“That’s A Coaching Thing”
June 24th, 2026
Two Steelers greats took serious shots at Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles.
Remember when Joe shared how Bowles referenced last week that Bucs players took plays off when the team had a lead?
Yeah, Joe is still dry heaving. And it seems legendary Pittsburgh linebacker James Harrison and one-time Steelers Pro Bowl cornerback Joe Haden are feeling similarly.
They addressed Bowles’ comments on their Deebo and Joe podcast.
Haden and Harrison pointed fingers at the Tampa Bay head coach.
“That’s a coaching thing,” Haden barked. “You can’t let that be accepted. That starts in practice. That starts in pursuit drills. [Players] didn’t start that in the game; that was happening in practice. You were letting that thing slide.”
Harrison agreed. He added that loafing in the NFL largely is about fatigue — followed by ego preventing players from asking for a sub when they can’t go full speed.
Haden chastised tired players that take a play off to just stay on the field. “Sub out,” he said. “Get off the damn field. Fatigue makes a coward out of everybody.”
Change of speed during a practice play or in a game is the ultimate tell, Haden said. Harrison agreed and again pointed at coaching.
“You are the head coach. You dictate and you make that acceptable or unacceptable by how you practice,” Harrison said.
Both talked about how full buy-in to a head coach is only achieved when every player is called out equally in front all teammates.
Joe will add that was a trademark of Bucco Bruce Arians and, apparently, one of Arians’ comrades. Harrison said Steelers Hall of Fame coach Bill Cowher would call out anybody.
So where was coaching to blame with the 2025 Bucs?
Well, Joe would say Bowles blamed a ton on his coaching staff given all the offseason firings, hirings and resignations.
June 24th, 2026 at 1:13 pm
They fired the wrong guy. It starts from the top down. I can’t even believe that Bowles admitted That didn’t realize it was his own damn fault. We have some great players, but I doubt we win a Super Bowl till Bowles is gone. It said I’m gonna coach is afraid to Callout loafing players its just sad.
June 24th, 2026 at 1:17 pm
He benched some people late in the season pretending they were injured. Those people are gone now so that tells me all I need to know about them. And obviously it was not tolerated as they are no longer on the team. I think Reddick was a locker room cancer right from the start, for instance.
June 24th, 2026 at 1:19 pm
That is why all the players love him! If you f’ed around at work all day and got paid and were never held accountable u would love ur boss also.
June 24th, 2026 at 1:30 pm
Bowlez rarely holds players accountable. Among many reasons why he should’ve been fired.
June 24th, 2026 at 1:34 pm
Someone might be collecting a paycheck until it runs out. SMH
No accountability.
Then fire coaches and hire your son.
Laughing all the way to the bank!!!
Bowles is doing a Michael Clayton on the Glazers and all Bucs fans.
Yeah I miss Bruce Arians.
Rinse and Repeat
June 24th, 2026 at 1:45 pm
Accountability conversations aren’t with the media, they’re with the players.
Maybe ask them about any accountability. Do Iit on background and maybe they’ll even talk about it with you.
June 24th, 2026 at 2:07 pm
When Bowles orders his quadruple bacon cheeseburger from Whataburger, he prefers it with Swiss cheese.
Then washes it down with a Large chocolate milk shake and five KitKat bars.
Also, he sucks at being a HC and DC. Just look at his record.
He allows laziness and boredom to set in as a normal thing.
Culture of Failure.
June 24th, 2026 at 2:19 pm
You get either what you create or what you accept. Bowles accepted loafing. That said, the Glazers accepted mediocrity, so no one should be surprised. Given that they allowed Bowles to fire his staff instead of being accountable tells me everything I need to know. Praying the Glazers get tired of being the tallest midget in the circus and make a difficult decision.
June 24th, 2026 at 2:19 pm
Man Bowles cant do any good in yalls eyes. Yall keep the same energy when we win the nfc south again this year
June 24th, 2026 at 2:24 pm
Bowles is firmly on the hot seat. He’ll be high on that list all season, probably post season too. This is it for him. Get it done, or get gone.
June 24th, 2026 at 2:26 pm
Speaking of Bruce – great interview with him on another site but the Todd trashers and Baker bickerers probably don’t want to hear it cause he loves Todd and Bake and is optimistic about the Bucs season
When Todd wakes up in the morning he knows one thing – lynchmob will be thinking about him already. 😭
June 24th, 2026 at 2:30 pm
Bowles put his hands up in the air and said he had no answers for fixing the special teams mid season last year. Thats a fire-able offense by itself. The headcoach is supposed to have the answers. Bowles would rather not rock the boat than take any extreme measures like total accountability. Thats great for comradery but not great for exceptionalism.
June 24th, 2026 at 2:33 pm
“That was happening in practice” What I’ve been saying. I watch this team play and I wonder what they do at practice. Or if they practice.
June 24th, 2026 at 2:39 pm
We will Fred, cause that’s Bowles ceiling as a coach. Give him the NFC pro bowl team and he will lose in the divisional round.
June 24th, 2026 at 2:40 pm
Hey Todd, 2026 is your opportunity to prove us all wrong. I’d love for that to happen but I don’t think it will.