith in Todd,” Licht said. “I think he’s the perfect person to get this thing back going.
“I think we had a lot of inconsistencies in a lot of different areas. That we can all own.
“I don’t think it’s just on coaching. I don’t think it’s just on players. I think it’s on a lot of things but I do feel confident in the plan that we have to get things back rolling.”
Licht didn’t say what those plans were but he did say the Bucs are going to focus on the front-seven on defense. And, maybe for the first time publicly, Licht said the team must be able to pressure the quarterback if it expects to win games and make a playoff run.
“We were winning the division, making the playoffs,” Licht said. “But we want to take it a step further. We want to not just make the playoffs. We want to make some noise, and we want to contend.”
Yes, it was refreshing for Joe to hear Licht say they need to rush the passer. Maybe he saw the light and changed Bowles’ mind? Maybe they got the message from Team Glazer.
Now that the Bucs have embraced they have a problem, how do they attack it? Would they really bring in the pride of Warren Sapp High School in Apopka, Trey Hendrickson?
Back at the combine in 2018, Licht and then-Giants general manager Dave Gettleman began working on the embryonic elements of a trade for Jason Pierre-Paul. The Bucs committed outright highway robbery of a third-round pick.
That move began a turnaround for the Bucs ending in JPP slobbering over the Vince Lombardi Trophy three seasons later.
The Bucs and Licht did it once before. They can do it again. Find a friggin’ legitimate edge rusher and let him cook the way he knows how.
March 1st, 2026 at 11:05 am
JL, ya’ll are so disconnected from the fan base and what the fans want. 90+% of Bucs fans wanted TB gone according to multiple polls. How do you say this with a straight face? Every single defensive player under Bowles has regressed this past year. That doesn’t just happen, that’s intentionally bad coaching.
March 1st, 2026 at 11:27 am
What did the initial “faith” consist of, Joe??
March 1st, 2026 at 11:29 am
Trey says is spot in. No legitimate Bucs fan wanted Bowles back. This season has all the makings of a wasted year.
March 1st, 2026 at 11:31 am
@ Trey : Replace him with whom? I keep hearing this and after the hiring cycle I don’t see a single team that made coaching changes that got much better. Who was available that would have gotten this team over the top?
March 1st, 2026 at 11:35 am
@Anthony – well Todd has proven that he’s not giving anything or anyone over the top. Why stay stagnant? Bring in someone with fresh thoughts to infuse the organization. Geez .. you realize you play to win the game, not be mediocre, right?
March 1st, 2026 at 11:37 am
Joe, your last paragraph says it all.
Unfortunately, our head coach has publicly stated several times that he doesn’t think an edge rush is important.
He also has a reputation for being stubborn…
March 1st, 2026 at 11:37 am
I’m neutral on Bowles, but there are very disturbing signs. When players lose their passion for the game it falls directly on the coaching staff especially the HC. The total lack of effort and physicality shows way more than lack of talent. It looked more like self preservation! There wasn’t one time in the second half of the season where the Bucs looked like a team out for blood.
March 1st, 2026 at 11:41 am
If 2026 is a Great season (12-5) with a deep playoff run, do we still fire Licht and Bowles?
March 1st, 2026 at 11:44 am
Maybe Schwartz?
March 1st, 2026 at 11:45 am
Chucky 2.0
March 1st, 2026 at 11:48 am
Trey. That’s funny. “That doesn’t just happen, that’s intentionally bad coaching”.
March 1st, 2026 at 11:48 am
Maybe Schwartz? Chucky 2.0
March 1st, 2026 at 11:56 am
90% of Bucs fans that don’t like Todd Bowles, indeed, do not like Todd Bowles
Hahaha you guys and your “statistics” really make my mornings lol
March 1st, 2026 at 12:00 pm
Anyhony, how can we get some of what you are smoking? So you think the Bucs are going to suddenly become championship caliber under Todd? Based on what?
March 1st, 2026 at 12:01 pm
If the Bucs go 12-5 with the 2026 strength of schedule, there will be extensions handed out. The biggest problem I see is how does he as a HC re-motivate this team to the point where they are back to playing with aggression and passion. The Rams, Seahawks, Patriots, Eagles, Texans, even the Saints at the end of the year played with urgency and physicality. The Bucs didn’t even come close! That is a tough thing to do.
