Todd Bowles Takes A Blowtorch To Bucs’ Special Teams
September 29th, 2025
Bucs coach Todd Bowles.
Joe hasn’t heard Todd Bowles critique an element of his team this harshly. But any drunk (or sober) Bucs fan who has watched every game this year will agree Bowles’ harsh words are more than justified.
Joe has written the following and maintains this is the perfect adjective: atrocious. That’s been the Bucs’ special teams this year through four game.
Even in The Lost Decade, the special teams wasn’t as bad as it is this season. It has hit rock bottom.
Yes, that’s even with the Bucs having a very strong punt return game and with Chase McLaughlin setting an NFL record for an outdoors field goal yesterday at 65 yards.
The Bucs’ special teams allowed points in some manner in every game. A winning team or a team with playoff goals simply cannot allow this. It will destroy a season.
Bowles know this and took a flamethrower to his special teams in his day-after presser this afternoon. He vowed the special teams will shape up or folks will be shipping.
Asked if the issue with special teams is coaching or personnel, Bowles said, “It’s all inclusive.” Whoa.
On the blocked punt returned for a touchdown by the Eagles yesterday, Bowles said that is a routine play the Bucs should have handled. Asked if the Eagles had a special stunt or specific pressure on the play, Bowles dismissed the notion the Eagles tried something out of the ordinary.
“It shouldn’t have happened,” Bowles said. “It was a very routine play.”
Asked what the problems were, Bowles said, “It’s something different [every week] and all bad.”
In general, Bowles said of the special teams this season, “It doesn’t matter they were all bad. … It can’t happen. Those are the things that cannot happen for us.
“We’re working on it. We have solutions.”
Bowles didn’t offer what those solutions are.
Earlier this season, Bowles suggested the revolving door with all the injuries on the offensive line was a factor. Bowles did not go there today. No excuses this afternoon.
Bowles was also asked if punter Riley Dixon and his perceived methodical punting is the issue, Bowles hinted it was part of a bigger problem.
“He can speed it up, too,” Bowles said.
In short, Bowles was clearly mad at the special teams play. He should be!
After the Eagles blocked a punt for a touchdown against the Buccaneers, Nick Sirianni ran down the sideline yelling, "I told you, I told you!"
Here is what I think the Eagles were studying and how attention to detailed helped them scheme their way to a blocked punt pic.twitter.com/IHRr4UXCau
— Shawn Syed (@SyedSchemes) September 28, 2025
September 29th, 2025 at 1:01 pm
That’s exactly the type of passion that shows he gets the issues. Let’s hope he does have those solutions.
September 29th, 2025 at 1:03 pm
The Eagles players and coaches were running their mouths a lot, until the end. They got real quiet when it looked like the Bucs were going to come back
September 29th, 2025 at 1:04 pm
Joe’s- According to Greg Auman Riley Dixon is the NFL’s active leader with blocked punts in his career at 7. I know y’all don’t believe in coincidences in the NFL.
Also, our special teams coach has an issue with blocked punts as well based off his last couple stops.
September 29th, 2025 at 1:05 pm
Results matter. Harsh words by Bowles with no action (coach and personnel changes) will lead to the same results. Once is an accident. Twice is a coincidence. Three times or more is a pattern. If “no action” is taken then Bowles has to fire people and hire better ones.
September 29th, 2025 at 1:07 pm
Chris Gardocki played 16 seasons as a punter and NEVER had a block.
September 29th, 2025 at 1:08 pm
Was at the Ryder Cup yesterday so didn’t see the game.
But did hear the Cowboys block and extra point and return it for 2 points.
I a game that resulted in a tie.
What the hell is going on with the blocked kicks?
The Packers have lost one game on a blocked kick, and gave up points on an extra point try in the next.
They say the NFL is a copycat league – someone must have figured something out.
September 29th, 2025 at 1:11 pm
BS Todd this has been going on since game #1 and even before the 1st block in the Texans game any fan who pays attention could clearly see how close these balls were to being blocked so obviously teams like the Texans and philly saw the weakness on film and were able to easily block those so NOW Todd is mad!!!! hahaha…………what TOOK YOU SOOO LONG?????
September 29th, 2025 at 1:12 pm
Maybe Bowles can give up being the DC, and can become the new ST coach?
September 29th, 2025 at 1:13 pm
Sounds like we need a new punter one that gets the ball off in a hurry.
September 29th, 2025 at 1:13 pm
happy to hear bowles say this!!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
September 29th, 2025 at 1:18 pm
I wonder if the new rules for “kicking balls” is having any effect with all the blocked kicks. Seems odd, but maybe a deflated, used ball gets a higher trajectory?
No excuse on punts though. 1 blocked punt a season is barely acceptable. 2 is Jets/Browns level ineptitude. 3 and heads need to roll
September 29th, 2025 at 1:25 pm
Blowtorch? More like a Bic lighter out of gas.
