“I Would Have Him Circled In The First-Coach-Fired Rankings”
July 27th, 2026
Joe’s not a fan of this guy but he does have a massive social media following and does own a huge sports media company, so the take is interestng because important folks at One Buc Palace probably took notice.
Bill Simmons is very down on Todd Bowles.
Simmons, TheRinger.com founder and leader hopped on The Mina Kimes Show today and said the Bucs bringing back Bowles is a recipe for failure. He thinks returning a head coach when that call surely was a tough decision “never works in the NFL.”
Bowles is Simmons’ hot-seat leader.
“I would have him circled in the first-coach-fired rankings, because I thought he should have been fired after the season,” Simmons said.
He went on to rank Tampa Bay as the best team in the NFC South, though he thinks Baker Mayfield is a “middle” tier quarterback after the second half of last season.
Yes, there is pressure on Bowles.
Joe so hopes the Bucs get off to their traditional hot start — four consecutive seasons of 2-0 starts under Bowles.
July 27th, 2026 at 10:35 am
While I have TB pretty much at the top of the Hot Seat / potentially fired after the season coaches, I think it’s an extremely low possibility it happens before the season is over.
July 27th, 2026 at 10:46 am
I think we would be in a way better position if Bowles was fired after last season and we had Zac Robinson as HC.
But time will tell.
July 27th, 2026 at 10:47 am
Agreed, It’s just not what the Glazers do. That said, I am amazed he fired all of the coaches under him, that he picked, but was able to keep his job. As the head coach, you are responsible for the performance of everyone under you…it was time for him to go. I disagree about Baker though. Watching The Quarterback, I think Baker saved Bowles job by putting his health on the line for a handful of gutsy come from behind wins with no OL, back-up receivers and a horrible defense. He paid for it with his year end performance, but that’s no indication of who he is. Give him good coaching, protection and a defense and we can win. He wasn’t responsible for 3rd and 28.
July 27th, 2026 at 10:51 am
2026 hasn’t even started yet, but prognosticators are saying how the Bucs will do based on evidence that exist only in their head. It based on bias. It’s true the Bucs have started out strong but fall apart after the bye week.Last years injuries played a role so everything is based an anomaly.
If the Bucs stay relatively healthy and repeat last year’s performance then it’s on coaching and player performance. Now you have evidence and Jason Licht can take appropriate action to improve the Bucs.
That’s addressing the problem head on.
July 27th, 2026 at 10:56 am
Idk erik im also hopeful for robinson to succeed but hasnt done anything as oc yet. If he does well then its just coen all over again and bowles gets to stay another year and robinson gets poached
July 27th, 2026 at 10:59 am
The rushing attack with the healthy Oline ( knock on wood) ..Yall will see the Todd again next year.. And dont forget the chip on the defense shoulders…Sorry bout your luck..
July 27th, 2026 at 11:01 am
The first time he drops Bain into coverage fire his sorry arse!
July 27th, 2026 at 11:09 am
Hodad Says:
July 27th, 2026 at 11:01 am
The first time he drops Bain into coverage fire his sorry arse!
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
i agree!!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
July 27th, 2026 at 11:11 am
Todd shouldve hired an DC but if he wants to fall on his own sword, so be it
GO BUCS!!!!
July 27th, 2026 at 11:12 am
Bowles will coach every game this year finishing 7-10. Glazers dont fire mid season but he’ll be gone very soon after the final game.
July 27th, 2026 at 11:22 am
Me too but it’s time to move on. Go Bucs!
July 27th, 2026 at 11:22 am
Joe I will be shocked if the Bucs get off to a fast start. 5 new starters on the defense, 3 of which are rookies. A new offensive coordinator. I think the team will be slow to start with a losing record. I think the chemistry will take some time and the rookies need time to understand the game. I think it is pure fantasy to see a fast start. I think you may see a strong finish
July 27th, 2026 at 11:23 am
I agree with everything he says. The Retodd should of been fired after last season, even before that IMO, and Baker is just a middle tier QB. He’s not bad but he’s not great either because of his inconsistency.
