Can The Long Arm Of Sean McVay Help Todd Bowles (Again)?
July 22nd, 2026
Recapturing Baker Mayfield’s magic?
If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em.
That seems to be the mentality of KitKat-eating Bucs coach Todd Bowles.
To be fair to Bowles, he and his defense have beaten Sean McVay and the Rams twice since Bowles got to Tampa in 2019.
Well, Joe should clarify Bowles’ defense beat McVay and the Rams once, in 2022, in a 16-13 home Bucs win. The other win was in 2019 when the Bucs survived one of the funniest shootouts you will ever see, a 55-40 win with America’s Quarterback, Jameis Winston, throwing four touchdown passes.
Jared Goff did throw for 517 yards but Bowles’ defense did pick off Goff three times.
As a result of getting lit up by McVay more than a couple of times, Bowles wisely decided he could use some of McKay’s rizz. So he hired former McVay offensive coordinator Liam Coen in 2024.
We saw how that worked out. Coen may have had one of the best Bucs offenses in franchise history as the Bucs won 10 games.
After last year’s debacle with Josh Grizzard (the offense wasn’t all his fault), Bowles decided to go with another McVay disciple in hiring Zac Robinson.
In a season preview at SI.com, Gilberto Manzano seems to think Robinson might be better with the Bucs as there is no doubt who his quarterback will be: Baker Mayfield. In Atlanta, Robinson bounced between Michael Penix and Kirk Cousins (speaking of Bowles’ defense and 500 yards passing).
With Robinson, Bowles is returning to the McVay coaching tree in hopes of getting Mayfield’s best. Mayfield had a career season when Liam Coen was the Buccaneers’ OC in 2024 before he took the job with the Jaguars. Coen and Robinson worked together for three seasons under McVay with the Rams.
However, Robinson struggled as a first-time play-caller during his two seasons with the Falcons. But Robinson could get better quarterback play from Mayfield after going back and forth between Kirk Cousins and Michael Penix Jr. the past two seasons.
There is limited history of Robinson working with Mayfield, just like there was limited history of Coen working with Mayfield. Both Coen and Robinson were on the McVay staff when Mayfield played five games for the Rams in 2022.
We saw how Mayfield played with Coen pulling the strings. Why can’t we expect better results from Mayfield this year with a like-minded coach in Robinson?
The sad thing here is if the Bucs offense lights it up, it’s a pretty safe bet Robinson will be a head coach somewhere else next year. And then we’re all back to Square-1. Same as it always is. New season, new coordinator.
July 22nd, 2026 at 4:08 am
Hard to see the Glazers making the same mistake twice if Robinson proves to be the OC we’re all hoping he is, especially if the team puts up another mediocre 7-9 win season in spite of having a top 10 offense. Considering todd turns 63 this season & has never won more than 10 games in 8+ seasons (along with holding a career .452 win% as a HC), have to hope the Glazers finally see the reality of the situation.
July 22nd, 2026 at 4:52 am
Its not good for the franchise if Bowles keeps his job because every year good offensive coordinators get HC jobs. If there is to be any continuity in this organization, Bowles has to go.
July 22nd, 2026 at 5:19 am
If Zac turns out to be as good as Coen, don’t blow it this time Glazers. Give Bowles a raise, and give him Arians old BS job as team adviser. We can’t keep Bowles, and keep having a revolving door at OC. Having that HC, play caller connection with your franchise QB is key to success.
July 22nd, 2026 at 5:52 am
Robinson could get Better QB play than he got from Cousins???
Cousins was 5-2 as a starter last year-so better than that???
July 22nd, 2026 at 5:58 am
One odd thing about offensive head coaches is that they often shine at picking their D-coordinators. In recent Bucs history we can look at the Panthers with Canales (where the defense largely carried the team last year) or Jax under Coen. In fact just look at Arians, who sure got the most out of Bowles. And recent League experience tends to back this up as a trend in the Broncos, Rams, Vikings, and a lot of others.
Unfortunately , it doesn’t seem to work out the other way.
We can speculate why OCs get a deep feel for good D coaches. Or why the D folks don’t pick such good offensive minds (just look at the Texans). But the trend is obvious.
July 22nd, 2026 at 6:01 am
I think we know this season is a crap shoot. It is TB & JL’s prove it year. In some ways it is also ZR’s prove it year. This organization is a mess. Not launching TB and elevating Coen was a mistake that keeps coming up until the Bucs either win a lot AND keep ZR or they launch TB and elevate ZR. The owners painted themselves into a corner. What a nice fix they worked themselves into.
