“Tampa’s, It’s Over”
October 6th, 2026
Peter King.
The Buccaneers’ season is over, declared a titan of NFL media, a guy who used to get all kinds of special access at One Buc Palace, including while Todd Bowles was there.
Like most accomplished media types, Peter King retired from his long career with Sports Illustrated and NBC Sports (among others) but couldn’t stop bloviating about the NFL on a big stage.
King is a weekly analyst on the popular Let’s Go! podcast with Matt Stafford, Drew Brees and Jim Gray. (Joe listens on SiriusXM.) It was there, on Monday, when King declared the Bucs are toast. “Tampa’s [season,] it’s over.”
Interestingly, King talked about how he doesn’t think the Texans are cooked at 0-4, and he had thoughts about how the 0-4 Chargers could proceed in a lost season. But the Bucs? “Over.”
It’s possible King is feeling good about the Bucs’ struggles under Bowles. It was King who picked the Bucs to win two games in 2023, and he wasn’t happy with the response he got from Tampa Bay faithful. Of course, the Bucs won 9 games and a playoff game that season, which made King look bad.
October 6th, 2026 at 11:21 am
I guess it took Peter King four weeks to realize something a lot of locals knew late last season.
October 6th, 2026 at 11:23 am
So, let’s talk head coaching carousel, shall we? That guy from Pittsburgh did pretty well. Who are the Joe’s way too early top picks?
October 6th, 2026 at 11:23 am
king is a known bucs hater or detractor…so it should be expected…just ask the schwami…lol…
i’m a bit shocked to see houson in the same basic predicament as last year…even worse actually, at 0-4…
and harbaugh and the chargers as well…they are better than that
October 6th, 2026 at 11:24 am
But we have a guru who says we just have to get better. Huh…..
October 6th, 2026 at 11:27 am
Mr. King is right, its over. As a long time Bucs fan since the 90s, we have seen this level of demise before. Bring on the clowns the circus has arrived. Find the patience to wait it out. It will end, there will be a new beginning. Hope will be restored hopefully with a young new OC HC.
October 6th, 2026 at 11:28 am
Week 4 and it’s over!
That’s makes a whole lot of sense!!
October 6th, 2026 at 11:29 am
Thanks Capt Obvious. Such insight, stunning he figured that out.
October 6th, 2026 at 11:30 am
If I was unsure who to bet on in any single NFL contest, I would check SI to see who Peter King picked – and then bet on opposite. Worked like a charm.
October 6th, 2026 at 11:30 am
Why are we not embrassing last place?
This team is devoid of star talent. This draft is loaded. Getting the number 1 pick means a star OR one of the best trade downs scenariors in the last ten years AND a star.
October 6th, 2026 at 11:30 am
He’s stating the obvious.
This team shows no sign of being the type of team that could rise up from this cesspool of an 0-4 start. They’re not good, but worse than that, they’re actually really, really awful… There’s no evidence to support any belief in a turnaround under the current HC.
October 6th, 2026 at 11:31 am
Negativity runs rampant on this site
It’s obvious this isn’t the place for positive thinkers
October 6th, 2026 at 11:32 am
The season is over.look at the schedule and tell me where the wins are coming from.They may get one in the NFCS over the Saints. I can see them getting swept by the Panthers and the Falcons. Thursday night will probably have one of the lowest ratings because nobody wants to see this team attempt to play anyone. It’s a shame this team is where the Jets and Browns were.
October 6th, 2026 at 11:32 am
Youre years late queen
October 6th, 2026 at 11:35 am
The only reason the Bucs have had recent success was the gifted OCs!
After Canales and Coen the Bucs have gone to in the sewer…
IBS is, always was and forever will be excruciatingly bad at HC!
This Bucs team is SO badly coached…
October 6th, 2026 at 11:37 am
Fart
October 6th, 2026 at 11:39 am
lakeland:
i try to keep an air of positivity…
it’s been difficult this year tho
October 6th, 2026 at 11:40 am
I cheer for the Bucs even when they haven’t won a game. This goes back to the 2-14 1980’s. I have to admit though that this year may have been the most disappointing ever. We’ve seen this roster have success in the past so I’m not part of the finger pointing at individual players. Before we dismantle the entire team I’d like to see what a different coach can do.
October 6th, 2026 at 11:48 am
I’m saddened that I can’t find any silver lining.