July 27th, 2026 at 11:32 am
The Glazier’s should have but they won’t. It’s up to you guys to quit going to the games. I can’t believe how pissed I would be if I had season tickets.
July 27th, 2026 at 11:36 am
813 BucBoi I’m down with you on that BS dropping the edge crap. They are not meant for that. Their job is to do one thing, and I’ve said that to Bain before, EAT Dammit!!! Bowles has let his own self down and this is it.
July 27th, 2026 at 11:40 am
Bowles reminds me of Lovie Smith. Very stubborn when it comes to his defense, even though the NFL has figured it out. Bowles thinks if he just has the right players then everthing will fall into place.
July 27th, 2026 at 11:44 am
I am wondering if the Glazers already have a new HC in mind and he just wasn’t available this season. Why else would any owner let terrible todd coach another season after three years of the same stupid mistakes? Yeah I want the Bucs to win, but the reality is that they won’t be able to win the big games with Bowles stupid in game decisions.
July 27th, 2026 at 11:45 am
Funny thing is, if my 11-6 pom pom waving prediction is true Todd isn’t going anywhere
July 27th, 2026 at 11:51 am
I REALLY DON’T think Zac Robinson “should be” our head coach right now, .. for one.NO WAY!
Not sure what someone was thinking with that statement. This is his 3rd year as a significant OC coach but Robinson hasn’t exactly amazed the masses.. “WE” the Buccaneers and ALL of us fans Have ALREADY MISSED that boat when Coen kept on trucking! It’s doubtful that we’ll Ever have an opportunity to ACTUALLY HAVE “ON OUR SIDE AND IN THE BUILDING” a talent as CLEARLY DEFINED yet still undiscovered as we had in Liam Coen!
Quite frankly A DUMB, AND CHILDISH CALL to keep bowles over a HIGHLY POTENTIAL, “DYNASTY MAKING”, “FRANCHISE SCULPTING”, HEAD COACH that we “could have had”, LEADING US to MULTIPLE SUPER BOWL WINS!… “Creating a True to Life DYNASTY”!
But…… you HAVE TO BE intelligent. You HAVE TO HAVE Passion for this game…!
“THIS”….. THIS we do not have with the Glazer children. They have failed us ALL with SERIOULY BAD AND QUESTIONABLE DECISION MAKING!
They LET the next “Probable Legendary Head Coach” walk right out the door and chose a guy who has ESTABLISHED FOR YEARS that he’s NOT QUALIFIED to lead your team to ANYTHING of life’s Greatest Adventures. And if you DON’T HAVE “THAT MAN” LEADING YOUR TEAM… then you have nothing at all.
Unfortunately the Glazer “children” ARE NOT as SMART as their father. The man who ACTUALLY BUILT THEIR FORTUNE. The Man with the plan. “THE BRAINS AND DRIVE” behind ALL OF their success… And now we are dealing with the passionless children who have DROPPED the Buccaneers like a toy they are bored with…
There is a “REAL TRUTH” in that Baker Mayfield played a Significant role in saving bowles job for YEARS now… That’s actually a credit to both or either or Licht or / bowles. (You never really “know” around here). There is a REAL TRUTH in that “COEN” gave bowles his best season EVER… And there is a REAL TRUTH in that we WON’T BE EVEN A BLOCK AWAY from entering and winning a SUPER BOWL with a coach who was never qualified in the first place. Bowles DIDN’T “EARN” HIS POSITION OF HEAD COACH! HE WAS “GIFTED IT”. And just like “any child or ungrateful whoever”, that doesn’t even bother to say “thank you” for “life changing gifts”, The GIFT doesn’t hold weight to them or significant MEANING…
IT ALMOST MEANS NOTHING TO THEM, “COMPARED TO” A SOMEONE WHOM HAD TO FIGHT TOOTH AND NAIL TO GET WHERE THEY ARE…. BIG DIFFERENCE!
And I don’t understand what some of you people don’t understand about “THAT”! And why you attempt to cover for a man who has done SUCH A PATHETIC JOB THAT THE PLAYERS “THEMSELVES” HAVE TURNED THEIR BACKS ON bowles, AND QUIT!
