Tony Dungy: Todd Bowles Can’t Simplify
November 20th, 2025
Former Buccaneers head coach Tony Dungy (1996-2001), aka Father Dungy, spelled out the angst of the Tampa Bay defense very succinctly yesterday.
On Sunday, the Bucs will face the Rams in Los Angeles. That means they’ll defend against stud QB Matthew Stafford and a high-octane offense before the Sunday Night Football broadcast crew of which Dungy is a part.
On a Football Night In America podcast, Dungy noted how the Bucs’ array of blitzes are largely ineffective against top quarterbacks like Stafford. Per Dungy, the Bucs need pure pass rushers they simply do not have.
Co-host and former All-Pro safety Rodney Harrison said he thinks Bucs head coach Todd Bowles suggested Bowles simplify the defense to help his mistake-prone defensive backs. Dungy shot back at Harrison saying Bowles can’t do that because he literally has no pass rush without blitzing.
Harrison agreed
Of course, those blitzes make life complicated for defensive backs.
A huge key Sunday for the Bucs will be their sad red zone defense, which allows offenses to score touchdowns 64 percent of the time they’re in the red zone. That ranks 26th in the NFL. Last year, the Bucs’ red zone defense ranked 9th. Big difference.
November 20th, 2025 at 8:15 am
We can thank our beloved GM for the lack of pass rushers. He has drafted bust after bust.
November 20th, 2025 at 8:20 am
Do you honestly think Licht refuses to draft pass rushers? Really?
He drafts the players that Bowles thinks will fit his scheme — as his scheme doesn’t value traditional pass rushers.
Its that simple.
November 20th, 2025 at 8:21 am
Definitely a problem. They are danger of imploding.
November 20th, 2025 at 8:25 am
Remember when the patriots dropped 9 into coverage confusing the crap out of Peyton Manning?
November 20th, 2025 at 8:27 am
Mercy rule?
November 20th, 2025 at 8:35 am
Joe … ‘A huge key Sunday for the Bucs will be their sad red zone defense, which allows offenses to score touchdowns 64 percent of the time they’re in the red zone. That ranks 26th in the NFL. Last year, the Bucs’ red zone defense ranked 9th. Big difference.’
Nice bottom-line Joe. Bucs defense is on-track to give up 20-21 rushing TDs & 27-28 passing TDs this year. Last year we gave up 27 passing TDs but only 13 rushing TDs. Our Run Defense has fallen off a bunch.
And I applaud Tony Dungy for his comments ref Todd Bowles not being able to ‘simplify’. We needed another ‘beast’ DT/NT to augment Vea, and we needed at least beastly Edge to provide an honest pass rush. We got neither via the draft or Free Agency. So now we pay the price. Thank you Jason.
November 20th, 2025 at 8:37 am
I’ve come to the very depressing conclusion that we won’t win a Super Bowl with Todd Bowles as our head coach. Dropping edge rushers while having corners play 7 yards off the line of scrimmage makes no sense to me.
We complain about Yaya only having 4.5 sacks but imagine if he didn’t have to drop into coverage so much? I think he’d at least have another two sacks.
November 20th, 2025 at 8:37 am
Little confidence.
November 20th, 2025 at 8:38 am
@Davenport
Thank you.
I invite anybody to find me the name of one pass rusher that Bowles developed. That name does not exist.
What other organization in the NFL would hire Todd Bowles to be their defensive coordinator right now? Probably none….and he’s not only our DC, but also our Head Coach.
Barring a miracle, the wheels will fall off after this Sunday night.
November 20th, 2025 at 8:40 am
It’s one thing to march up and down between the 20’s, it’s another to let them in the end zone and the D has been porous this season to say the least, especially run D as noted above. Has losing Kancey made that big a difference?
November 20th, 2025 at 8:40 am
Or Reddick for that much?
November 20th, 2025 at 8:50 am
I cannot believe I’ll have to end my weekend watching the Bucs get boat-raced on national TV…
November 20th, 2025 at 8:51 am
Keys to this Sunday’s game: Macallan 12 over a single rock, or Macallan 18 neat. Apply liberally.
November 20th, 2025 at 9:03 am
Yeah Jason doesn’t draft pass rushers? Uh yes he does. David walker looked promising before he got injured in TC, and we are also down our top one in Hasson Reddick. Yaya is okay but certainly not great, and Nelson is best used in spot duty. We got Braswell who needs to step up. It is what it is. As Dirk Koetter famously said, your guys are your guys. Gotta play better and Jason has got to fix it this off-season.
November 20th, 2025 at 9:03 am
I always see and hear the fuss about Bowles doesn’t develop pass rushers. I would like to ask one question. Can anyone name a top tier pass rusher that was developed? My argument is dominate pass rushers just naturally have it. Now, with that being said the great ones may add something to their repertoire over the years, but it not like some coach developed them from scratch. Example took a 7th rd draft pick and made him great. I will check post to see responses.