October 6th, 2026 at 11:48 am
Lakeland Says:
October 6th, 2026 at 11:31 am
Negativity runs rampant on this site
It’s obvious this isn’t the place for positive thinkers
***********************************************
Another post by our reality-challenged champ. In another era Lakeland would be the band conductor on the Titanic.
October 6th, 2026 at 11:51 am
Tank for Jeremiah Smith
October 6th, 2026 at 11:55 am
Duh, it’s not rocket science to state the obvious. It’s been trending that way since Bowles took over. He took a still SB caliber team to an 8-9 record in Brady’s last year. It was only a matter of time before he dragged the team down to a 1-16 or 2-15 record.
October 6th, 2026 at 11:58 am
Licht hasn’t been much better since having a dynamite draft in their SB winning season. Since that season he started drafting developmental players and bust players instaed of immediate high impact players, stopped bringing in high priced FA to help get SB repeat, then started over paying players.
October 6th, 2026 at 12:01 pm
The sky is blue what are we doing here it was done when the team collapsed last season.
October 6th, 2026 at 12:05 pm
the first quarter is over. the bucs are undefeated now.
October 6th, 2026 at 12:06 pm
King saw a lot of Bowles as a NYJ.
October 6th, 2026 at 12:09 pm
It was over years ago when Bowles became head coach and we watched his mid season slump. Now he just can’t win any games dating back to October of last year when the Lions destroyed this team. 2 games out of like 14 he has won. It’s going to get a lot worse so everyone should brace themselves.
October 6th, 2026 at 12:09 pm
Lakeland wants to be positive with a sc**bag of a coach? Tell me how that goes for you.
October 6th, 2026 at 12:15 pm
Something should have been done after they lost to WAS in the playoffs. How can the Glazers be this stupid?
October 6th, 2026 at 12:15 pm
You realize that Jameis Winston has as many wins in the last 2 games (2-0) as Baker has had in his last 13 games (2-11)?
October 6th, 2026 at 12:17 pm
CHRIS SHULA FOR HC!!!!!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!!
October 6th, 2026 at 12:19 pm
The most Ice cold take I’ve ever heard
October 6th, 2026 at 12:19 pm
No Lakeland, positive takes are going to be hard to find on any site about the Bucs these days. In case no one told you, a very unpopular coach was retained in spite of his ineptitude, and has now gone 0-4 to start a season that’s already over. Matter of fact, he’s lost 11 of his last 13 games. So no Lake, not to many positive takes on this site. Be advised, it’s going to get worse.
October 6th, 2026 at 12:21 pm
He is a idiot….
Jumping on the Band wagon….
Of course its over
October 6th, 2026 at 12:23 pm
Schmuck! Tell everyone what they don’t already know. The Texans do have a chance to turn it around but the Chargers are way worse off than the Bucs, take a look at their schedule. They have talent but that schedule is brutal and at 0-4, they have no chance. He probably didn’t even look at their schedule. They have like 6 games against a murderers row of opponents straight ahead. The Bucs have a better chance than the Chargers, even if Daniels has to play the next 5 games.
October 6th, 2026 at 12:30 pm
Its possible that when we lose on Thursday night and become 0-5, We will truly be back to a BUC LIFE BABY!!
October 6th, 2026 at 12:36 pm
The Chargers have the Broncos, Chiefs, Rams, Texans and the Ravens in the next 5. Then they have the Jets, so by then they could be 1-9.
October 6th, 2026 at 12:45 pm
Oscar … ‘The Bucs have a better chance than the Chargers, even if Daniels has to play the next 5 games.’
Actually I’d love to see Daniels play the rest of the season. I was quite impressed with Jalon’s NFL start. Yes he threw 2 INTs, but he was under extreme pressure on both of those as I recall.
Even with those 2 INTs, he completed 19-of-27 (70%) for 148 yds & 1 TD. Also ran 8 times for 55 yds. Our OLine did a horrible job protecting him (3 sacks & 7 QB hits).
Bottom line to me is that Mayfield isn’t the future. He’ll be gone just as soon as we can afford to get rid of him. I’m expecting now that the Bucs will end up with a Top-5 draft pick, and HOPING that we use it on a decent QB.
October 6th, 2026 at 12:47 pm
That guy is a tool. So if he says the season is over, it’s not.
October 6th, 2026 at 12:50 pm
A lot of us already know that it was over back when it was third and 28 last season. What followed is nothing but an echo of the incompetence we have at leadership. The game has passed them by..
October 6th, 2026 at 1:05 pm
It could be settled on the field when we play the Chargers who gets the first pick in the draft. The Tank Bowl!