What MORE do you need to understand before YOU…. get a clue that we’re GOING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION AND WAISTING VALUABLE TIME????????????
July 27th, 2026 at 11:56 am
Revision:
“Was, as yet”, undiscovered. Liam Coen.
July 27th, 2026 at 12:04 pm
The idea that season ticket holders are such fair-weather fans that they would give up their seats because the owner decided to give the coach one more year to get it right. This after winning the division 3 of the last 4 year and was plagued with so many injuries last year it would have been difficult for anybody. The ticket revenue is about 15% and the tickets get bought up by the opponent’s fans. This only hurts the team’s home-field advantage.
July 27th, 2026 at 12:06 pm
@ obvious..That’s not under our controll or yours! There’s 31 other teams you can support??
July 27th, 2026 at 12:08 pm
Liam Coen!
The CLOWN SHOW running the franchise is inept!
.500 career grifter needs to retire
July 27th, 2026 at 12:19 pm
The problem IMO is not with a Head Coach when a team wins its division four years in a row. No matter the division. That’s what the HC is there to do.
The problem is that the Bucs have not progressed and have failed to develop a top-tier franchise for talent and performance. That’s on the GM. Sure, there were some serious obstacles. Those were not overcome. The front office didn’t do the (tough) job it was supposed to do.
Could a better coach have helped? Probably. But could actual talent at Edge and ILB, bigger DLs, better OL and WR depth, and better TE play have helped? Certainly.
July 27th, 2026 at 12:20 pm
The league average for dropping edge rushers into coverage is about 5% of the time, obviously we do like twice to three times that but whatever
July 27th, 2026 at 12:21 pm
But, but, but…I thought Rod Munch and Big Dave said that every loss has been Baker Mayfield’s fault, and Todd Bowles is faultless in any Bucs loss. So how can anybody blame the blameless, the wonderful Super Coach that is Todd Bowles? He did something good like 5 years ago or so, so why doesn’t he get some sort of lifetime job, like the Supreme Court Justices?
I suggest that Baker get his head out of his you-know-what and get this quitting defense back on track. Special teams, too.
July 27th, 2026 at 12:28 pm
Just shows that these “experts” never even bother to watch games. To drop Mayfield down to a mid tier QB after the beating he took behind a 3rd string O line, where the middle of the pocket instantly collapsed on every passing play is nonsense. 2026 will be better than 2024 for Baker and the same experts will be talking about his elite skills.
Tom Brady would have refused to play behind that mess of an O line last year. Brady insisted on solid pass protection throughout his career.
July 27th, 2026 at 12:36 pm
Bill Simmons looks at the data, team performance trend line, In 2025, all units – offense, defense and special teams – performed poorly after the bye, especially in the clutch, when a play needed to be made.
The team finished 2-7, and the brutal losses to Carolina, Kirk Cousins and the Dolphins were telling. The Bucs practice squad should have been able to beat the Dolphins.
It’s hard to disagree with Bill Simmons unless you want to forfeit objectivity.
July 27th, 2026 at 12:39 pm
I don’t have a popular following podcast or own a sports media company. That said I would have fired him too. He’s has done a poor job as a HC/DC. Probably one too many positions for him to manage well. After the second half of last season, he would have been my first firing.
July 27th, 2026 at 12:49 pm
I would have Incredibly Average Todd Bowles circled in the first-coach-fired rankings, but the Glazers have proven that’s not how they do business. We haven’t had a mid-voyage HC plank walking in their 30 years on the bridge (they’ve never fired a coach mid-season).
But he’s right! Incredibly Average Todd Bowles shouldn’t have survived last season. No coach has ever gone (just barely) .500 over three seasons in the NFL and kept their job, but Bowles did, and then went sub-.500 in the fourth season and *still* kept his job.
Makes me wonder whose if he has a Polaroid stashed in a safety deposit box somewhere featuring one of the Glazers in a compromising situation.
July 27th, 2026 at 1:00 pm
Joe I think your bias is showing again.
You’re not a fan of his but you post this one because it fills your desire or quota for negative Todd articles.
Hodad Says:
July 27th, 2026 at 11:01 am
The first time he drops Bain into coverage fire his sorry arse!
