Bruce Arians: Todd Bowles Is A Chair-Thrower
October 16th, 2025
Not Todd Bowles.
It seems Todd Bowles and Bobby Knight have a couple of things in common.
Joe admits to being a Bobby Knight freak. Can’t read enough about the guy. Best basketball coach Joe ever saw. One of the (few) regrets Joe has as a sportswriter is never interviewing Knight — and Joe tried.
Knight would sometimes bristle when folks kept calling him a basketball coach, which, of course, he was. He would often tell people he was a teacher. And Joe firmly believes coaching is teaching. At least good coaching is.
In a piece for The Athletic “written” by Bucs Super Bowl-winning coach Bucco Bruce Arians, the ol’ coach explained how Bowles is a teacher.
And a chair-thrower (like Knight).
We played a game in Arizona one year, and we had just given up a touchdown right before halftime. The defense had its own separate space in the locker room. I went into the locker room and heard chairs flying. It sounded like a fight was happening. I asked someone what the hell was going on, and they just told me: “Oh, Bowles was just getting them ready.”
Joe understands a lot of folks don’t like Bowles because of his stoic sideline demeanor. Not only does Joe think that is weaksauce (some of the greatest coaches in NFL history were cigar store indians) but a coach’s sideline antics or lack thereof doesn’t mean a hill of beans.
Joe can reinforce with Arians that what you see on the sidelines or at a press conference is not the real Bowles. It’s like he thinks he has to have a “professional” image or a calm front.
Behind the scenes, Bowles is borderline gregarious. Every once in a while in public he will let his true self show, just like he did with Casey Phillips this week.
Joe thinks this season shows what kind of teacher Bowles is, or at least how he’s taught his coaches how to teach. Look how improved Jamel Dean is. Look how ready to play all these backups are with the team’s roster riddled with injuries.
Joe certainly thinks through six games, this has been the best Bowles coaching job since taking over for Arians in 2022.
Todd Bowles is all of us watching this play 🤯 pic.twitter.com/Vcwwx7LWnI
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) October 14, 2025
38 years ago, Bobby Knight got ejected for throwing a chair. #BobbyKnight pic.twitter.com/kkm2f9PVJ8
— OBVIOUS SHIRTS® (@obvious_shirts) February 23, 2023
October 16th, 2025 at 5:24 am
Any one that can’t see that Bobby Knight edge in Todd’s eyes is not paying attention. Any one who can’t see that this team represents several years of Todd teaching everyone up is not smart. This is Todd’s team and his character shows through . Go Todd, Go bucs
October 16th, 2025 at 5:28 am
Maybe Bowles feels he can show some outward enthusiasm bcuz he finally feels confident in every aspect of his coaching operations from player roster to how his coaches are coaching. Whatever it is, it’s nice to see Bowles show us some of that passion that he’s obviously been keeping bottled up until he felt comfortable enough in what he was/is doing to let it out. GO BUCS!!!
October 16th, 2025 at 5:37 am
Can’t imagine idolizing Bobby Knight a man-baby who couldn’t control his emotion like a toddler who wet his diaper. Get better idols Joe; plenty of championship coaches who weren’t garbage humans like Knight.
October 16th, 2025 at 5:44 am
“then I’m leaving and you guys can run until you can’t eat supper…” Best rant ever! Lee Elia’s tirade is a close 2nd. Listening to either never gets old. Tirade or not, Bowles is getting it done.
October 16th, 2025 at 6:06 am
Todd Bowles is a very good Coach and the Bucs are lucky to have him.
October 16th, 2025 at 6:39 am
‘Joe understands a lot of folks don’t like Bowles because of his stoic sideline demeanor. Not only does Joe think that is weaksauce (some of the greatest coaches in NFL history were cigar store indians) but a coach’s sideline antics or lack thereof doesn’t mean a hill of beans.’
Those 2 sentences alone were worth the price of admission Joe. Todd’s had some good mentors over the years. As a player (8 years), he only had 3 head coaches: Joe Gibbs, George Siefert & Richie Pettibon. Pretty familiar names. As a coach, he’s worked for Al Groh, Butch Davis, Bill Parcells, Wade Phillips, Tony Sparano, Andy Reid & Bruce Arians. Again, lots of familiar names & Todd surely picked up a lot from each one of them.
There was another familiar name in there too. Todd started his coaching career in 1997 at Moorehead State, then moved to Grambling in 1998 for 2 years. Their head coach? Doug Williams. He’d just taken over that year for Eddie Robinson (who’d coached the team for 55 years). Doug Williams had been a teammate of Todd Bowles on the Redskins from 1986-1989. Relationships matter.