November 20th, 2025 at 9:07 am
I’ll say it again forget the drfence injuries thete mainly intact compared to the offence. We need a new coach ! Bowles cant adapt to today’s game ! The players HE wanted are a bust !” WE need new direction or we will always be one and done in a weak division !
November 20th, 2025 at 9:13 am
A defense that’s complicated for its own players, yet easy for most offenses to figure out isn’t much of a defense. McVay will probably have his way with the Bucs “defense”.
November 20th, 2025 at 9:15 am
Seems to me, the Bucs defense gives up a huge number of TDs from outside the red zone as well. Anyone have any stats on that?
November 20th, 2025 at 9:21 am
Rest most of the starters (blame it on the flu raging through the locker room) and just get ready for the last 6 “winnable” games.
November 20th, 2025 at 9:22 am
One reason the blitzes dont work many times against good QBs is because the DBs ares sitting 10 yds off the receivers. Giving up the easy throw you defeat the purpose of a blitz.
November 20th, 2025 at 9:22 am
I see some pointing their finger at JL for not drafting impact pass rushers. That is not wrong . I would not disagree with that statement.
But what sort of track record does CTB have for developing high impact pass rushers. Before you say Shaq Barrett. I’m not buying that. The reasons should be clear. Last I looked I don’t think he’s ever developed any at all. So while you can point the finger at Licht it has to be measured by how many Bowels has ever developed himself.
In a broader sense JL is also responsible for drafting both sides of the ball but so too is HCTB. You could give nearly any NFL DC a ton of talent and they will put together a good defense. When Bowles has had (defensive) success he’s also had a wealth of talent. The problem HCTB has unless he has that he can’t get it done.
November 20th, 2025 at 9:27 am
Gnna check my betting app for the props – Matt Staffords over/under could be 450 yards, I am taking the over regardless…
This way I can atleast get something out of sitting through 3 hours of shame and embarrassment
November 20th, 2025 at 9:28 am
We pick edge rusher that fall to us we don’t over reach for them in the draft or off season thats the difference or fall back because of off field issues
November 20th, 2025 at 9:30 am
Dungy is right of course. Bowles has no choice but to blitz. He has no pass rush. The problem is not scheme, it is talent. The Bucs gambled on Reddick and lost. However, when he was playing, the pass rush at least had a little heat. McCollum has not been playing well and now Dean is hurt. It appears the only true players in the secondary are Smith and Parrish. Unfortunately the defense needs to be overhauled, but currently we have no replacements. Licht and Bowles seriously missed the boat on the talent level they had on defense. It appears we are not getting Bucky or Godwin back this week. The offense is too banged up and the defense lacks play makers.Yes I now think Car will win this division.
November 20th, 2025 at 9:46 am
Davenport
Bud Licht is responsible for the team overall. If the coach and his scheme are garbage it’s his responsibility to do something.
Light is no great drafter. Any draft picks are a crapshoot. He’s missed on some he’s made on some. It just makes him an average GM, not a draft genius.
What he can control is replacing a coaching staff that’s inept.
November 20th, 2025 at 9:52 am
There has been a lot of discussion about dropping defensive linemen into coverage. Another huge reason that is a big mistake is, imagine how winded those guys get by tracking a receiver or TE down field. By the next play, they are probably wiped out. Just a thought.
November 20th, 2025 at 10:25 am
Jeff Says:
November 20th, 2025 at 8:25 am
Remember when the patriots dropped 9 into coverage confusing the crap out of Peyton Manning?
BINGO!!!!!
im rushing 3 and dropping everyone else
GO BUCS!!!!
November 20th, 2025 at 10:34 am
I feel like most of us who don’t hate Bowles, and enjoy a little inside baseball has always got what Dungy and Harrison were speaking about. Imagine this, over those dreadful 10 years of losing we had in Tampa before Arians arrival, We weren’t completely inept of talent on the defensive side of the ball, the coordinators were simply too rigid in their ways. Lovie Smith is a prime example of a guy that was going to play Tampa 2 no matter, which means, very little blitzing and 4 man front that needs to cause havoc in the backfield, with a secondary playing zone hawking for turnovers. If they didn’t have those horses to disrupt the QBs, then they’d need to have elite talent at CB/Safety/LB to make up for it, and the result ended up being a disaster. You’d be surprised how much lemonade Bowles probably could have made out of some of those “deemed” bad defenses we had.
November 20th, 2025 at 10:35 am
Mark my words, when Bowles finally leaves and/or is fired from this franchise, we will miss aspects of what he did here in Tampa, and not just the Super Bowl. Like I said, we had talent on many of those bad Bucs teams post-Gruden, some might even have had better talent than what we have now, and yet the scheme didn’t work to their strengths. I don’t think this defense is insanely talented, and yet it’s usually very consistent with stopping the run, and at times looks really good overall. One of the key aspects that has haunted this team over the last few seasons is it’s inability to play complementary football. Bowles defense, even when its struggling plays for that one break and/or mistake, when it happens and we get the ball, it’s the now the offenses turn to make it happen, and sadly there have been SEVERAL games where the offense has failed to score and/or salt the game away with a lead, and yet the Def gets blamed for all of it.
