“Someone Will Have To Pay”
January 1st, 2026
If the Bucs lose to the Stinking Panthers on Saturday, Joe doesn’t see how Team Glazer doesn’t make a coaching change.
That doesn’t mean Team Glazer will make a move. Everything — including 9 of 10 Bucs fans — screams “change.” But as Joes last name is not “Glazer.”
What Team Glazer is discussing while enjoying Martell Cordon Bleu on the rocks in Bryan Glazer’s comfortable library is anyone’s guess.
However, to read NFL insider Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, if the Bucs do lose Saturday, Team Glazer standing pat and doing nothing in the first month of 2026 is impossible to see .
On the Bucs, Todd Bowles’ buyout would be hefty after the team extended his contract through 2028, and the team doesn’t seem overly eager to pay that. Bailing on Bowles would be the Bucs’ way of embracing a rebuild. But someone will have to pay if they lose to Carolina. Staff changes are not off the table either way.
Staff changes? If Team Glazer demands a new defensive coordinator and new defensive staff, then Bowles becomes nothing more than an expensive hood ornament, a figurehead.
Why would Team Glazer want to pay a figurehead millions of dollars?
Additionally, if Bowles loses the ability to pick assistants, he may very well just retire. Why be a coach if you cannot coach? If you’re going to get paid for doing nothing, may as well really get paid for doing nothing and go fishing and golfing and watch your son play for Michigan on Saturdays next fall.
But yeah, like Fowler stated, it’s easy to see someone paying the price for such a trainwreck of a season.
January 1st, 2026 at 8:03 am
Is it Saturday yet.
January 1st, 2026 at 8:10 am
I hope he retires.
It’s best for everyone involved…
January 1st, 2026 at 8:16 am
When the Bucs lose Saturday, the Glazers will demand staff changes on the defensive side of the ball, including bringing in a DC. At that point Bowles will just retire.
January 1st, 2026 at 8:19 am
When they extended his contract, I was sick… for this very reason. That being said, I don’t see how they don’t make a change.
January 1st, 2026 at 8:38 am
There is hope. Gruden was let go after a contract extension. At least Gruden improved the offense & help win a super bowel. What has Bowles done???????????????
January 1st, 2026 at 8:39 am
Everyone needs to go.
Bowels, BA, the OC, and dare I say even Rhonde at this point.
They’re all compromised. Bucs are being held hostage by this cabal of
that only look out for themselves and each other. There is no team-first w/ any of them- its only me-first and protecting each other.
New year, and it’s time for a new team and organization.
Burn it all to the MF ground.
January 1st, 2026 at 8:41 am
‘Suggest’ retirement?
January 1st, 2026 at 8:43 am
Even if next turns out to be a rebuild, at least we’ll have our pride back as an organization and fan base. What this has turned into after BA skipped town and handed the keys to Todd is just disgusting.
January 1st, 2026 at 8:52 am
The Glazers invested big dollars in the docuseries to polish the franchise’s image. They clearly want to be seen as committed to excellence, winning and community. Even if they care about none of these things, even if they are only living off of inhereted wealth, they must care about the value of the Bucs as a business.
Nothing is more brand damaging than the kind of futility we have seen this season.
Nothing drives fans away more than the sight of loafing, repeated mistakes, flaccid defense and inept offense. The team on the field inspires indifference at best, contempt at worst.
This regime is actively eroding the Bucs brand. They will cost the Glazers millions in ticket sales this year and tens to hundreds of millions in overall enterprise value in the long run.
The cost of paying off Bowles is peanuts compared to the damage being done to the business. The Glazers must act decisively as soon as the team’s final status is determined.
January 1st, 2026 at 8:52 am
Bowles not going to retire. We will have to deal with him for another 2 years cause of his contract just being extended.
January 1st, 2026 at 8:54 am
Gruden and Allen had their contracts extended in 2008 through 2011. As we all know, Gruden was then fired after the end of that 2008 season, reportedly with $25M left to pay. A winless December spawned by repeated defensive collapses figured prominently.
So, don’t give me any of this “not eager” crapola. First, they’ve done it before (in eerily similar circumstances). Second, Fowler doesn’t have that kind of direct knowledge to know what they’re thinking. And third, a change objectively would be good for business, in which they very much are eager to succeed.