March 1st, 2026 at 12:05 pm
Bowles is the idiot who said LB was his deepest position. He actually said that. I wish the Joes would press him on why he made such an asinine statement. Also, never forget, “Draft Guru” Licht said Braswell was going to “Shock” the world. How can anyone have faith in this braintrust? He will probably sign someone like an often-injured 32-year-old LB like Anzalone and make it sound like he is the next coming of Ray Lewis. 5-12 is a stretch if they don’t sign Evans.
March 1st, 2026 at 12:13 pm
Going to be a long long season. More of the same but worse.
March 1st, 2026 at 12:15 pm
they may go 5- 12 if lucky.
March 1st, 2026 at 12:16 pm
Not the Coach…not the players…. hmmm that leave the GM. What a fool.
March 1st, 2026 at 12:18 pm
“We Haven’t Lost Any Faith In Todd”…until they DO…probabaly by this coming mid-season when they start their annual mid-season spiral.
March 1st, 2026 at 12:20 pm
I have all the faith in the world that we’ll be a 7-9 win football team.
March 1st, 2026 at 12:24 pm
Licht is delerious. No way the Bucs are going anywhere with the spectator HC/DC, Todd Bowles. Had they not extended his contract in 2025, Bowles would have been gone. It is not Todd Bowles fault that the Glazer’s and Licht are lost. TB gets to hang around another year with his defensive “schemes” that are ineffective. The only hope is at least 7 new defensive starters in 2026.
March 1st, 2026 at 12:36 pm
Being a huge fan since 76 my excitement for next season is in the toilet.
I like Todd as a man and a great guy. But he absolutely should have been fired.
By every standard that the Glazers have fired coaches in the past, he should be fired. Does anyone think he will fix this horrid defense next year? Absolutely not.
I can’t help but wonder if the fact that there are only 3 black head coaches in the NFL played a large part in why Todd is getting another year.
March 1st, 2026 at 12:40 pm
I am coming around to the thinking that Licht NEEDS to go also!
May this be the last season for IBS and Mr. Delusional!
March 1st, 2026 at 12:40 pm
Muuuuuuuuuuuuuuu-AH-HA HA HA HA
March 1st, 2026 at 12:43 pm
Essentially Bowles is on his 5th year option. Bucs believe Todd is the man to turn it around on the field, and Licht is the man to get the right players. We’ll see what happens. I started rewatching the season. I suggest everyone do it.
March 1st, 2026 at 12:54 pm
More gaslighting from Licht. We need a confidence poll for him also. Always no confidence from me on Bowles even when the Bucs were 6-2. The guy will never be better than a .500 coach and Licht basically had a few good seasons as GM. Both need to go. This upcoming season is going to be wasted.
March 1st, 2026 at 1:00 pm
Joe … ‘Joe thinks it is fair to refer to Todd Bowles as one of the more unpopular Bucs head coaches this century.’
Really Joe? Did a look back at YOUR polls on Todd Bowles for the 2025 season (3 polls) and then looked at 1 poll for the latter part of 2024:
o Week 17 (26 Dec 2025): 7.9% Confident-Very Confident-Totally Confident … 92.1% Little Confidence-No Confidence.
430 voters. Bucs record: 7-9
o Week 11 (14 Nov 2025): 67.9% Confident-Very Confident-Totally Confident … 32.1% Little Confidence-No Confidence.
757 voters. Bucs record: 6-3
o Week 6 (10 Oct 2025): 83.9% Confident-Very Confident-Totally Confident … 16.1% Little Confidence-No Confidence.
1238 voters. Bucs record: 4-1
o Week 16 (18 Dec 2024): 67.8% Confident-Very Confident-Totally Confident … 32.2% Little Confidence-No Confidence.
475 voters. Bucs record: 8-6
What I see based on YOUR polls is that Todd Bowles did extremely well in the polls over a 2-year period EXCEPT for the latest one. Kinda looks like LOSING flavors fans’ reactions to polls structured the way yours have been structured. Wow, what a revelation.
While Todd was winning, fans were CONFIDENT in his leadership (67.8% – 83.9% were Confident, Very Confident or Totally Confident. Once we started losing last season, fans’ CONFIDENCE in Bowles plummeted.
