Vita Vea Makes A Staunch Defense Of Todd Bowles
August 20th, 2026
“Todd, I got your back — publicly.”
Joe had a question for Vita Vea this morning at One Buc Palace and, man, he sure delivered an answer.
Joe asked Vea if he had a thought on what went wrong for the Bucs last season and what would be a positive difference this year.
Vea took that as a window to jump through in defense of Todd Bowles. Apparently, Vea saw the ire directed at Bowles from fans and some media during and after the Bucs choked away last season.
JoeBucsFan.com: Do you have a thought, Vita, on what went wrong last season and what will be the biggest positive difference this year?
Vita Vea: There’s a bunch of stuff. I feel like I kind of want to set the record straight. I feel like [there is] a lot of stuff going about on Bowles. I feel like none of it is Bowles fault; I feel like we all love Bowles, the players in the locker room. So that’s one thing I want to set the record straight at; we all love Bowles. It’s not what he’s doing. You know, he’s telling us what to do, giving us all the answers to the test and it’s on us players to be able to go out there and excecute what he’s telling us to do. He’s always putting is in the best position to play. So, that’s one of the main things, is being able to take coaching. And in that light, if anything blame us players for not executing. Bowles always puts us in the best position to win games. I even told Bowles, the day he retires is the day I retire.
Powerful stuff there from Vea. Again, he wasn’t asked about the head coach.
August 20th, 2026 at 11:09 am
Dang. Vita Vea is retirning after this season lol
August 20th, 2026 at 11:11 am
Joe (from the preceding JBF article on Bain) … ‘The only question for Joe is whether he (Bain) will be put consistently in positions so he can make an impact?’
Hmmm, kinda sounds like Vea answered THAT question as directly as any I’ve ever heard him answer.
August 20th, 2026 at 11:11 am
Does anyone know how awful the Bucs odds are stacking up. The could go 1-6 to start.
August 20th, 2026 at 11:11 am
Wow!! No comments?
August 20th, 2026 at 11:12 am
This team needs a refresh. It’s just worn out at this point. Keep stretching Vita, rest up, heal that back… 🙄
August 20th, 2026 at 11:12 am
He CAN’T say they didn’t have adequate personnel
August 20th, 2026 at 11:13 am
Where are all the Bowles bashing comments?
August 20th, 2026 at 11:16 am
Todd just has to tweak some things and dont be stubborn this year…..nd i guess maybe on the players some too? I get that, we had some weak ones last year who looked like they gave up. Oh well, onto a new year with some VERY good players from what I can see. Just utilize those tools properly please.
August 20th, 2026 at 11:20 am
Positive news.
August 20th, 2026 at 11:21 am
Sounds like a man who just got paid. Two days ago he wanted out. Next time I see Vea drop in coverage, I’ll try and remember this is the answer to the test?
August 20th, 2026 at 11:22 am
Read a stat yesterday that said over the duration of Vitas whole career, the Bucs Defense has ranked 4th overall in rushing yards allowed. That is a direct reflection of him. Stuff like that doesn’t show up on a personal stat sheet, but best believe that it is part of his resume. One of the most impactful defenders of all time
August 20th, 2026 at 11:24 am
Did Vita just marry his timeline & tenure here to Coach Bowles
Pro Vita crowd, Bowles haters club: The floor is yours….
In all seriousness, those would be pretty powerful words even if he was asked about Coach. The fact that he was not, only makes it resonate more. “I told Bowles, the day he retires is the day I retire” is truly quite the statement (if accurate)
Also, I heard that “Buc for Life” line again today from a long tenured Buc at a PC. Where have I heard that one from again….
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What a freak’n couple days at OBP. And Jon Gruden return back to the booth with Ronde Barber calling the game Saturday still to come!
August 20th, 2026 at 11:27 am
MadMax,
Did you use the apropos word “tweak” on purpose here?
If so, kudos to you!
August 20th, 2026 at 11:38 am
So we’re stuck with Bowles again next year ? Vita has a contract for 2027..
Damn.