October 16th, 2025 at 6:45 am
Maybe Todd threw some tables AND chairs after his defense gave up 5 consecutive TD drives against Seattle. Listen this is a what have you done for me lately league. I give him, Griz AND his position coaches plenty of credit for being 5-1 and it’s a very enjoyable position to be in right now.
There’s 2/3 of the reg season yet to go. Todd even has said many times that this is a week to week league. Right now I give all the players (that actually play on the field) and coaches kudo’s for engineering this wave of success. But with 3 more months of reg season games left I choose to stay in the present. Keep up the good work, totally focus on who your next opponent is each week and we may just end up where you want this team to go. Optimistic but cautious.
October 16th, 2025 at 6:56 am
Todd Bowles is NOTHING LIKE Bobby Knight.
Bobby Knight was quoted in 1988 stating” If rape is inevitable just relax and enjoy it”. A more morally reprehensible statement may have never been uttered.
Bobby Knight committed numerous physical abuses of his players . See Neil Reid video which Knight denied until he found out there was video. See Todd Jadlow memoir which was supported by his fellow players.
Todd Bowles is a GOOD MAN , but Bobby Knight was NOT.
October 16th, 2025 at 7:03 am
im most impressed that he dosen’t think he knows everything, he hired a clock manager, he listens to LVD and Vita during the game, he delegates, impressed with his changes and I think he’s a smarter coach now than the dc that called a blitz on the Rams back in 21
don’t forget he was a big part of getting Baker here also
October 16th, 2025 at 7:08 am
If you watch his post game speeches, and he gives the team that YEEEAAAHH! move, you can see the passionate Bowles. I personally think he’s a really good coach. My only issue with Bowles is his lack of an edge rush. I love his blitz happy ways. I love his complicated looks and disguises. He just needs to get a solid edge rush going. Look how his defense was when JPP was terrorizing QBs off the edge. I really hope Reddick steps into that role soon.
October 16th, 2025 at 7:23 am
I mentioned it on this here corner of the interwebs once before, but I can’t see a picture of Bobby Knight or hear a story about him without remembering…I saw him in TIA once – head down, huge scowl on his face. brow furrowed, looking at the ground and absolutely storming past people red sweater and all. Terrifying!
October 16th, 2025 at 7:27 am
I am ashamed to say I was like Bobby Knight when I coached. Very emotional. I have so much respect for coaches that can maintain a calm demeanor. It is so hard to do.
Coaching is clearly teaching. Teaching technique, plays, schemes. Bowles is an excellent teacher – clearly good at developing players JL provides (maybe except for OLBs). He is great at hiring coaching personnel. And he is getting better at game management.
Yes, his prevent D is annoying and has on occasion done what a prevent D does, prevented the Bucs from a win. He is not Andy Reed, but maybe he will get there and we could do 100 times worse (right Lovie, Schiano, Mr. Koetter… those names give me a shiver)
The Bucs have a solid HC in Todd.
October 16th, 2025 at 8:16 am
Todd’s done a great job hiring OCs but sometimes holds on to his defensive assistants too long when they’re not performing – understandable.
His game plan of not blitzing the 49ers really threw them off, but I don’t like the prevent defense during end of game scenarios.
I LOL when he does the quick halftime interview as he says absolutely nothing like “we need to score points on offense and stop them on defense”! Reminds me of a mellow Belichick. During the game, his stoicism doesn’t bother me, but I’d like to see him communicate more with his assistants.
October 16th, 2025 at 8:48 am
Restraint during games and in front of cameras is smart. Being himself out of the public eye garners him trust and respect. Personally I like it. It’s just too bad there wasn’t more chair throwing after the Munich game in 2022. Leftwich should have been forced out right then and there. That was Bowles’ low point. Way better now. Wiser, more decisive, more aggressive, and more attuned to weakness and willingness to address.
October 16th, 2025 at 8:58 am
He hired Baker and three straight excellent OC’s. Enough said.
October 16th, 2025 at 9:11 am
I don’t think Todd goes into prevent defenses only at the end of the game. I think like a lot of NFL teams that some of his defenders are very tired and get easily exploited at the end of games — so all these coaches have to make business decisions based upon those facts.
Folks want to take the human element of end of the game scenarios out of the equation and somehow mistakenly think every 4-man rush or every zone defense is automatically wrong.