October 6th, 2026 at 1:16 pm
Defense Rules. “Mayfield isn’t the future. He’ll be gone just as soon as we can get rid of him”.
Everyone around here really respects your opinion, myself included, but I don’t agree with you about Baker.
But truthfully, when a team has been suffering like ours has been- you’ve got to look at the head coach- and, the quarterback.
Baker was ready to start the season- it was the ownership that caved and approached his agent-not the other way around like you seemingly want to imply.
October 6th, 2026 at 1:19 pm
Finally, an honest assessment of the dumpster fire we call a team
October 6th, 2026 at 1:20 pm
Why do the Glazers not FIRE Bowles now and let 1 of the Super Bowl Coaches living in Tampa finish the year (Dungy, Arians, Gruden)? Mike Evans knew better than to stay!
October 6th, 2026 at 1:29 pm
Trade Baker. Keep Daniels and draft a decent QB. I’m with DR!
Trading Baker might save Licht’s job.
October 6th, 2026 at 1:34 pm
Kenton Smith … ‘Baker was ready to start the season- it was the ownership that caved and approached his agent-not the other way around like you seemingly want to imply.’
I appreciate you telling me what I was implying Kenton, but that’s your take, not mine. Check the archives and you’ll see that I was in favor of NOT signing Baker to a new contract until after the 2026 season ended. Baker always plays best when he’s got a ‘chip on his shoulder’ … and they removed the chip.
The reason I don’t see Baker as being ‘the future’ is that he clearly requires excellent ‘support’ to perform well. A few QBs (like Mahomes & a couple others) can raise the level of play of those around them, like Brady could. Mayfield isn’t one of those.
October 6th, 2026 at 1:37 pm
rod:
i’m catching a lot of jameis reels in my feed on the gram these days…
they are absolutely great…!!
October 6th, 2026 at 1:41 pm
No they could swwep the division an beat somebody….otherwise it just continues in to next year due to Glazer accountants.
October 6th, 2026 at 1:44 pm
The Bucs win the next 13 games, bank on it!
Thursday night begins the Bucs comeback tour. We will set league records on offense and defense on national TV.
….allegedly!
October 6th, 2026 at 1:47 pm
We need to draft a QB again. Who’s going to develop him? What coach? When was it accomplished on this franchise? Let’s try drafting one and throwing him in the fire and see how that works out.
October 6th, 2026 at 1:47 pm
Good news ! Bucs replaced SMB on the practice squad with a no-name UDFA CB with a single NFL start – I had been wondering how the Bucs are going to handle the injuries to Winfield and Mayfield – I guess neither will go IR just be inactive – so the team we have is the team we are gonna have – I assume we are gonna be sellers not buyers at the trade deadline – oddsmakers have the Bucs 1-8 at the bye so we just have to grit this out a while longer – I want to see what more losing does to Bowles – will the post-game pressers get rowdy ? Ira and Lee are gentlemen so I assume their politesse – but what if Todd gets triggered and does a Dennis Green ? starts throwing things, cussing, knocks over the podium – I love it
October 6th, 2026 at 1:47 pm
Gee…, you think it’s over?? We just getting started!! Lmao
October 6th, 2026 at 2:02 pm
It is not only that the Bucs are bad, but the Falcons, Saints, and Panthers are improved.
October 6th, 2026 at 2:02 pm
. For those too young or weren’t born yet Peter King wrote the story on the Bucs in 1979 when they were 4-0 and on the cover of SI with the headline “4-0, undefeated and unbelievable”
Him and Dr. Z, (Paul Zimmerman) were the best writers on the NFL at the time. King had contacts with most teams like Scheffler does now and Dr. Z had the best breakdown of game film. It was required reading at the time if you loved the NFL.
It was a shame King got so political and a few years later Dr Z had a stroke and couldn’t write anymore..
October 6th, 2026 at 2:06 pm
Nobodies taking on Mayfield’s salary.
He’s here for the next 3 years.
Let it sink in fellas. Repeat after me. 3 more years.
October 6th, 2026 at 2:07 pm
Nobodies taking on Mayfield’s salary.
He’s here for the next 3 years.
Let it sink in fellas. Repeat after me. 3 more years.
0-5 is coming.
October 6th, 2026 at 2:12 pm
Bowels and Licht’s careers are over!
October 6th, 2026 at 2:34 pm
and to think it was only 4 and a half short weeks ago that the bucs had won the south according to many. the bucs were going to inflict “violence” and were “mean”.