————————-
Wake up bro – it’s 2026. Probably 25-30 teams drop linemen/OLBs into coverage from time to time. If we can consistently get home with 4 it will be less than if not, but it’s going to happen and it’s not a bad thing. You’re beating a horse that died 20 years ago.
Still waiting for someone to answer a question and give me an example – even 1 or 2 – of a lineman dropping into zone, and the opponent hurting us with a big play because of it. In other words…. When did it hurt us ? On the other hand I’m pretty sure I could dig up plays where it helped.
July 27th, 2026 at 1:07 pm
He shouldnt be coach and def. cord.
at the very least …..
I would have fired him 2years ago
July 27th, 2026 at 1:13 pm
PLEASE!!! You Bowles supporters are absolutely clueless….he is a horrible, horrible head coach….he’ll, he’s not a decent defensive coach either. Why he was retained was a terrible decision! Obvious is correct on most points…some very poor decision making by the front office and the Glazers. Let’s not let Arians off the hook….he’s the one who gifted Bowles the job…makes me sick to revisit this but its reality and we’re paying the price for it….and yes, im a huge Bucs fan still
July 27th, 2026 at 1:20 pm
Bowles’s ceiling is 10 wins, which is likely to win the NFC South again, but another one and done in the playoffs. The season will likely have another ‘Bowles swoon’ slump of 4 or more inexplicable losses in a row. It’s what his past record predicts. Defense will continue to struggle, which he is personally in charge of. If the offense plays lights out, Bucs will lose another OC to a HC offer. This pattern will continue like Groundhog Day, until Bowles is replaced with an offensively minded HC. The talent the team does have will continue to be wasted.
July 27th, 2026 at 1:23 pm
The staff and GM are on notice. The Glazers won’t sign Mayfield long-term bc they are waiting to see what happens and want the next GM and coach to pick their QB. You heard it here first. Bowles and Licht are on their last chance.
-David
July 27th, 2026 at 1:58 pm
I am all aboard the fired Todd train. Have been for a while. No creativity, no ability to adjust in-game, very poor performance on the defensive side for a defensive head coach and it sure looked to me like the D quit on him last year.
But I am also going to question the GM here. The Rams have the best roster going into 2026 per ESPN despite paying twice as much for a QB as the Bucs. The Seahawks had a larger cap hit at QB than the Bucs for the years Baker has been here including this year, and managed to put together the best D in the NFL. For all the money the Bucs have saved vs much of the league in QB cap hit, what has the GM done with those available funds?
But I don’t own the team,
July 27th, 2026 at 2:06 pm
@BuccoMarty Says:
But he’s right! Incredibly Average Todd Bowles shouldn’t have survived last season. No coach has ever gone (just barely) .500 over three seasons in the NFL and kept their job, but Bowles did, and then went sub-.500 in the fourth season and *still* kept his job.
———————–
Bro – why do you keep posting this easily dis-proven bull 💩 ?
Just Google NFL coaches records for God’s sake and you’ll see plenty of current and past coaches either @500 or just under/over including COTY winners and coaches widely praised by the Todd critics.
July 27th, 2026 at 2:31 pm
The (most) players love him because he is soft on them. They need someone light a fire on occasions. Should have hired a D/C and let Bowles be the nice guy.
July 27th, 2026 at 2:34 pm
Bucs play
NFC North
NFC South
AFC North
Cowboys, Rams and Chargers
I cannot forsee more than 6 or 7 wins with those teams vs Todd’s swiss cheese pass defense
He’ll be fired in January and fans can rejoice as his reign of terror on the franchise is OVER
July 27th, 2026 at 2:56 pm
I’d say 25 or more teams would have wisely fired IBS after last seasons collosal collapse!…
I. Snt think of any current hc more deserving of being fired …..
He is the captain keeping this ship beached on the sand bank…..
Bucs vastly improve the moment the fire him!
July 27th, 2026 at 3:16 pm
This guy will never be a top tier coach. We have good talent, a top 5 front office and a lower 1/3 in league head coach….we deserve so much better.