It took weeks (not days) for Gruden to get the axe. If next Monday passes uneventfully, that may not be significant.
January 1st, 2026 at 8:56 am
I think the Glazers will offer him the opportunity to resign or accept a job as a senior advisor. I do not see any plausible way they retain him. In fact, I do not think there are many coaches on the staff who should be retained. Perhaps some of the guys on the offense like the OL coaches. Which brings this up: if Bowles and Grizzard get launched, will the assistants be allowed to bolt like Kevin Carberry or will they be held on contract even with a regime change. Carberry did an exceptional job last season and this season the injuries have been devastating so he has not been able to get decent results. Coen tried to get him on the Jags squad last year but the Bucs blocked him. It will be interesting to see what happens after the shake up occurs.
January 1st, 2026 at 8:58 am
Get paid to.do nothing. Sounds like what happened to Arians.
January 1st, 2026 at 8:59 am
The lesson to be learned is to have a head coach with separate offensive and defensive coordinators. Todd , Jason , and the Glazers created a situation where the patient must die to cure the infection, instead of treating the symptoms individually .
January 1st, 2026 at 9:01 am
We need a functional GM, and a capable HC
Jason Licht has been sitting on his rear end, doing absolutely nothing
Jason Licht is an Idle GM, we haven’t heard a peep from him
Todd Bowles is incapable of making key personnel decisions
He’s also not a very good strategic HC
It don’t take a Rocket Scientist to figure this out
Jason Licht and Todd Bowles both need to go
Anything less is a failure on behalf of Glazers
January 1st, 2026 at 9:04 am
Ryan Day is now available.
January 1st, 2026 at 9:06 am
Joe, I don’t understand your logic.. Aren’t most coaches in the league neither OCs or DCs? I want a coaching change as much as most, but taking away Bowles’ DC responsibilities wouldn’t neuter him.
January 1st, 2026 at 9:07 am
Todd gets a matching golf cart and a reserved parking spaces at Panera , near One Buc Place and a lot of cash . Recommending the Orange Scoines .
January 1st, 2026 at 9:19 am
For every fan that think should remain as GM
Answer this one question
Do you think an large- scale corporation like Amazon, Walmart, Apple etc
Will allow their Front Office management team to remain in office
No way they all will be gone after this colossal meltdown
The Board of Directors will clean house within an eye blink
January 1st, 2026 at 9:23 am
Adam
First, it’s spelled Rondé.
Second his position is a PR position, not much else
I’m sure you meant Bud Licht should be fired.
January 1st, 2026 at 9:24 am
Todd has been getting paid to do nothing the last 4 years.
January 1st, 2026 at 9:25 am
Im not buying what Fowler says here. It may be Mike Evans final season next year and Vea will also be a year older. This team is running out of time to go win big one more time with Evans and Vea. Glazers cannot afford to waste one more season this way running it back with Bowles. A change has to be made and a significant one at that. Gruden HC, Tom Moore Offensive assistant, and Marinelli as DC for 2026. Let’s go win another SB with Evans and Vea. Go Bucs!
January 1st, 2026 at 9:26 am
PSL Bob
You’re exactly right Bowles would just instruct the DC to run the same crap, and if he didn’t , what message does having a neutered HC send.
Our biggest problem is a lack of balls.
January 1st, 2026 at 9:28 am
Bobby
Maybe we can fill out the staff with the rest of the nursing home.
Cmon man.
January 1st, 2026 at 9:39 am
Really odd that Glazer’s gave TB an extension last year after another year of pathetic defense. Letting Coen depart was a huge mistake. They should have kicked TB into the front office and signed Coen to be HC.
January 1st, 2026 at 9:39 am
Make baker pay…….don’t resign this weak a$$ Qb!!! Oh I forgot,he’s hurt!!!
January 1st, 2026 at 9:42 am
any hope for another run at a SB, and the window, closed last year in hindsight.
this year it slammed shut.
the organization was too slow to move, extending contracts they shouldnt have and not extending ones they should have.
what was the logic for extending todd? OPTICS. what other reason could there have been, reward for an average job as HC?
look what it got them.