October 6th, 2026 at 2:43 pm
76dug – I remember that like it was yesterday. That season was so exciting… i guess in many ways was the best memory because it was the first time (especially after 0-26) even though they lost to Rams 9-0 in nfc title game. Man I got goose bumps writing this.
October 6th, 2026 at 2:52 pm
Fanduel has Steelers over Bucs by 2.5 .. then away @ CAR & CHI and red-hot ATL @ home – 5 losses ? to start 0-9
yikes
October 6th, 2026 at 2:53 pm
Fire sale is coming to the Bucs pretty soon. The cowboys will whip the Bucs this Thursday. The Bucs will have a chance to win if Brady is still the qb and Mike Evans is on the winning ship right now. Bowles is still saying that we need to be better.
October 6th, 2026 at 2:56 pm
What happened to all the lengthy descriptions that you used to attribute to Pedro King?
October 6th, 2026 at 2:56 pm
Fire sales is coming to the Bucs soon. The Bucs will have a better the chance to pick the Cowboys if Brady still is the qb. Mike Evans is on the winning ship right now while Bowles continue to say that we need to getter better with his same old song.
October 6th, 2026 at 3:28 pm
I’m a realist, so I will use the old adage about the fat lady and singing: it ain’t over til it’s over.
October 6th, 2026 at 3:44 pm
Oregon buc..lol
October 6th, 2026 at 3:53 pm
Not into name calling, it’s not polite. Peter king is a knuckle head 😊😊
October 6th, 2026 at 4:24 pm
I thought this agent of the far left was either retired or writing for a women’s lib magazine.
He did have some unprecedented access to key players in the past…I’ll give him that.
And he’s right…it’s over. Water is also wet.
October 6th, 2026 at 4:26 pm
49ers are 4-0 and the Bucs are winless. I wonder what did Mike Evans see specifically about the organization that made him want to leave. Perhaps because of his experience with bad Bucs teams that he saw a roster that couldn’t compete. I thought the 49ers would be good, but I didn’t expect the Bucs to be 0-4 at this point.
It’s easy for people to say Todd Bowles, but the issue with the Bucs is multi-faceted, clearly. I really believe he saw an 0-4 start as a realistic outcome.
October 6th, 2026 at 4:43 pm
These NFL “insiders”, “gurus”, “fat asses who never played sports”, “geeks”,… whatever label they want are all about the same.
Thanks Peter King for the amazing insight.
What a joke.
October 6th, 2026 at 4:49 pm
NFL.com says about the Bucs : “ It sure feels like this franchise is headed toward a crossroads”. – yeah it is – Licht and the Glazers will see the signpost for Stupidville and turn that way – ie ironclad lucrative contracts for all incumbents for the next two years
October 6th, 2026 at 4:50 pm
Dr Z was the best.
October 6th, 2026 at 5:03 pm
Sorry.. not sold on Daniels,yet.. Let’s see how he reacts in Dallas Maybe he watched some film on a young Lamar Run Forest Run!
October 6th, 2026 at 5:06 pm
purplebeard Says:
I’m a realist, so I will use the old adage about the fat lady and singing: it ain’t over til it’s over.
—————————————————————————————-
You’re just hearing changed bud… That ‘fat lady’ is belting out lengthy bars loudly bro!
October 6th, 2026 at 5:10 pm
We havent even hit the perennial mid-season Todd Bowles skid yet.
October 6th, 2026 at 5:10 pm
The Jets have 3 first round picks. The Browns have 2. Keep Todd Bowles all season to facilitate getting the first overall pick. Trade down with one of these quarterback needy teams for several picks. Maybe you only need to fall to pick 2 or pick 3 and maybe Jeremiah Smith is still there. The upcoming QB class is full of candidates but none of them has separated.
October 6th, 2026 at 5:15 pm
@Lakeland Says:
Negativity runs rampant on this site
It’s obvious this isn’t the place for positive thinkers
– – – – – – – – – – – – – –
100% agree. I get the anger and frustration. But its also the disrespect for each other.
And one more, this site is not for anyone with any intelligence. Make sh!t and throw it out there.
October 6th, 2026 at 5:20 pm
He picked against the Bucs in both Super Bowl wins. He has always disliked the Bucs. He has seldom been right about anything
October 6th, 2026 at 5:30 pm
If we don’t win one of our next two games, the next song I drop on Spotify will be about firing the cannons at the front office.