I guess what they say is true … ‘Timing is everything’.
March 1st, 2026 at 1:09 pm
Here for the comments with this headline. Owners have put $ before the team…another wasted year coming up.
March 1st, 2026 at 1:12 pm
@PM: Edibles. Also I said “if” you know,…… hypothetical, open your mind, ponder the question and see if you are overly emotional.I know their are better coaches than Bowles but none were available to us and we could do much worse (decade of depression).
March 1st, 2026 at 1:24 pm
Can’t wait to clean house next year.
March 1st, 2026 at 1:34 pm
Todd is the greatest but if the Glazers had made a move, John Harbaugh, Mike McCarthy, Todd Monken (to name a few) were all available as were more. Although I don’t agree, some say that a half programmed AI Bot could’ve done a better job coaching the Bucs in 2025.
And it seems that the fan base is relentlessly against Todd, every post has that as the focus, and it’s not spam.
March 1st, 2026 at 1:42 pm
12-5 😂😂😂
Playoffs 😂😂😂
Question for Any ????
If Bowles has another 500 seasons will you say Bye Bye Bowles
March 1st, 2026 at 1:47 pm
Joe’s and the negative commenters here like to think they represent all the fans. Or even a majority. Sorry but I don’t think that’s true. It’s a small, very loud, minority.
And an edge rush IS NOT a need. A pass rush IS. Where it comes from does not correlate to team success.
March 1st, 2026 at 1:52 pm
@Anyhony … literally anyone. Anyone was a good hire over Bowles.
There is hope in the unknown. There is no hope with Todd. We know exactly what we are gonna get and it’s not good enough.
Schwartz is still out there. Guaranteed he takes this D from 26th to 16th instantly.
I know Bowles isn’t going anywhere now, that’s just an example.
March 1st, 2026 at 1:55 pm
Tom Petty … ‘And an edge rush IS NOT a need. A pass rush IS. Where it comes from does not correlate to team success.’
BINGO! I’d say you’re preaching to the choir Tom, but I seriously doubt most JBFers can sing. They’re excellent at whining though.
March 1st, 2026 at 1:56 pm
@Tom Petty, that’s just not true.
Maybe if you poll every casual fan in the country it would be a minority but any true fans that follow the Bucs and take the time to comment or talk Bucs on social media … strong majority.
The polls, comments, twitter accounts that bleed pewter, overwhelming majority has no idea why this guy is still leading the defense and team. Hell the fans in the stadium end of last year were giving it to him.
March 1st, 2026 at 1:57 pm
These guys are delusional and should all be fired.
March 1st, 2026 at 2:01 pm
Tom Petty and D Rules… that’s all well and good but that’s part of Todd’s issue. He thinks he can manufacture pressure with the horses he has and that’s proven to be false.
So I agree, can come from anywhere, but this team needs way stronger horses up front. DT,DE,OLB,ILB… needs some dawgs who can get to the QB. That’s not on Todd but if he cared more about it, probably not drafting Emeka 1st round last year.
March 1st, 2026 at 2:31 pm
It is hard to forget that with the score tied and seconds on the clock, Bowles didn’t make the right adjustments to prevent LA from kicking the winning field goal and deny the Bucs their second super bowl in a row. He even admitted it the next day. I’m sorry, Bowles should have been kissed good by a long time ago. Keeping it real in Ireland.
March 1st, 2026 at 2:35 pm
anyone who expects jason or todd to do anything but go to indy and talk all pretty and happy about everything is delusional.
March 1st, 2026 at 3:06 pm
So go down with the ship too, Jason. Bowles needed to walk the plank two years ago. Now the whole ship will go down.
March 1st, 2026 at 3:32 pm
What about a Defensive Cordinator, I don’t think Bowles is capable of being a HC & a play caller for a Defensive scheme that is not evolving with the game. I agree that we need a pass rush, no matter where it comes from. But if our edge guys can’t set solid edge the Qb just escapes outside, as a longtime Bucs fan I hope for the best but if they were to have success next year then nothing changes & I.for one am tired of the annual mid season swoon. I am hoping the new coaches breath new life ,physicality & excitement into the pewter pirates but 12-5 nope don’t see it. Plus as several posters pointed out may it’s time to have wholesale changes.