January 1st, 2026 at 9:43 am
Pray tell, who is culpable for Bowles’s extension? Sure, the Glazers have final say, but who is their Sr advisor on personel matters? Might that be “ring of honor” Jason Licht? The same man who finds it prudent to resign guys in their third yr, only t9 watch them crash by yr 5. The man who can’t draft an edge, qb, or ILB to save his team. The person so oblivious at the trade deadline to never get active enough to throw a life preserver to his injured team and infuse some life into the squad. The head hancho who barely performs in the off season FA market without Spytek (Brady) or Bruce (JPP and Suh). The person who could insist his HC fire the ST team coach. Someone, who at most interviews, seems completely out of touch with the pulse of the team. A man who built “that man” lame @ss culture of quitters….Jason has gotten lazy and complacent and appears more prone to follow than lead. JL has to go or we face another Lovie, Koetter, or Bowles extension fiasco. He caused the cap h3ll “bring em all back” poor decision and continues to throw good money at poor investments. Firing Todd alone is not enough
January 1st, 2026 at 9:46 am
Canalas & Coen left because they knew what they had in baker, that’s why both teams are succeeding now, I wish You guys would stop it with this BS they both left for better QB play!!!! Let’s be honest, if Young or Lawrence, were here what would our record be? Maybe 11-13 wins easy, if not more??? Bye Licht, Bowels & baker………..
January 1st, 2026 at 9:48 am
Bowles the man well the joes say he’s a good guy, the football coach is pure trash. If the man retires I hope people leave it at that and move on like most can’t with Coen. You would be an embarrassment as a Bucs fan to for instance be booing a man who’s just watching his son play college football. If He gets fired move on no need to make 2025 Bowles a punching bag in 2026 but damn I hope we have a new coach this year
January 1st, 2026 at 9:48 am
Those coaches contracts aren’t as expensive as some may suggest. If Bowles is ready to retire I bet they work something out. If he’s not, his contract is offset by his next salary from his new employer. He’s required to look for work either as a coach, analyst, or consultant. Teams will diligently monitor his efforts to gain employment as that’s part of the contractual agreement.
January 1st, 2026 at 9:49 am
Todd is not going to retire.
Dude is getting paid to do nothing and ruin this franchise.
He is going to get fired or get the buyout.
Those lunch buffets aren’t free at 2001
January 1st, 2026 at 9:50 am
@Bobby
That sounds more like a 2006 move than a 2026 one. Talk about “jumping the shark.” This team needs NEW blood. Enough with the retreads…Shaq, Bridgewater, JPP, TODD BOWLES… Set your time machine for the future, stop living in the past
January 1st, 2026 at 9:56 am
Yeah the fans are the ones that had to pay. This isn’t fair to everyone that everyone has to deal with this as fans because it’s as if they really don’t give a 💩. The fans really should boycott the team.
January 1st, 2026 at 9:58 am
Joe … ‘If Team Glazer demands a new defensive coordinator and new defensive staff, then Bowles becomes nothing more than an expensive hood ornament, a figurehead.’
I’m confused Joe. If Bowles retires, that’s HIS choice. Why would the Glazers need to pay him the rest of his contracted salary (2026 – 2028)? If Todd chooses NOT to fulfill the contract, that’s on him I would think.
That said however, Bowles may decide that giving up mega-millions is NOT a smart thing to do. IF the Glazers offer the option for him to stay on as HC but THEY pick his OC, DC and S/Ts coaches, the ball would be in Todd’s court (just like it was supposedly initially in Tony’s court back at the end of 2001). At that point though, Todd MAY decide either way.
Either way, far too many options out there for any of us to know what’ll happen once the season ends. For all we know though, Glazers may have already contacted some possible replacements and may have already decided their future course of action.
January 1st, 2026 at 9:58 am
I’ve been saying it here for weeks, it would not surprise me if Bowles stays, but I still highly doubt it. The Glazers would very likely force Todd to give up DC and/or playcalling and to hire an outside the building DC- not Larry Foote. Plus as Fowler’s report says, Grizzard might be 1 and done. For a loyal guy like Bowles, that’s probably a bridge too far.. he probably refuses and gets fired or most likely “retires” and “moves upstairs” with BA.
To be fair, I could’ve been ok with giving him a mulligan due to the injuries, but the way the defense has been a sieve since the bye, and the insinuations that guys have checked out.. that tells me the message is stale, and needs to change.. or you clean out the guys who checked out (assuming it’s a only a few).