July 27th, 2026 at 3:34 pm
The Glazers are kickball fans far more than NFL fans. There’s part of the problem. Turning the operations over to JL is another part; keeping TB is another part of the problem. If they don’t succeed this season and keep things intact they risk losing the fan base. Thoughts?
July 27th, 2026 at 3:45 pm
He never should have been hired after his last game as DC. He should have been fired after the Washington playoff loss. He should have been fired last year.
There is no reason to believe anything he can do will result in getting fired. I predict he stays until he decides to leave or Glazers no longer in charge.
July 27th, 2026 at 4:10 pm
Simple T Says:
July 27th, 2026 at 2:06 pm
———————–
Bro – why do you keep posting this easily dis-proven bull 💩 ?
Just Google NFL coaches records for God’s sake and you’ll see plenty of current and past coaches either @500 or just under/over including COTY winners and coaches widely praised by the Todd critics.
_____________
Care to provide search terms? Because I just looked and couldn’t find a coach that went 3 years in a row who then kept their job. You have two coaches that are close: Kyle Shanahan, who everyone understands took over a dumpster fire and has turned the team around to have five double digit win seasons in the past seven years (Bowles: one, and none in the past 3 years — definitely comparable to Bowles’ “accomplishments”), and (setting aside the fact that my standard was three years, not two) Dave Canales who is 17-17 at the end of his second year and likely on the hot seat if he doesn’t deliver this year.
Who else can you name? Because I don’t remember one coach in recent NFL history. Not. One. You’d have to go back to John McKay and the pitiful first three seasons of our franchise to find even one.
You sure you aren’t just sticking up for ol’ Incredibly Average because you’re cool with keeping the team mediocre? Don’t care if we win or lose, as long as we win the God-awful division we’re in?
July 27th, 2026 at 4:11 pm
I’ve seen less talented players play their arses off and look better then what Todd oversaw being the hc how you think it’s a good idea to run that back when the team quit on him the world may never because there is no logic in it.
July 27th, 2026 at 4:21 pm
5-12 is coming.
July 27th, 2026 at 4:29 pm
First, of all Bowles is not horrible…he’s mediocre. He’s a sub 50% winning coach. He’s always been that. The Glazers justified keeping him because he won the division against even worse competition.
July 27th, 2026 at 4:31 pm
@ steve v
I just want you to KNOW, that ANYBODY that would argue to keep this directional statis quo going to where the players on MY TEAM would turn their backs and walk away from this ridiculous man that the Glazers CONTINUE TO FORCE APON THE CLUB AND THE FANS, and then to “Expect that I as a True Fan”,… that I would, “like YOU”, condone that idealogy and keep that going? Well then I’m not sorry to inform YOU and the Glazers, “with genuine concern”, that You’re MOST CERTAINLY, … Deeply Retarded!
Why don’t you put THAT in your pipe and smoke it with the rest of that nasty brown weed you likely should STOP smoking. Trust me, you’ll ONLY be doing “YOURSELF” a FAVOR..
In FACT, Why don’t you find yourself another sport. Because clearly YOU’RE missing the ENTIRE POINT of WHY we play the game.. Perhaps wiffle ball is More your speed and understanding. Good luck. You’re REALLY going to need it if you keep BEGGING people to be losers. Just so dumb….LMAO!
GO BUCS!
July 27th, 2026 at 4:33 pm
Shane Steichen . 490 (3 yrs)
Zac Taylor . 467 (7yrs)
Stefanski . 442 (lasted 6 seasons and 2x COTY)
Dan Campbell . 550 (5 yrs)
Shanahan . 558 (10 yrs)
Try “NFL coaching records” ( Google) >>> pro-football-reference.
You can check current + all time etc.
For the record I’m NOT happy with mediocrity I’m just not happy with untrue narratives being posted as truth repeatedly. Plenty of other things you can say about Todd without pushing a narrative that’s factually incorrect and trying to make it seem like his w/l percentage is uniquely bad.
July 27th, 2026 at 4:49 pm
Do you ever get the feeling all this site does is repost everybody else’s posts about the Bucs? We all already hate Todd. We don’t need anybody to tell us he’s right up as maybe being the first fired. We are Bucs fans we already freaking know. DUH