March 1st, 2026 at 3:33 pm
What about a Defensive Cordinator, I don’t think Bowles is capable of being a HC & a play caller for a Defensive scheme that is not evolving with the game. I agree that we need a pass rush, no matter where it comes from. But if our edge guys can’t set solid edge the Qb just escapes outside, as a longtime Bucs fan I hope for the best but if they were to have success next year then nothing changes & I.for one am tired of the annual mid season swoon. I am hoping the new coaches breath new life ,physicality & excitement into the pewter pirates but 12-5 nope don’t see it. Plus as several posters pointed out may it’s time to have wholesale changes.
March 1st, 2026 at 3:54 pm
@Saskbucs
Define casual.
I think you’re confusing participation (making comments) with football knowledge.
Just because someone shows up daily (to a blog or social media) to criticize doesn’t mean they know, or care, more than people who don’t.
Just because a majority of JBF commenters repeat the same stuff over and over doesn’t mean it’s true, or that the majority of fans (all inclusive) agree. MOST Bucs fans do not post here but that doesn’t mean they’re “casual fans”.
March 1st, 2026 at 4:16 pm
Bowles said last week he’s calling defensive plays. He’s already finalized his staff. Unless someone leaves between now and the start of training camp, the staff is what it is and won’t change until, at the earliest, January 2027.
March 1st, 2026 at 4:39 pm
Well,.some might just get their wish with the Childish hero worship for the career loser Bowles….. Bowles never had a “winning” vision nor direction. THAT IS Clear. Plenty of evidence on that front and that discussion is OVER.. 92% voiced they’re utter and total disappointment in the man and the rest are “OBVIOUSLY” delusional and their standards Clearly lack perspective and Certainly lackuster…
However, as I said, it’s not necessarily over for the Todd Bowled family members and sparce hopefool’s…
I’ll pose you all a question. Just who guaranteed Any of You that if he had another tanking year (though it’s called something else) that the “tank” is over? Can we really rebuild this team in one draft? We DO NOT HAVE the horses on defense. And I’m sorry but it’s Going To take more time to rebuild the defense than one season to get within striking range of competitive.
Bowles IS the PERFECT stooge for the tank. Already in place and is Excelling at discouraging the player to the point of wanting to puke No Matter How talented they maybe. And you can forget player confidence in his vision. Especially as that last sentence Applies. The plan ISN’T to run at the title in 2026. That’s what we all thought last year before Bowles and company Found the way to BLOW those hopes and aspirations SKY HIGH! So now…. a New Direction a New Game Plan
Besides, so many teams were looking for a head coach that there wasn’t much to chose from. We need another year to make ourselves more attractive to any decent one. So that takes time and one year, just might not cut the mustard. So what’s the hurry in getting rid of Bowles? We’re NOT in a WIN NOW type of mind set. A coach we “want” isn’t in view nor available. So we wait WITH Bowles in place to Make Sure that we get a top ten draft pick for 2027, and make ourselves Very Attractive for our new head coach. There is NO GUARANTEE that Bowles will be fired “Even With” another coaching disaster after this next season. None at all…
So have heart Bowles faithful. You may have Far More time to pretend that Bowles is a mustardmind genius that’s sadly misunderstood….
March 1st, 2026 at 4:43 pm
I love the arm chair GM’s in these comments.
Why don’t you guys go get a job in theme? Or maybe you’re not quite qualified
March 1st, 2026 at 5:19 pm
One more year of the circus of Todd and JL
March 1st, 2026 at 5:59 pm
Saskbucs … ‘So I agree, can come from anywhere, but this team needs way stronger horses up front. DT,DE,OLB,ILB… needs some dawgs who can get to the QB.’
If you’ve read any of what I’ve been writing for ages, you know that you & I are saying EXACTLY the same thing. I commented just yesterday to the JBF ‘Sorry Pass Defense’ article where my priorities lie …
o Free agency: 1 starting-quality veteran beastly DT, 1 starting-quality veteran ILB, 1 starting-quality veteran Edge (use any other monies available to beef up offensive & defensive DEPTH).
o Draft: 1 beastly DT/NT (Rnd 1) … 1 starting-quality ILB (Rnd 2) … BPAs ILB, DT/DE, Edge, CB (Rnds 3 & 4) … after that BPAs still available in Rnds 5-7.