November 20th, 2025 at 10:36 am
Jason has drafted just fine its the lack of development by Toilet Bowl
November 20th, 2025 at 10:45 am
How long have we been saying this?
Bowles isn’t a victim in this equation. I am more than confident Licht consults with Bowles on OLB and pass rushers.
November 20th, 2025 at 10:54 am
Turnover are not guaranteed. Our D gives up yards and TB hopes for turnovers. The Bucs get them and dont capitalize. Offense too banged up & Defense has been praying for timely turnovers all year. If the only way we can stop a team’s offense are turnovers then your D is terrible. Plain and simple!
November 20th, 2025 at 10:58 am
Zoocomics Says:
November 20th, 2025 at 10:35 am
Mark my words, when Bowles finally leaves and/or is fired from this franchise, we will miss aspects of what he did here in Tampa.
^^^^^^^^
I can guarantee you, 100%, that I’ll never miss seeing PASS RUSHERS in COVERAGE. If I ever have to see Anthony Nelson trying to cover ANYBODY, I will smash my TV.
November 20th, 2025 at 10:59 am
Haven’t we already had this discussion for the past 4 years it won’t change until we change our DC/HC
November 20th, 2025 at 11:14 am
Well, there it is! I’ve been saying the problem is the scheme. It is too complex for the players we have. If a defense relies on guys like Vita Vea and Nelson dropping into coverage is insane! They can’t cover a back or WR. DUH!
The key to a defense is a pass rush. . .period. If you blitz a DB or LB some one has to take their coverage responsibility hence Nelson tries to cover. If blityz does not immediately drop the QB he is looking at receivers wide open. Everybody knows this. Why am I wasting time typing this?
November 20th, 2025 at 11:20 am
What coach developed Mack, or Watt, or Bosa, or Hendrickson?
Either you have a top tier pass rusher or you don’t. Its very simple. The pass rush wasn’t a priority for the past few seasons and the team is getting the results of that negligence. Media kept telling us YaYa was going to have a breakout season, for the past 2 seasons. You cant draft one pass rusher and pat yourself on the back.
The priority has been WR and RB and thats why the Bucs have good players at that position.
November 20th, 2025 at 11:43 am
Licht actually drafted a pass rusher. Walker was supposed to be a sneaky steal and a very advanced pass rusher for a rookie. He got hurt pre training camp. Right after the draft, our roster looked superb because everybody’s healthy but once people start getting hurt…
We will be without Evans, Godwin, McMillan and Irving for a high percentage of our games this season. Kancey as well. No Mauch. What would we have guessed our record would be at this point before the season started if we knew this ahead of time?
Not 6-4.
More like 2-8.
Imagine how different this defense would be if we had Kancey and rookie Walker out there.
Have the coaches not done a good job in pivoting due to these injuries? Defensively, definitely leaves us open for discussion. Offensively, you can rag on Griz all you want, we’re still 6-4 and Baker was in the MVP discussion for a bit there.
It’s honestly serious overachieving IMO. I know, I know, so many teams have to deal with injuries as well but how many of those are with key players at key positions?
November 20th, 2025 at 12:02 pm
This isnt fair article due to injuries to depth….however its safe to say reddick wont be back next year
November 20th, 2025 at 12:03 pm
bring back father dungy
November 20th, 2025 at 12:22 pm
Can anyone ever ask Dungy why in the world Bowles zone defense is so insanely bad – and why players are coached to stand around and wait for things to happen in Bowles zone and it’s a sloppy super soft zone – what is the reason for that? Why not run a tight zone, and active zone like Dungy ran? I’m legit interested in what Dungy would say, if he’d really answer the question or just give some nice guy nonsense about his zone is great – because it’s not, it’s terrible.
Simplifying though is easy enough – just take all the soft zone crap, and throw it out. It doesn’t work. There are some tighter zone calls that can be kept just to mix it up, but the soft serve nonsense, simplify by subjection.
November 20th, 2025 at 1:04 pm
Did we forget about Kancey? Jason drafted him #1 and he was poised to have a breakout year. Just like on the offensive line the defensive line plays off each other and when you take one key player out, other players can be focused on and taken out of the game. We lost our best pass rusher in the quarter of the season, can’t blame anyone for that even though many on this page love to throw blame around
November 20th, 2025 at 1:17 pm
KABucs Says:
Imagine how different this defense would be if we had Kancey and rookie Walker out there.
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If Kancey, Walker, & Reddick were all out there I’m confident the Bucs would be able to generate MUCH more pressure on the QB’s.