Todd Bowles Says He Watches “Everything” To Stay Relevant
November 3rd, 2025
Always learning.
Really eye-opening revelation from Bucs coach Todd Bowles in his sitdown with the Sage of Tampa Bay sports, Ira Kaufman, in the latest “Ira Kaufman Podcast” last week.
Bowles was discussing how he is always trying to pick up new things and innovate. He said that if you don’t change how you are doing things “every two and a half years” the game will catch up with a coach and pass him by.
So Joe brought up Bill Belichick. When Belichick was running the Patriots, the Bucs’ next opponent, he would often bring in college coaches like Mike Leach or Urban Meyer and pick their brains about their successes and failures and where the game may be headed.
Shoot, Belichick even brought in an Arkansas high school coach, Kevin Kelley, who is known in the coaching world for being allergic to punting.
So Joe asked Bowles, in part because two of his sons play football at Michigan and Rutgers, does he watch college football and pick up on things he sees that he later uses with the Bucs.
Not only did Bowles admit that yes, he does. Bowles said he is even inspired by seven-on-seven football.
“Not just college games, but high school games and seven-on-seven games,” Bowles said, which took Joe aback on the reference to seven-on-seven football.
“[Seven-on-seven football] they play a lot of coverages, and you get to see the mix and match coverages of the whole scheme. And you’d be like, ‘Wow, that looks interesting.’ And that’s pretty good, or that’s pretty good.
“So I watch everything. I watch everything. And when I see certain teams have good blitz packages, you look at it and see how it will transform to the game, and try to pick it up and do everything.”
To watch all levels of football, Bowles said, “That’s the only way you learn. And you can’t get stale being the coach. You have to change, because the offenses and the defenses start to change every two and a half years.
“You’ve got to start to tweak the things that you do to fit the modern-day game or you are gonna get left behind.”
Just look at how Bowles has changed from his first year with the Bucs. In 2022, Bowles was conservative to a fault (remember that debacle in Cleveland?). Now, you see Bowles being much more aggressive and seemingly allowing his offensive coordinators more leeway.
And then Bowles hired Zach Beistline this past offseason to basically be his clock and analytics guy up in the booth on game days.
So it’s obviousl Bowles adjusts almost each year. Joe thinks that’s pretty cool that Bowles even watches seven-on-seven football to find inspiration.
November 3rd, 2025 at 7:27 am
nice article joe!!!
bowles has evolved indeed especially this year…
imo, he’s coaching with a sense of urgency which is great to see!!!!!
6-2!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
November 3rd, 2025 at 7:49 am
KC went for it on 4th & 17, and Mahomes picks it up. Crazy how the game has changed.
November 3rd, 2025 at 7:49 am
Very informative post. I’m still sitting here like, “Wow..Belichick actually brought in a high school coach to consult with.”
November 3rd, 2025 at 7:51 am
Eagles just added Phillips from the Dolphins for a 3rd.
Nah, Todd doesn’t need more talent. He is a Genius
And another first round loss in the books. SB caliber teams getting better, adding talent. NOT the Bucs we need to save the pick for another Chris Braswell or Kyle Trask.
November 3rd, 2025 at 8:21 am
I liked and respected Todd before the podcast and even more after listening to it, as well as how much he has evolved and adjusted like 813BUCBOI and Joe said.
Lt. Dan – I was surprised on that too. Smart to bring HS coaches in too.
November 3rd, 2025 at 8:22 am
Whatevs, agree on your point about Braswell and Trask, throw the FSU kicker Aguayo in there and we can see that day 2 draft picks often do not work out, so why not roll the dice and gamble? However, I would be amazed if Licht deals anything more than a late day 3 pick in a trade before the deadline, dude covets those picks too much. Anyhow, Philly just gave up what is probably a late 3rd round pick, almost compensatory in all likelihood for a half season rental. Pretty steep price unless it gets Philly over the top. Of course Philly knows how injuries and a glaring weakness can ruin a season. Bucs ended Philly’s season with their last and Bowles’ only playoff win. Perhaps Licht does not believe the Bucs are a player or 2 away and would rather keep all his picks to help all the glaring weaknesses in this roster which have become apparent due to the insane number of injuries, only topped by San Fran…..
November 3rd, 2025 at 8:23 am
the quotes should be around “says”.
November 3rd, 2025 at 8:24 am
Kudos to him. I laugh now when I hear people call him a “defensive head coach”. Todd Bowles with the Jets would have never gone for it on 4th done with the kind of frequency he does now. It’s great, and it’s the only way to stay relevant as a coach in any sport.
November 3rd, 2025 at 8:26 am
Eagles making moves, Buccaneers not so much, Panthers will win the NFC south, my brother Neal Cooter also agrees with me
November 3rd, 2025 at 8:30 am
he should watch the trade market and tell Licht what he wants
November 3rd, 2025 at 8:42 am
These guys are football junkies and they will watch it anytime they can. Innovative thinkers exist on all levels and it would be foolish to dismiss them. I know HS basketball coaches that work college camps, even as old men, to continue learning. And I know some that don’t. Draw your own conclusions.
November 3rd, 2025 at 8:45 am
This is on Licht,not making any moves! Not the Coach! You guys are always praising him for being the greatest GM, and year after year, me make no splash deals at the trade cutoff!!!!! Go Bucs!!!
November 3rd, 2025 at 8:47 am
They need to add at the deadline. Dolphins just gave away Phillips.
But likely, the Bucs will just sit with their thumbs firmly planted in their butts. This team desperately needs help at OL, WR, LB and Edge. But they’ll have their picks!
