“I Think I’ll Be More Involved”
April 6th, 2026
Todd Bowles
In July, Todd Bowles said Bucs defensive assistant coaches would have more influence on 2025 decisions than they did in 2024.
In January, after Bowles launched multiple defesive assistants, the Joe typing here said there was no chance Bowles would hire a defensive coordinator and the head coach should be expected to take back a heavier hand on the defense.
Fast forward to last Monday, and Joe asked Bowles at the NFL annual meeting about last year’s defensive approach and whether he would flip back to being more controlling.
Bowles replied that change is coming, several changes.
“I think I’ll be more involved,” Bowles said at a Phoenix breakfast table. “It’ll be a big collaboration thing, but we’ve already tweaked some things to try to approach it a different way and break some things that we’re used to doing – try to do some different things that way. But, you know, it’s still about accountability from a player-to-coach standpoint. We have to teach it well and they have to play it well. So it’s a combination of both.”
Joe suspects Bucs fans were pleased to hear Bowles talk about tweaks and breaking trends and implementing changes.
Joe has heard hints that edge rushers won’t drop in coverage as often. Wouldn’t that be refreshing?
April 6th, 2026 at 3:50 am
Just have to coach it better, play it better. Yeah…we know.
April 6th, 2026 at 3:54 am
Oh No! Blunderball.
April 6th, 2026 at 4:08 am
He said this last year! How he found something on film and it was worse than ever! More involved? He needs to lay off as far as I’m concerned.
April 6th, 2026 at 5:18 am
Bowles will run some form of a “Prevent” defense, but instead of being a “bend but don’t break” defense, it’ll be a “bend AND break” setup. Remember when Lovie Smith’s and Mike Smith’s defenses were figured out, and they didn’t know what to do or how to adjust? Todd Bowles is an honorary Smith Brother, because it’s the same deal.
April 6th, 2026 at 5:21 am
We even have Bowles son as a coach now. Remember when Lovie had all of his relatives on the staff, when the they actually needed less?
April 6th, 2026 at 5:22 am
*When they actually needed less?