Todd Bowles No. 16
April 8th, 2026
No Jeff Fisher.
Bucs coach Todd Bowles has a .515 winning percentage through four seasons as head coach. So it stands to reason some think he’s an average coach.
Patrick Daugherty of Rotoworld decided to rank all NFL coaches. And, as you may have guessed, given Bowles’ record, Daugherty thinks Bowles is an average coach, ranking him at No. 16 among the 32 NFL coaches, right smack in the middle.
Daugherty seems to think Bowles isn’t as bad as some believe but sure has room to improve.
16. Todd Bowles, Bucs
Career Record: 61-74 (.452)
With The Bucs Since: 2022
Last Year’s Ranking: 15Has Todd Bowles’ Bucs tenure gone better or worse than expected? It’s certainly never been worse than it was down the stretch in 2025, where an apocalyptic 1-7 post-bye stretch rendered the Bucs’ Week 18 victory over the Panthers irrelevant, coughing up one of the easier-to-claim division titles in recent memory. It would be easy to say it was emblematic of Bowles’ time by the bay, but until last season he had primarily been backing into good outcomes. His first year featured an 8-9 division title with the greatest player in league history before he pulled off similar feats each of the next two campaigns with the greatest walk-on in league history. Bowles’ somewhat-sustained offensive success has belied a conservative and stodgy reputation. It’s been necessary since he hasn’t quite lived up to expectations on the defensive side of the ball. That was especially true in 2025. On the whole, Bowles has been running pure in the 8-10 win zone. Good for him, but that’s an unsustainable approach whether you’re Jeff Fisher or Mike Tomlin, and Bowles seems much more like the former. Absent a big 2026 step forward, there will probably be big changes on the Bucs’ sideline.
You know, Bowles is sort of like the opposite version of Jeff Fisher. Fisher had one good season as a head coach and came so, so close to winning a Super Bowl. Take that season away and Fisher’s teams were very Bowles-like as far as making the playoffs and eating an “L.”
Why did Joe refer to Bowles as the opposite of Fisher? Well, Fisher was a defensive-minded head coach and his defenses were usually solid. His offenses were atrocious, just like you’d expect from a defensive guy around the turn of the century; you know, play good defense, run the ball and keep the game close.
Bowles, though, for being a defensive guy, has had sorry defenses of late and “this Joe” maintains Bowles’ defense quit on him last year.
Instead, it has been the Bucs offense under Bowles — when the offense has been allowed to throw — which has carried Bowles’ teams.
April 8th, 2026 at 7:05 am
Todd”Toilet” Bowels is GARBAGE 💯💯💯💯💯
April 8th, 2026 at 7:08 am
This guy sucks azz and has shown ZERO growth as a HC. If you have to hire someone to help with clock management after your 8th year as a HC…you suck. Hopefully hiring your kid will help. Maybe Robert Ayers is still available? Noah Spence?
April 8th, 2026 at 7:14 am
I’ve seen Bowles described as “average”, “mediocre”, “just a guy” etc on this here part of the interwebs. Doesn’t 16 out of 32 just scream average?
April 8th, 2026 at 7:21 am
Wow, breaking news, Joe. Who would have thought….
April 8th, 2026 at 7:24 am
Bowles’s Bucs are “this” close!
April 8th, 2026 at 8:01 am
#16 is about right…unfortunately….
baker is ranked about the same…#13-15
which is why we have an 8-9, 9-8, 10-7 ceiling
GO BUCS!!!!
April 8th, 2026 at 8:12 am
ME13 thinks he is #32….and that’s all that matters -saddest off-season ever!
April 8th, 2026 at 8:13 am
Two things- can not make in game adjustments,
Lousy record in developing the talents of his players. (not all draft picks are busts).
April 8th, 2026 at 8:22 am
The most comical thing of all was Bowles excuse that he couldn’t concentrate on the defense, because he was “helping” the offense. His “help” was having the Bucs offense run the ball up the middle 30 times a game, to keep the scores down, to not make his terrible defense look so bad. Selfish. His record as an NFL HC is well below .500, so it’s hard to even consider him average, IMHO.
April 8th, 2026 at 8:27 am
If they’d kept trask and dumped Mayfield, we’d be talking about bowles being a top-tier coach.
April 8th, 2026 at 8:27 am
Enjoy your final year Todd.
April 8th, 2026 at 8:36 am
Too bad as Bucs fans we are entering a season like no other, we have a lame duck coach who most of the fanbase are afraid will be 10-7 ,(which i doubt) & then the lower average GM & owners will boast about their decision not to make a HCing change after last seasons fall on their faces. He lost his team. Particular the Defense even though he is called a Defensive Guru. The team suffered thru a devastating list of injuries at important positions which has to be delt with. They were soft & confused too often, & not what you call fired up especially his Defense. His solution to the injuries A DEFENSIVE CORDINATOR & to quit hard physical practices & just do walk thrus (didn’t wmore aggressiveDEFENSIVEscheme). The fan base is in a strange place after the owners vote of confidence wanting the TEAMinstall a ne to be good but hoping for s HC change. They have new coaches on both sides of. Tĺbe ball & going into the draft have brought in several new players . We saw a team ledgend ME13 turn down $$$$ to get away from a team he said at one time he would retire as So here we go. I for one will drink the cool aid & hope for the best i guess, I’m ahopeless Bucs Homer . . GO BUCS!! But I really do wish THE BUCS FRONT OFFICE & OWNERS WOULD HIRE a DEFENSIVE CORDINATOR & install a new DEFENSIVE scheme.
April 8th, 2026 at 9:08 am
“#16 is about right…unfortunately….
baker is ranked about the same…#13-15
which is why we have an 8-9, 9-8, 10-7 ceiling”
… until the team and Baker can stay healthy and prove otherwise.
If Baker has a season like he had in 2024 and the Bucs win 11 or 12 games, a lot of the anti-Bowles rhetoric will go away, especially if a playoff game is one. Not all of it though. LOL But if 10-7 making the playoffs with a first round loss, what will ownership do? Hmmmm
Anything less than that, Bowles is gone.
April 8th, 2026 at 9:10 am
No matter which way it goes he’s out after this season. Either fired or retired,
Zac Robinson will be HC in 2027.
April 8th, 2026 at 9:11 am
10 wins is his ceiling as a HC, he’s reached that mark twice.
He’s a “Defensive Guru” who consistently coordinates a bottom 10 passing defense in a passing league
His turtle and 1980’s NFL mindset will ensure he’s fired in 10 months