Jason Taylor Gives Todd Bowles Stamp Of Approval Working With Rueben Bain
April 24th, 2026
Bullish on Todd Bowles.
Well, here is something interesting: The more Joe hears new Bucs edge rusher Rueben Bain talk, the more connections he has to the Bucs.
Since Bain was selected last night by the Bucs, two Bucs legends reached out. Both Warren Sapp and Lavonte David hit up. Sapp texted Bain.
Also, Bain said, he’s spoken to Calijah Kancey.
(What did Sapp text Bain? Bain said Sapp texted him not to get too bold and that Tampa “Is his city.”)
All three have Miami connections, either playing for the Canes like Bain did (Sapp) or are Miami natives (David and Kancey).
But here is the coolest Bucs connection in relation to Bain: His position coach at Miami, Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive end Jason Taylor, played with Bowles in Miami towards the end of Taylor’s career. While Bowles was mostly the secondary coach for the Dolphins, he later became assistant head coach and Taylor became familiar with how Bowles runs his defense and what he wants from his defensive linemen.
Bain said after he was drafted, “JT” had very reassuring words for him on where Bain will start his NFL career.
“He told me this was the perfect place to be,” Bain said of his conversation with Taylor. “The kind of player that I am and the kind of coach that Coach Bowles is, speaking from [Taylor’s] experience, ‘JT,’ I feel like he prepared me. And to go to some [coach] he is familiar with, it makes me feel more comfortable.”
Well. “This Joe” has been extremely spooked and worried about how Bain will fare given Bowles [and the Bucs’ franchise’s] history of developing rookie edge rushers. Or more accurately, lack of history (since Lee Roy Selmon).
Hearing from a guy who has already demonstrated he knows how to develop edge rushers and also knowing intimately what Bowles is trying to get from his defense, that takes a load off of this Joe’s mind. A significant load.
While Joe is still skeptical and will wait for evidence — Joe’s a burning bush kinda guy — if Taylor said Bowles will be good to Bain, who is Joe to argue?
And you have to figure Bowles got great intel on Bain from Taylor.
April 24th, 2026 at 5:25 pm
7-10 will be a stretch. Total disaster draft.
April 24th, 2026 at 5:27 pm
Sign Jason Taylor to coach
April 24th, 2026 at 5:29 pm
@Cleanhouse
That’s what I was wondering. Maybe they should bring Taylor in to put on the coaching staff.
April 24th, 2026 at 5:30 pm
exactly. Why are we not hiring this Pass Rush Specialist to help our Putrid Pass Defense with his Ace pupil?
April 24th, 2026 at 5:33 pm
Make Taylor the D-Coordinator ( if in name only as Bowles would never give up the play calling…just endless yards ).
April 24th, 2026 at 5:35 pm
Another one behind the hire Jason Taylor to be the new OLB coach!
April 24th, 2026 at 5:36 pm
Everyone who’s a professional in this league knows Bowles runs a good defense. The only people that don’t know that are line level Bucs fans.
Hmmmmmmmmmmmm I wonder who knows best
April 24th, 2026 at 5:42 pm
What if Taylor is happy where he’s at? Not as easy as let’s bring him along.
April 24th, 2026 at 5:54 pm
What a Ku Ku
April 24th, 2026 at 5:59 pm
Bringing in Jason Taylor would certainly make me feel better about the edge rushers.
28.3.Evans – everyone in the NFL almost always says nice things about everyone else. Licht told us all last year that Braswell was going to light up the league. They know the NFL and college ball is all about connections. Nobody who is actually associated with football is going to flat out say Bowles defense is bad or he is a bad coach.
April 24th, 2026 at 5:59 pm
Joe, and fellow JBF’ers: Is it possible Bowles has changed? Methinks so. Totally different kind of players TB and JL have brought in since the season ended.
It’s like they admitted what we all saw: something needed to change.
I, for one, am glad and actually excited with the new direction the Bucs are taking this year. On D alone, we should be much better this year.
Go Bucs ! ! !
April 24th, 2026 at 6:02 pm
There was a huge commotion at my house during the middle part of the draft. I was trying to make some supper for my wife and I and dealing with idiots and misheard what was going on. I thought for most of the rest of the draft that we had drafted that Ionne guard who went to Baltimore. Now I was happy with that, but when I found out it was Bain I was twice as happy
April 24th, 2026 at 6:05 pm
Todd Bowles changed after the Falcons game
He snapped and went completely off on the players
And they wet the bed the following week
He realized then the type of loafers he had
And now they are going in a different direction
April 24th, 2026 at 6:05 pm
So yea, Jason Taylor played on the ‘09 Dolphins which had Bowles as secondary coach-Assistant HC under Coach Sporano. George Edwards coached the inside LBers. Noteworthy teammates with guys like Channing Crowder, Joey Porter, Vontae Davis, Ricky Williams, Tedd Ginn, Brian Hartline, & Cam Wake.
Taylor is coming to coach pros, I’m pretty sure a college coaching gig is a little more edifying and less arduous than the grind of being an NFL coach. Besides, he could be eyeing HC if Cristobal gets lured away with money and power lol
April 24th, 2026 at 6:16 pm
You must give Bowles some credit for Shaq and JPP. Though he didn’t draft them, it’s not like they regressed under his watch.
April 24th, 2026 at 6:32 pm
Not making excuses for Bowles, but he doesn’t have a lot of talent on his side of the ball. When we played in the SB, yes.
I don’t agree with what Rod Mucher said, but it did make me think. It wasn’t Arians telling Bowles to be aggressive during our SB run. It was that Bowles had some talent then to play more aggressive.
D-Line: Suh, JPP, Vita Via, Shaq, William Gholston…
Linebackers: LVD was younger, Devin White had not lost his mind…
Secondary: Antoine Winfield Jr., Jordan Whitehead, SMB, Jamal Dean.
Lets be honest. Our current defensive talent sucks. The Bucs don’t have half that level of talent now. What players on last years roster would start for the SB team? Not 2025 LVD. Dennis? LMAO. Yaya would be a good backup. Same with 2025 VV. Maybe Dean, but that’s about it. (just a side note to JL haters – who put that SB roster together?? ONE defensive FA on that roster – Suh)
So what is a coach to do? Stay aggressive with such inferior talent? No, he goes to soft prevent defenses to avoid getting beat on 3rd and 28.
No one can say Bowles is not creative, unless you are just a hater or a fool. I would like to see what he can do with some talent. Maybe this is why the Glazers kept Todd. But the level of talent we had during the SB is several drafts away.
April 24th, 2026 at 6:33 pm
Todd Bowles was Jason Taylor HC for 3 games in Miami
I think it was in 2011
April 24th, 2026 at 6:44 pm
Licht needs to trade up a little to get JRod. Send bored McCollum packing to more up and get a late round pick
April 24th, 2026 at 6:45 pm
He’ll be playing take backs in a few years when Bain is confused whether he’s a lineman or cornerback!
April 24th, 2026 at 7:25 pm
Great pick,…if he brings Jason Taylor with him.
April 24th, 2026 at 7:49 pm
The brother of Ms “peanut butter skin and big cans.” What she up to?