September 29th, 2025 at 1:26 pm
4 game skid is incoming with this clown in charge
September 29th, 2025 at 1:34 pm
That’s Bowles. For him, that was a blowtorch.
September 29th, 2025 at 1:45 pm
WiscoJoe … That’s incredible! Dixon has now had 9 punts blocked in his 10-year career. He’s had 2 punts blocked in 4 separate years. Maybe that’s why he’s now on his 4th team? He’s got a very consistent Yards/Punt average (about 46 Yds/Punt), and has put about one-third of his punts inside the 20 (34.2%), but still … blocked punts cost you games.
Just noticed too that McGaughey was the NY Giants Special Teams coach from 2018-2023. Guess who his punter was from 2018-2021? Yup, Riley Dixon. Had 3 blocked punts with them in his 4 years there, went to the Rams after that, but only lasted there 1 year (2 blocked punts will do that). Got a hunch coaches have told him to speed up his punt technique more than once, but apparently to little avail.
September 29th, 2025 at 1:47 pm
Hope Licht is looking into new coaching, personnel, do not wait any longer–it is already reached catastrophic.
September 29th, 2025 at 1:47 pm
The more I watch Bowles as a coach, the more I understand why he’s respected. He carries himself with professionalism and treats others with dignity—even when he disagrees with them or feels they’re not doing their job. He seems to expect a certain level of accountability from the people he works with, almost with the mindset of: “It’s not my job to yell at you to get things done. You know what I hired you to do—either do it or be replaced.”
Honestly, that comes across as the kind of boss many people would want to work for.
That said, this doesn’t change the fact that, in my opinion, he’s still missing the mark in a lot of areas. But I get why he is the way he is at least at this point.
Personally, I prefer the fiery type of coach—someone like Gruden, who isn’t afraid to yell at the refs and show some emotion on the sidelines. But clearly, that kind of approach doesn’t seem to work out long-term. The league essentially put him on an unofficial “do not hire” list, or something close to it.
September 29th, 2025 at 1:49 pm
Routine play!? Maybe that’s the problem… coaches coaching the players as if these punting and place kicking plays are just “routine” plays! Probably cost us one game, and almost a second!
September 29th, 2025 at 1:55 pm
Hey we won three desperation finishes. Then we suck for the first half against last year’s super bowl team. Then we make a desperation 4th quarter charge that almost, almost, almost got us back in the game. Just getting real, the Bucs could easily have been 0-4. 3 and 1 looks good but the way they got there looks shaky. Hope the Bucs aren’t paper tigers.
September 29th, 2025 at 2:01 pm
The long snapper needs help on the block. Guys vulnerable or find another long snapper who can handle the snap and 2 second block.
No great mystery. Not sure its on the punter.
September 29th, 2025 at 2:03 pm
falcons turfed their receiver coach after two games and tossed their kicker.
todd “the torch” is going to put up with this for who knows how long. cause you know, culture.
September 29th, 2025 at 2:07 pm
DR, you are making me think it’s as much or more the punter than the blocking. In fact, it’s impossible to overlook. If the punter is too hardheaded to put in the work to do better it’s time to get another punter. I’m still not letting the blocking and coaching staff off the hook though.
September 29th, 2025 at 2:10 pm
Blame Todd Bowles for hiring Thomas McGaughey in the first place.
I hated the hire when it was announced Thought it was very underwhelming hire for a ST coach who finished 28th in the league for special teams with the Giants in 2023. I wad hoping they would have hired someone like Chris Tabor who finished ’23 season as the Panthers interim and ST team coach.
Fire McGaughey and promote Keith Tandy from assistant ST coach to the coordinator job. Tandy interviewed for the job the last round, give him a shot, and see what he can change and bring differently.
September 29th, 2025 at 2:14 pm
What I saw in the video is fixable. I expect Todd to have his eyes on special teams practices for a while. He will continue serving as DC and HC.
September 29th, 2025 at 2:19 pm
For all of these Bowles complainers, there are two undefeated teams left after 4 weeks. Seven teams at 3-1.
Where does that stack up in team history?
Bowles is the Coach. Bowles will be the Coach.
If you don’t like it, go cheer for the Saints.
September 29th, 2025 at 2:27 pm
what a stupid comment. it you dont like it go fix todd another sandwich.
September 29th, 2025 at 2:29 pm
Ok IE Buc, I like Tandy. And heck, what do we have to loose.
Bowels – “can’t happen speech” “we’ll fix it” is the kind of coach speak he always says, and guess what, it didn’t get fixed.
Best option to fix the punt team…… DON’T PUNT.
September 29th, 2025 at 2:58 pm
Just an observation and it could just be me, I have no facts to back it up. But Dixon is as slow of a punter I can recall seeing.