But nah… the Bucs will just wait for Chris Braswell to figure himself out and “shock us all”, Ghost Reddick to finally live up to his contract, the patchwork right side of the OL manned by rejects to hopefully not let Baker get killed, and the practice squad level talent at WR to hold up – while RBs and TEs run free for easy pitch and catch plays. About the only place this team doesn’t need help is RB, P and K.
November 3rd, 2025 at 8:49 am
Eagles are serious, are the Bucs? They’re making deals because they want to win and go back to the SB. I guess another 9-8 season and a early exit from the playoffs is good enough.
November 3rd, 2025 at 8:49 am
yall crying over a player that has 3 sacks lol….
if yall think philly just got “BETTER” than yall are clueless…
philly added a body….just like they did when they traded for a CB over the weekend as well….
this doesnt even move the needle lol…
we get back our injured players and we’re instantly better!!!!
6-2!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!!
November 3rd, 2025 at 8:51 am
@Whatevs, that makes me sick, I was hoping Jason would have traded for Phillips. Typical Jason not wanting to give up his draft picks for a chance to get to the SB this year.
November 3rd, 2025 at 9:10 am
Just because Philly made a move, doesn’t necessarily make them more serious. It could just make them more desperate. If players we could use and don’t crush the cap are getting sold off for a 6th round pick, then you people can bitch.
November 3rd, 2025 at 9:15 am
I wonder if Chiefs had a little bit of striped (as in ref) help in getting that 4 and 17? Bet if they didn’t, out comes a convenient yellow hanky just for them. We’ve got a couple of major players set to retire, and quite a few injuries. What’s on that trade block won’t be that big of a help. Are we finally totally free of the cap h3ll Bucs got into for Brady? Bucs have won 2 SBs. A lot of teams like Atlanta have been there, but lost. Detroit has never been in a SB. So, think about it. I like the fact that Bowles does his homework, and watches all sorts of football. He also enjoys it. His players know it. More power to all of them. Go Bucs!!
November 3rd, 2025 at 9:20 am
Philly has a legit shot at the Super Bowl as do the Rams. While Philly isn’t explosive, their defense is very good. Hurts is clutch when games are on the line and as long as they get 7 or 8 yard, the push-tush gets them a first down, over 90% so them getting even deeper on defense isn’t going to keep them out of the playoffs unless they have a major injury and that’s why you need depth.
The Bucs depth at WR has been decimated with the loss of Evans, Godwin and McMillan. You can’t replace those guys but you can bring in some depth so you can rotate and have a better group that now. Ebuka is great but the hamstring injury is slowing him down. Without him being 100% he isn’t making the plays. Licht has to recognize that more OL and WR are the highest need for the team.
Baker needs one more physical guy that can make tough catches. If Higgins is available he looked great yesterday. He would certainly be worth a 3rd or 4th rounder. Don’t know about his contract but Evans or Godwin won’t be worth their salaries when they come back. They are both aged receivers that have been injury prone.
November 3rd, 2025 at 10:19 am
ED
T.Higgins aint a bad idea at all!!!!
6-2!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
November 3rd, 2025 at 10:41 am
Todd needs to use the Clockwork Orange treatment on the Gizzer, force him to watch the game film, and compare every play from last year’s OL to every play of this year’s matadors.
Even Wirfs has started waving a cape. Aganst Chase Young no less, who sucked yesterday against the Rams. Good grief..
November 3rd, 2025 at 11:17 am
He is 💯 right! Seriously. Literally, since the time I was EIGHT years old, I have sat in front of a tv for over 12-HOURS a day on EVERY Saturday now, over the past 40-YEARS. On the Saturday’s that I wasn’t at Commonwealth Stadium in Kentucky. Even then, I was watching all the other games on portable tvs out in the parking lot while tailgating! Then, when we got a box/suite (after they added them to the stadium), it was kinda ‘my job’ to keep the tvs updated inside the box to all of the relevant games that were currently going on during the UK-game. I LOVE-IT. I watch EVERY college game. The stadiums, the environments, the traditions, the conferences, the rivalries, the uniforms, the bands, fight-songs, the cheerleaders… Just EVERYTHING. And, if you sit there for 12+HOURS on any given Saturday, you will see just about everything and anything that could possibly happen throughout the course of a football game. Hell, when I was 9-10 years old, before there was a good football game on Nintendo, my best friend and I would literally, play TABLE-FOOTBALL against one another, while having the games gong on in the background and SINGING the teams (we were playing as) ‘fight-songs’ whenever we’d score LoL. Sometimes, we’d even go outside and play as our favorite current player(s) and teams, against the other kids in the neighborhood!!!! It. Was. AWESOME. You seriously, canNOT BEAT College Football. Just everything about it.
November 3rd, 2025 at 11:19 am
Of course, I started gambling on them through a local bookie when I was just 15-years old LoL.
November 3rd, 2025 at 12:46 pm
Well…..in the spirit of a Sterling Shepard type signing….. Rashard Higgins is available 🙂
November 3rd, 2025 at 1:02 pm
@ orlbucfan – nope. No cheating involved. Just a wide ass OPEN WR. I actually watched it in real-time.
November 3rd, 2025 at 1:38 pm
Has the offensive line & WR1 & WR2 injuries caused Licht to take a step back from setting his sights on making a trade to get the defense a game-changing EDGE rusher for a playoff run?
Are we more than just 1 player away from being able to compete for a Super Bowl THIS season?
I personally don’t think so. I think Licht may also have re-assessed our WR & o-line injuries and concluded they have set us back a year.
But, we only have to wait one more day to get Licht’s answer to that question.
November 4th, 2025 at 12:04 am
let’s do something totally wild…like trade the eggman for justin jefferson…
what if jason wakes up tomorrow morning thinking he’s the gm of the eagles and just gets wild af