Todd Bowles Said Riley Dixon Needs To Shape Up
September 20th, 2025
Scolds his punter.
One thing Joe has learned in recent weeks is that Bucs coach Todd Bowles has little patience for special teams players making mistakes.
Remember how the Bucs were pushing Tez Johnson as the next punt returner? He botches a punt return in worthless preseason and the job goes to Kameron Johnson, who nobody working outside of One Buc Palace saw making the 53-man squad.
In the past, Bowles has quickly bounced punters, even a guy the team had a hefty investment in.
Then there is Bowles at the podium. If a (real) player makes a mistake, Bowles tries to soften the landing often using the ubiquitous “communication” dodge or offering some other cushioned excuse for a mistake.
But not with kickers or punters.
Asked yesterday about Bucs punter Riley Dixon who had a punt blocked and the Bucs dodged that bullet by only allowing a field goal, Bowles had sharp words for his punter.
“We need to block [punts] better and he needs to get the ball off quicker,” Bowles said.
Bowles isn’t wrong.
And yes, Bowles has been critical of kicker Chase McLaughlin, too, who has gotten off to a very shaky start to the 2025 season. Previously as reliable as any kicker in the league, McLaughlin has already cost the Bucs seven points through two games.
The special teams in Houston on Monday night was anything but special, and not just the kicking and punting. Maybe the most atrocious special teams display Joe has seen by the Bucs in a long time.
For heaven’s sakes, tomorrow, please punt the ball out of bounds if the game is close in the fourth quarter.
TEXANS BLOCKED PUNTpic.twitter.com/7D7qJfjtHV
— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) September 16, 2025
September 20th, 2025 at 3:07 am
Entire special teams is a flaming paper lunch sack of sht on our front porch. Punter included but not the biggest problem by any means. Can’t kick, can’t cover kicks, can’t block, can’t score, can’t help win ball games….
September 20th, 2025 at 3:28 am
If McLaughlin had made the field goal, we’d be talking about the outstanding tackle that Christian Izien had made on the previous special teams play that flipped the field. Ah, the life of a special teams coach.
September 20th, 2025 at 4:56 am
I guess Dixon was slow getting the ball out. My eyes weren’t deceiving me. McLaughlin needs to get his act together as well. These guys playing the whole 60 minutes are looking over at the bench and saying……Freaking kickers!
September 20th, 2025 at 5:36 am
Todd saying the quiet part out loud about Dixon says so much. Hope all goes well on Sunday. Go Bucs!
September 20th, 2025 at 5:36 am
How can we just place blame on the players without placing some of the blame on the special teams coach. Texans were trying to block previous kicks n we never made adjustments. Our punt n return special team has been atrocious over the past few years n it seems that nothing’s being done to improve on it. We need a special team’s coach who can coach players to cover their lanes and block n tackle better.
September 20th, 2025 at 5:44 am
Don’t be surprised if we end up with a bunch of 35 yard punts
September 20th, 2025 at 6:34 am
Don’t be surprised when we have a new punter
September 20th, 2025 at 7:14 am
Interesting he blames the punter for the block. I’m wondering if he has mentioned whether or not we were meaning to punt that next one out of bounds or not. I would have thought it was a blocking failure on the blocked punt and wasn’t sure but thought they were trying to kick the next one out of bounds. And here I thought I knew everything. Sheesh.
September 20th, 2025 at 7:34 am
“How can we just place blame on the players without placing some of the blame on the special teams coach.”
Once the ball snaps, it’s ALL on the players to make a rep positive. Routine plays get taken for granted until somebody(-ies) on the field doesn’t do their jobs and it results in a negative play.
September 20th, 2025 at 7:45 am
Much easier fix. I’m fine with Riley Dixon, he booms the crap out of his punts. Whatever. The far larger issue is our “idiot kicker” with the yips. It’s not like our offense is going to be scoring touchdowns on the regular with everyone deciding to visit the injured list (thanks to all) and the only reason we let non football players become part of a football team is to reward the real football players with points for their efforts. The real football players efforts should not be in vain, so get them their points KICKER