Love one of our superstar research guys here like D.R., Geno, Pickgrin or one of the others.
Passers are timed on their releases I’m wondering if you guys could find a chart of this year’s NFL punters and the average time they take to get their kicks off?
Perhaps there are stats that back my “gut feeling”? Perhaps I’m wrong.
September 29th, 2025 at 3:16 pm
WiscoJoe Says:
Joe’s- According to Greg Auman Riley Dixon is the NFL’s active leader with blocked punts in his career at 7. I know y’all don’t believe in coincidences in the NFL.
****************************
That’s incorrect. Dixon started the season with 7 blocked punts. He is now up to 9 blocked punts in his career and is the active leader by nearly double the next closest punter (Bryan Anger with 5).
Thomas McGaughey never met a punter he couldn’t wreck. Ask Jake Camarda about it.
September 29th, 2025 at 3:19 pm
Boomer Says:
Best option to fix the punt team…… DON’T PUNT.
*******************
That’s a good idea. We have the kind of QB and skill talent that would work with.
September 29th, 2025 at 3:33 pm
Per usual always has the answer but never the fix
September 29th, 2025 at 4:13 pm
Glad Bowles is upset enough about it to be this vocal with the press. It will get down to the players and put everyone on notice they need to get things tightened up or else.
September 29th, 2025 at 4:22 pm
St. Pete
I do not know the speed in which we punt but I did see that in the NFL if you do not get the punt off in 2.3 seconds it is slow — and that elite teams look to get it down to 2.0 to 2.1 seconds.
That makes the difference of even 1 punt be blocked in a year — that is pretty important. Now the blocking has been poor — but lets ask the question — if Riley Dixon is at 2.3 and that is his average well than he is worse than half the guys in the league.
September 29th, 2025 at 4:29 pm
Update — got this from an AI model:
The speed of this operation is measured in time, not miles per hour, because the goal is to execute the punt before the defense can break through the line to block it.
Operation Time Metric Range
NFL Elite 1.80 – 1.95 seconds
NFL Average 2.00 – 2.10 seconds
Anything Slower Than 2.20 seconds is bad.
And also this:
Snap Time: This is the time it takes for the ball to go from the long snapper to the punter, who is generally positioned 13 to 15 yards behind the line of scrimmage.
Typical Snap Time: 0.65 – 0.75 seconds
Punter’s Kick Time (Catch to Kick): This is the time it takes the punter to catch the ball, drop it, and kick it.
Typical Punter Time: 1.15 – 1.35 seconds
September 29th, 2025 at 4:35 pm
Not to mention Dixons shank of a punt in the 4th quarter for what 25 yards or something? And Bowles loved his punter in pre season. It’s definitely not all the punters fault but he ain’t free from blame either.
September 29th, 2025 at 4:38 pm
I found it funny that the Eagles blocked two kicks last week and seeing that on film didn’t warrant special ‘interest’ from the coaching staff. Wow, they Eagles did it so it’s not happening again. Bad on Todd and his designated special teams coach.
September 29th, 2025 at 5:10 pm
No stats needed spbf….
I said it from the first time I saw him punt in pre-season – “This guy is slow to get the kick off – and he’s going to get punts blocked this year if he doesn’t speed that ish up….”
And then after the first blocked punt, I said it again – “Dixon has GOT to speed up his delivery or more punts will be blocked…”
and now here we are…. that early terrible special teams play which yielded an instant TD basically cost us the game from the getgo…
Sure the blocking on both blocked punts was bad – yet both times, Dixon acted like he was in no hurry to get the ball off in the face of obvious pressure….
Good punters can adjust to the need to ‘hurry up a kick” in the face of pressure – either with a quick side step – or just flat out kick it out of there as quickly as you can – no ‘wind up’ – no 2 step forward routine – just kick it out where you stand as quickly as you can….
September 29th, 2025 at 5:30 pm
Camera, who quit cos he was ‘saved’ sure had no problems punting. A big reason why is his ST wasn’t affected by injuries on the O/D. Dixon has had to deal with nearly getting killed cos the Bucs D has been hit hard. Plus the OLine. I hope our guys will slowly come back. Better team won Sunday. Bucs regroup and this Seattle game will be worth watching.
September 29th, 2025 at 5:35 pm
News flash the special teams did not throw an interception when the game was on the line
The first 3 games won against opponents with a combined record of 1 and 8
And it took a last minute score to win all three but playing against a caliber team
You will not win in the last minute.
September 29th, 2025 at 5:37 pm
You people are focusing on the punter when the long snapper let his guy thru virtually unblocked. He should have just tackled him and kicked again 10 yards back
September 29th, 2025 at 6:23 pm
We need some changes at special teams coach, this has been a problem for awhile now.