Both standard rushing or trying a blitz could look awful.
The same is true on whether the call is for off man coverage or man to man coverage. Both could look awful. Guys are tired.
Everyone blames Bowles in the end of game loss to the Los Angeles Rams in that playoff game.
Let’s look what happened in that loss. The Bucs blitzed and even got good pressure. Stafford hung in there and completed a long pass to Cooper Kupp against man defense — not zone. Not prevent defense.
Everyone shouted about how that was a bad play call — by Bowles. Today, they seem to shout any time we play zone.
October 16th, 2025 at 9:32 am
That’s NOT a point in his favor. I have never understood why people seem impressed when a grown man throws a temper tantrum like a 2 year old.
October 16th, 2025 at 9:43 am
Todd Bowles last 13 regular season games: 11-2. This is a win or else league. Some reporters and handicappers are calling the Buccaneers “the luckiest team in the league.” I don’t buy it.
October 16th, 2025 at 10:25 am
“What took you so long, bro?”
Let’s save the anointing oil until after the visit to Detroit, carrying all the accolades along on the airplane.
October 16th, 2025 at 10:51 am
Hey @Buddha, the Bucs are not “the luckiest team in the league.” I’m with ya. I am no basketball fan, but I recognize Bobby Knight. His histrionics turned me off. True passion is one thing, but if it spirals out of control, no way. We’ve seen enough locker room vids on here to know that Bowles is a passionate man who is patient, and a good teacher. His players like and respect him. That speaks mountains. They will play hard for him, Grizz, and their fellow players Monday. Watch out for the zebs, Bucs. Go defang the Lions!!
October 16th, 2025 at 11:13 am
Like Tez said, “What took you so long ?” So Todd is a late bloomer. That’s great. We have all seen him get progressively better. He has grown into the job and a big job it is. I suppose perception management was handled as best it could. It seems to me that everyone in the organization has learned from past mistakes and experiences as well they should have. This organization is maturing right before our eyes. The timing of this Arians article and the choice of Knight for a comparison to be published in the Atlantic reeks of a HUGE public relations campaign to start building a legacy for Bowles. Perhaps the Glazers “suggested” to BA that he should seek penance and sign his name to a company written article. All of this says to me that the succession plan is in place. The 50th anniversary year is a good time for Bucs fans.
In my opinion BA and BL did a big dirty deed on Todd. Todd handled it with the utmost class while taking it on the chin and deserves the very best for his legacy. Ultimately Todd won. Shut up and do what we say BA. Have a good time in Colorado with Neon BL. All is well that ends well. A Super Bowl win for Todd Bowles is what he deserves. It took a few years but it seems all will be made right.
October 16th, 2025 at 11:16 am
So much for free speech. Garbage can make it through but but my thoughts were put into a holding cell.
October 16th, 2025 at 11:20 am
He’s coming out of his introverted shell this year and I am here for it!!
October 16th, 2025 at 11:36 am
Bowles is a serious candidate for coach of the year.
October 16th, 2025 at 12:19 pm
“What took you so long, bro?”
sorry for the delay!!!!!
you’re crow Casserole will be served Monday night instead of Sunday night!!!!!
6-1!!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
October 16th, 2025 at 12:21 pm
Bobby Knight was an idiot. John Wooden was a giant of wisdom and teaching.
October 16th, 2025 at 12:23 pm
I typed Atlantic. Obviously that was a parapraxis.
Athletic Atlantic
Tomatoes Tomahtoes
October 16th, 2025 at 1:28 pm
That interview with Casey was pure gold. Wanna see the “other” side of Bowles we as fans rarely see? Watch that vid above.
I was laughing, in a good way, with what Bowles did there.
Good stuff and even tho I already saw that segment, super glad you posted it here, Joes.
Bucs, Baby, Bucs ! ! !
October 16th, 2025 at 5:08 pm
Purely entertaining!! Coach, you sounded like me for a second or two!! Of course I’m also cussing out some of your players when the miss a tackle!!
October 16th, 2025 at 9:27 pm
He’s a closet psycho, i love that….and keep it behind doors,,,yep!
We got this Todd, just chill a lil
October 17th, 2025 at 2:44 am
Joe I absolutely love real basketball. Not the garbage they play these days.
Knight’s teams always played great fundamental basketball. If you could not keep your hands up on defense for instance. He threw a fit! Loved coach Knight.
I sometimes wish Bowles would go a bit nuts on the sideline, but that is not his way. It matters little to this fan as long as we can win.
Go Bucs!