I’m an advocate for fixing the INTERIOR DLINE FIRST (like we did when we signed Suh), in the belief that a strong interior DLine not only helps the OLBs do better, but also creates better blitzing opportunities for our ILBs & others.
March 1st, 2026 at 6:41 pm
DR, I’m right there with you. DT/NT. Beasts. Still, I get this feeling that this defense, besides really badly needing front 7 help, needs an attitude adjustment and leadership. I’m sure that is all under consideration but it seems so obvious. I’m not knocking Lavonte or Vea but we have been lacking something we need. The right attitude goes a long way.
March 1st, 2026 at 6:50 pm
And btw, when I thought it mattered TWO YEARS AGO, I also advocated for a Monster to go right beside Vea on the D line and believed that, THAT Was the KEY to getting to the qb just like when we had Vea and Suh and Nacho. The D line WAS th reason the Ends could feast. And that hasn’t changed one bit. Right along with Defense rules. That was three years ago now and they management hasn’t made ANY significant move to truly improve our situation.
Umm Hall… NOPE. Kancey….. NOPE. Licht can’t seem to hit the broadside of a barn when it comes to drafting front seven talent. Licht IS NOT the answer to finding the quality required.
Still, I agree with DR. Problem is… they aren’t listening to DR or me or you….
And still, none of us that want to make the front seven a REAL FORCE again, Aren’t Wrong! Perhaps Licbt will seek guidance in finding the Best we possibly can when we’re picking so far down the line year after year… That seems to be changing rather quickly though. Todd Bowles is the head coach after all and we’re getting closer and closer to picking in the “can’t miss”, top 5 again.
March 1st, 2026 at 6:50 pm
JL should run for office. No issue with fabricating outright lies. One of these two statements is a lie: 1) We want to contend. 2) He’s the perfect person to get this thing back going. I guess there is also the option JL is completely delusional. Hire Schwartz as DC if you want a chance this year. Bowles can’t handle one job, much less 2.
March 1st, 2026 at 6:55 pm
There is nothing wrong with with Licht, Bowles and ownership believing they are more qualified it right the ship than the fans are. In theory this SHOULD be the case. After all, football is their expertise and their full time job. Yet here they are giving weak answers to questions that they can’t even begin to back up and their track record and poor decisions loom large. And we are supposed to have confidence in this group?
Yeah, they know more than we do. But not as much as their contemporaries do.
March 1st, 2026 at 7:06 pm
Seems my handle reverted back to my original name “Obvious” without me realizing it. The handle I used for YEARS until some “Shill” just couldn’t figure out her own handle. I asked the low life to figure out her own handle like ANY decent person should do but she just was too infatuated.. A real bummer to since her takes are Extremely Boring yet I have to admit her takes on Anything are definitely behind the times and certainly are Very “Obviously” drab…
March 1st, 2026 at 7:10 pm
Bad bucs
You’re right. He’s lying through his teeth. But then, what else is he going to do?
Perhaps he doesn’t have to continue to lie CONSTANTLY! Maybe find away to frame it so that he doesn’t always sound like a trained monkey… ? But I wouldn’t bet on that..
March 1st, 2026 at 7:30 pm
@Obvious One
Please shut up – nobody cares
March 1st, 2026 at 10:08 pm
I am glad you have faith Jason. I have faith in numbers once the sample size becomes large enough. Win Loss records over time tell the story for coaches. After awhile they are what they are.
I am guessing that you have tied yourself to Todd Bowles. His fate is your fate.
Good Luck with that.
March 2nd, 2026 at 8:08 am
They drafted JTS, they drafted Logan Hall, they drafted Calijah Kancey, they drafted YaYa Diaby, they drafted Chris Braswell, they signed Hassaan Reddick….how much more meat do they need to throw in the grinder?
Its not like they havent thrown resources at the pass rush since the Super Bowl, but whats the common denominator? None of those players have changed the trajectory of this pass defense. At some point Bowles has to look in this magical mirror of his and see that what he’s doing isnt working.
March 2nd, 2026 at 4:53 pm
Just give Bowels some more potatoe chips. Feed the be,my and ass