August 20th, 2026 at 11:39 am
I have zero doubt that when Bowles gets fired someday, many players on the team will be unhappy; some will revolt and head elsewhere.
Not too sure how many head coaches are successful that are loved. Seems like obeyed and respected are what works best.
August 20th, 2026 at 11:42 am
“You know, he’s telling us what to do, giving us all the answers to the test and it’s on us players to be able to go out there and excecute what he’s telling us to do.”
Players learn this playing pee wee football, but a fan base of adults of varying age have trouble all the time figuring out where the trade-off in responsibility of the execution of plays falls between coaches & players.
“I even told Bowles, the day he retires is the day I retire.”
Wonder how recent their talks of retirement have been? Because I could see Vita hanging it up after this deal is up. Already an SB champ, plenty of accolades and notoriety amongst his direct peers, tenured NFL vet, most fans love him and he’d still be relatively young while being slightly stinkin’ rich.
August 20th, 2026 at 11:43 am
Is putting players in the best position to succeed include having edge rushers in coverage 40 yards downfield?
August 20th, 2026 at 11:43 am
Add money to the bank account and they all become “Company Men”.
Players coach obviously isnt equating to players giving their best. Just means they have a shoulder to cry on and a built in excuse.
August 20th, 2026 at 11:50 am
Grover,
There is a 1-6 chance that your wife bangs a random dude in the parking of a bar during Girl’s Night Out, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to happen.
August 20th, 2026 at 11:56 am
@Not, I missed that, probably simple but explain it to me like im five years old, lol
August 20th, 2026 at 11:59 am
Rocky:
Usually I will hop on here to lament the plague of some “fans” who think shouting the same vitriol and hatred at our head coach.
But even I have to admit, I got a chuckle out of that.
Well played, plague.
August 20th, 2026 at 12:01 pm
*is the best course of action
Is what I was supposed to put at the end of said comment. My mistake.
August 20th, 2026 at 12:12 pm
I like Vita. Met him twice and he seems like a genuinely awesome human being.
That said, fire Incredibly Average Todd Bowles.
August 20th, 2026 at 12:25 pm
Not a surprising response from Vita. He knows Bowles’ job is on the line, and he knows how badly Bowles wants Vea on the field and Bowles was likely pushing Licht to make a deal with Vita.
August 20th, 2026 at 12:31 pm
“I feel like none of it it is Bowles fault” Joe, he said that to you and you did not ask about him about Todd. My guess is there was some authority behind that statement to you. I’m thinking Vea knows lots more than any of us about last year. He said it is not Todd,s faulty, he knows who’s fault it was and is not going there.
Hey Joe, Vea also said that Todd is the Cat with the kit that puts all the players in a position to win games. Todd is the Kit cat!!!!
August 20th, 2026 at 12:45 pm
From a guy who wanted to get traded 30 minutes ago.
Sorry dude, look at the proof in the record. It’s his 8th year. He may treat you nicely and talk football with you but as a manager he’s below average.
This is why you get paid to go play and the owners and front office are in charge of finding good managers.
August 20th, 2026 at 1:11 pm
The truth is they didn’t have enough good players on defense last year and the offense was destroyed by injuries. That’s a recipe for disaster. The potential positive additions are Baines, Trotter, Robinson, Kancey, Anzalone, Walker, Muhammad and Scott. The only negative loss on defense is Dean. Dennis being demoted and not resigning Reddick are positives. Losing Lavonte to retirement because he reached the end of his quality shelf life is, regrettably, a positive as well.
August 20th, 2026 at 1:18 pm
Awesome!
I wish our fans had honor like Vita Vea!
Go Bucs!
August 20th, 2026 at 1:26 pm
I’m a huge Bowles detractor around here.
I can’t say Vita lied. Most games I watch, I am not saying these Xs and Os on D today are garbage.
Bowles loves his D, his players love him (I have commended this aspect of his tenure even if it seems like it leads to some complacency during the season), he probably does give them good schemes 75%+ of the time.