July 22nd, 2026 at 8:08 am
This is why if the offense goes off, they gotta move on from Bowles and bump Robinson.
Even if the entire season is a dud and the whole staff is launched, the next head coach HAS to be an offensive guy. Just say no on any defensive minded coach and why I don’t get the obsession some fans have with Mike Tomlin. Whether it’s Mayfield or the Bucs start over with a rookie next year, there HAS to be continuity on offense. The revolving door can’t continue.
July 22nd, 2026 at 8:13 am
idk lol…Zac gives me Dirk Koetter vibes lol
GO BUCS!!!!!
July 22nd, 2026 at 8:14 am
The Glazers should not have let Coen get away. “Another fine Mess” Laurel and Hardy.
July 22nd, 2026 at 8:44 am
McVay and competent coordinators LOVE seeing the Todd Blows defense
Now, hopefully one of these coordinators can help save the franchise and fans from Todd’s incompetence
July 22nd, 2026 at 9:17 am
There is only 1 reason Bowles didn’t get fired for Coen or last year’s face plant, money, remember Bowles signed an extension the year Coen left, it’s thru 2028, no way they are going to pay Bowles 3 years and pay a new coach which would probably be more than what they are paying Todd, Glazers don’t care about the Bucs success, they just collect checks and any limelight success brings (not much) and stay out of Licht way, but paying 2 coaches is a step too far for something they care little about
July 22nd, 2026 at 10:08 am
Coen had one good season. Let’s see how he does this year before you all start anointing him as Bruce Arians, Jr.
Bowles has had many seasons. All mediocre to slightly above average, meaning making the playoffs.
Division titles don’t mean crap. Anyone who wants to tout Bowles division titles was probably mad when St. Dungy was fired. He also could not get this team beyond slightly above average.
Gruden retooled Dungy’s team — 20% new players — and got them over the top. But sadly, never got close again.
Arians pushed his PC agenda and was lucky enough to land Brady and play the playoffs on the road in empty stadiums. But recall they were 7-5 at one point.
No one knows of Zac Robinson is going to do well as OC. And even if he does, that does not mean he will be a good HC.
This is a make or it break it year for Bowles and Licht. Don’t think Licht is safe. There’s a guy waiting in the wings in personnel.
If they tank, fire Bowles and every coach other than the new ST coach. Fire Bowles. Promote Greenberg.
The guy graduated with honors from Cornell University, and is also a lawyer. Does that make him a good football guy? Not by itself, but it shows the guy is a go-getter and smarter than most.
July 22nd, 2026 at 10:45 am
Nowadays, the only way to have sustained success is to have an Offensive Head Coach.
We will never have sustained success with a revolving door of OC’s.
If Robinson is great, we should make him HC here before we allow him to leave for a HC gig somewhere else. 💯
July 22nd, 2026 at 10:51 am
The McVay tree is really the Shanahan tree. Come on, Joe.
July 22nd, 2026 at 11:07 am
My head is spinning Joe, I know Bowles has made quite a few mistakes in recent years. I don’t believe Bowles is the coach to get the Bucs to the Superbowl either. The playoffs alone should not keep Bowles job. We were all sucker punched with that BS extension he got. It’s time for the Glazers to wake up and start looking early for a new coach. If the offense does something this season, that’s not a reason to pat Todd on the back because don’t run the offense 😒 A Big Decision must be made at the end of this season. Let’s Go Bucs!!!!
July 22nd, 2026 at 11:16 am
You have to play out a season and than deal with the outcome. If Robinson has a Liam type season, the Glazers have to either promote Robinson, or mandate that 2027 is Todd Bowles last season and guarantee Robinson the HC position, predicated on an improved (winning) Offensive season.
Constantly changing OC’s is not a winning strategy…GRIZZARD’ s OC year doomed the Bucs..
July 22nd, 2026 at 12:19 pm
The long arm of McVay and the short arms of Baker… you end up with medium arms.
July 22nd, 2026 at 2:23 pm
What benefits Baker is all the drop off options in the Mcvay offense so doesn’t run and get hurt.
July 22nd, 2026 at 2:39 pm
Beer is still good.
July 22nd, 2026 at 2:48 pm
3.28.Evans Says:
July 22nd, 2026 at 2:39 pm
Beer is still good.
We finally agree on something.. lol
July 22nd, 2026 at 3:36 pm
“Nowadays, the only way to have sustained success is to have an Offensive Head Coach”
——-
The Superbowl winners would disagree
Prove it year for Todd, Baker, Zac, EE, J-Mac, Bucky among others