But if Todd is about self preservation, and he agrees to gets a competent DC, Licht overhauls the front 7 with some dawgs, and maybe hire a new OC like a Nate Schelhaus from the Rams, a young well thought of offensive mind, who hopefully has that McVay pixie dust like Coen.. I can live with running it back with Todd…unlikely it happens tho.
January 1st, 2026 at 10:02 am
Dungy, Gruden. Arians… Even Lovie made some sense at the time. The Glazers are smart and good owners. They will move on.
I am not impressed with the available names but I like the OC for the Cowboys. An offensive line guy who got the most out of Dak Prescott and two excellent receivers. This year’s Liam Cohen.
January 1st, 2026 at 10:11 am
@DR
“Retirement” is an optics option so the man can maintain a modicum of dignity. Only a fool would retire when they can be fired to the tune of millions. Then again, only a fool would…
January 1st, 2026 at 10:13 am
@Emcee
Yeah that’s probably what happened. I said that, too! They’ve probably already given up on him. There’d be no point in bringing him back if the players already have given up on him. He’s stubborn & just wants to do it his way.
January 1st, 2026 at 10:14 am
Carberry is the only person on the entire staff, JL included, I would retain. That guy McGyvered that MASH unit all season
January 1st, 2026 at 10:17 am
Next year:
Head coach: TODD BOWLES
Offensive Coordinator: ANTONIO BROWN
Defensive Coordinator: VONTAE BURFICT
January 1st, 2026 at 10:23 am
Jason has to take responsibility for the downfall as he selected these under-achievers
January 1st, 2026 at 10:52 am
The Bucs didn’t prepare for an inordinate amount of injuries. No one can. But they have a playoff team so making key veteran replacements in 2026 should help along with another good draft.
Replacing Todd Bowles should be priority one. There are Head coach prospects for the Bucs with the credentials to make the Bucs championship contenders. I believe the Glazers and Jason Licht are having discussions on hopefully resolving
Look for changes soon if the Bucs are eliminated in week 18.
January 1st, 2026 at 11:03 am
Anyone who watches the pathetic play of this team and is not willing to lay the blame on not only the coach but a disastrous front office is simply gaslighting.
When zero moves were made at the trade deadline that told you that it is not about winning but either money or complacency. You know, like signing Teddy to be the backup QB.
Why do folks refuse to admit that the culture of this team needs to completely change. The owner of the Jaguars found out he could not get a promising coach with the terrible GM he had. He stepped up and fired the GM.
This is a from the top down problem not a patch it up and hope the fans don’t notice issue. If major changes are not made quickly that so called great front office simply doesn’t care.
January 1st, 2026 at 11:05 am
bowles has got a point it’s not on him to tackle and cover but his defense quit on him just like the jets did when he coached there…. what happened to this season? they don’t make the playoffs! im calling it!
January 1st, 2026 at 11:13 am
How does licht even get let off the hook for extending him in the first place.
January 1st, 2026 at 11:20 am
HeavyE Says:
January 1st, 2026 at 9:46 am
Canalas & Coen left because they knew what they had in baker, that’s why both teams are succeeding now, I wish You guys would stop it with this BS they both left for better QB play!!!! Let’s be honest, if Young or Lawrence, were here what would our record be? Maybe 11-13 wins easy, if not more??? Bye Licht, Bowels & baker………..
Dream on. Young or Lawrence wouldn’t have done much better if any with all the injuries this team has had on the offensive line, running backs and wide receivers. Sterling Shepard was the #1team receiver for a few games.
January 1st, 2026 at 11:44 am
Emcee
That’s quite a wish list
January 1st, 2026 at 12:04 pm
Bowles isn’t going anywhere. He made a choice to load up on offence and shoulder the blame for the defence. That’s the team strategy with him as the big boy who can handle the criticism.
January 1st, 2026 at 12:58 pm
@ Jmarkbuc
It’s a big list, but not impossible. If these guys (Bowles and Licht) care about their jobs and legacies like they seem to. It’s doable.
This feels a lot like Koetter in 2017 going to 2018. Guy felt like he was a goner, but gets a reprieve, but still is loyal to dudes (Mike smith->Grizz/mcgauhey) who shouldn’t have their job, and a QB that fluctuates between ok and blah each week (injured or not) and they collapse even more the next year, and the coach gets fired anyway.