This is not where Todd fails the Bucs. He fails as a HC, game manager, etc.
August 20th, 2026 at 1:30 pm
Reality_Check Says:
August 20th, 2026 at 11:43 am
Is putting players in the best position to succeed include having edge rushers in coverage 40 yards downfield?
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You win biggest dummy for your comment bro – congratulations 🎉
I can only assume you just started watching football. Try watching other teams and you might notice 90% of teams drop linemen into coverage……or you can just repeat the same old krap you hear from the trolls 🙄
Point out 1 play (ever) where Vita covered anybody 40 yards down field OR a single play where dropping a lineman into zone hurt the Bucs. I’ll wait.
Good for Vita having coaches back. I’m sure the same old sad sacks will now accuse him of lying or not knowing what he’s talking about but anyone who’s ever played football, or even just studied it a little, know he speaks the truth.
August 20th, 2026 at 1:56 pm
That was for all the haters on this page. Its a lot of y’all too. 😂
August 20th, 2026 at 1:57 pm
I’m pretty sure JBF commenters know more.
August 20th, 2026 at 2:10 pm
This is my fourth year of following the Bucs. Todd Bowles kind of gets the shlt kicked out of him around here. Especially when we’re down. Like kicking a dog when he’s down. It’s not cool, but it’s true.
As a player he was respected by his teammates and other players. As a coach he’s respected by his peers and his players.
His ceiling is high- 2 Super Bowl rings. A contender every year he’s been a head coach here.
Would a new coach make us a better team? Probably not. Emphasis on “not”.
August 20th, 2026 at 2:12 pm
Cannot wait to see how many snaps V Vea actually plays now that he has a new contract !!
August 20th, 2026 at 2:23 pm
Yep, Todd Bowles as a HC\DC puts his players in the best position to win.
8 games last year to be exact, and out of four playoff games in his tenure he has one win to be exact. Superbly excellent.
All that winning in such a tough division. It really is a miracle. We’re just so lucky.
Break out the Pom Poms and turn up the volume on the Polly positive speak.
Hoorah shish boom bah go Todd!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤡🤡🤡
August 20th, 2026 at 2:52 pm
“Break out the Pom Poms and turn up the volume on the Polly positive speak”
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Rah rah rah you whiny losers 😭😭😭😭😭😭
August 20th, 2026 at 3:06 pm
This is going to outrage the Bowles haters haha and I love it. Haters always saying the players don’t want to play for him yet there hasn’t bin one player who left that has actually said anything bad about Bowles. Now his w/L record is trash and that’s honestly what counts. Playoffs record is trash to so he deff deserves the criticism 100 but his SB defense that year was furious and no one can deny that if they do their an idiot. lol. Personally I like Bowles better as a DC. Let him just focus on that cause since the SB his defense has gone way down hill. Maybe this year it comes back to mid pack with the new players. I won’t hold my breath but dam the reports coming out of camp is making me excited. I know he can have a good D with the right players. He already proved it but does he have the right players now is the question
August 20th, 2026 at 3:21 pm
@ Teach…Yea Vea ” honored ” lol! his contract alright ! Sat out of practice, cried to be paid ,claimed to be hurt! Came to camp with a Suh chip on his shoulder and out of shape Maybe you have him and Mayfield confused.Or you just dont know what the word honor means! UGH!
August 20th, 2026 at 3:38 pm
Vita was over selling. He knows Bowles is a poor coach.
August 20th, 2026 at 4:08 pm
So, I guess it’s not Bowles’ responsibility to hold the team, or individual players accountable as the HC? Coaching sure has changed a lot. I distinctly remember ever coach I played for giving me an ear full when I messed up on a play. No one debates Bowles is a nice guy and knows football, but part of the job as a HC is making sure EVERYONE is doing their job! Can you imagine a store manager telling the CEO of the company they work for, “we would have had more sales if people came to work and did their jobs.” They would be fired on the spot! Well the Glazers are the CEO, Bowles is the store manager, the players are the employees and sales = wins. Dude better get it right this season or he is as good as gone.