Adam Schefter Pregame Comment: Bucs Don’t Want To Fire Todd Bowles
January 4th, 2026
Pregame chatter on the ESPN NFL Countdown Special Edition show is sure to deliver a lot of anxiety to a lot of Bucs fans.
Per Josh Hill of ThePewterPlank.com, ESPN super insider Adam Schefter issued a status update on the state of Todd Bowles’ job security on the broadcast yesterday.
Schefter, who has a well-established pipeline into One Buc Palace, said the Buccaneers’ power brokers want the status quo but circumstances could prompt change.
“The Buccaneers do not want to make a change,” Schefter reported. “Going into the game tonight [against Carolina], the plan is to stick with Todd Bowles. Now if they lose, things could change.”
It almost feels like Schefter was saying Team Glazer is not sure of its next move.
The Bucs squeaked out a 16-14 win against the bumbling Panthers, a victory that has game analysts and Panthers faithful everywhere screaming about how referees gifted the Bucs two pass interference penalties (one on offense and one on defense) that jilted Carolina badly.
Was that “W” enough to convince Team Glazer and Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht that Bowles is a great leader of men and a Super Bowl-capable head coach?
January 4th, 2026 at 2:04 am
If they keep him, then expect the same results or worse next year. Baker squeaked out 3 or 4 of our wins at the last minute this year. Dont get me wrong, he’s a great guy, just horrible at HC and DC…used to be a great DC but i dont know what happened.
We’ll figure it out i guess after what happens later today.
January 4th, 2026 at 2:09 am
Are Panthers fans seriously whining about the OPI? Figures all those inbred idiots would get it wrong, that was legitimately offensive pass interference. They can cry about the quick whistle on the swing pass, but not the OPI.
January 4th, 2026 at 2:38 am
The otton trip pi was suspect …
January 4th, 2026 at 2:49 am
Schefter is already on the record saying that he thinks Bowles is safe. So, of course he is not going to say or print anything which contradicts himself but now he says the Bucs do not “want” to launch Bowles. No that has a different nuance and tone. A lot of bosses do not want to fire their employees but often have to do it for the better of the organization. I am sure the Glazers wish that the Bucs beat the ATL and Saints at home and did not get embarrassed by Miami on the road and would have liked to have seen wins over the Pats and Panthers in Charlotte as well but they did not because Bowles did not have his team ready to win. Perhaps they allow Bowles to “retire” and keep in the organization like they did BA. I doubt if yesterday’s win over a team which was poorly coached by Dave C and had a qb who made some bad plays tilted the scales either way but a loss would have certainly been a fitting way for Todd to “retire” would it not?
January 4th, 2026 at 2:52 am
FIRE TODD BOWLES… Go Bucs
January 4th, 2026 at 2:59 am
Joe firmly believes that.
January 4th, 2026 at 3:10 am
Of course they don’t want to fire Bowles, anybody replacing him coming in at least 13 million dollars + Bowles’s buyout! Liam Coen at 12 rn… they gone ride the wave out.. they know Jason Licht is being cheap with their money and not building the defense properly. It would be really dumb to fire him. Anybody with sense knows that
January 4th, 2026 at 3:13 am
As much as I think it’d be the right thing to launch Toad Bowels, the Eagles example from 2023 gives me pause. That team looked 100% cooked. Then they won the Super Bowl the next year. Toad gives me absolutely no confidence that he can win a Super Bowl as a head coach, but I thought the exact same thing about Soriano
January 4th, 2026 at 3:14 am
*Sirianni
January 4th, 2026 at 5:00 am
Please this guy has made this season a disaster. The long streak alone is enough to get rid of this guy. I don’t get why everytime this team has an awful coaching staff the writers and the “real fans” find every excuse to keep them. Dungy is a prime example of if it starts failing you need a change. Toilet Bowles is a drain on the team but everyone wants to find a reason to keep him. Time to move on.
January 4th, 2026 at 6:08 am
I know they don’t have to tell us, but I’d like to hear why the Glazers would want to keep Bowles. They must know something we don’t.
January 4th, 2026 at 6:18 am
Not just pass interference, Sirvocea ripping off the tight ends helmet – laughing about it, no call. As an aside – if you’re Fred Warner or someone, I can live with that sort of thing – but you are a part of by FAR the worst coverage linebackers in the league, so as such you have no room to be cute or be a tough guy Sirvocea. Anyway, there is also the first and 10 from the lateral Carolina should have gotten instead of the 2nd and 17. Further – if a defensive back is going to try to body you inside of 5 yards, you are literally tough to slap the shi out him. This is why you get big X Receivers so they can beat press man. Here’s thing. As absolutely as crummy, gross, uninteresting, stale, no good, terrible the Bucs are – they are STILL more interesting than the Panthers who have to have a q rating of less than zero, while Baker will atleast generates “some” national interest. Can’t help but think the league put their finger on the scale a little bit. Of course, it matters zero when ATL fulfills their duty and mercifully ends this god awful season
January 4th, 2026 at 6:26 am
I’m sure they didn’t want to fire Dungy either. But they did what they had to do. Nothing personal, just business.
January 4th, 2026 at 6:28 am
If they kept Bowles after that win, it’s a travesty and a slap in the face of all fans
January 4th, 2026 at 6:29 am
Launch Bowles!
January 4th, 2026 at 6:41 am
The Glazers don’t want to fire Bowles? I don’t want to get my prostrate exam either, but my Doc says it must be done. Dude has ham hands too! Since Halloween we’ve won only two games! Barely beating the Cards, and now Panthers. I hope that’s not good enough for the Glazers, I know it’s not good enough for me. Bowles record speaks for itself. He’s a perfect .500 in four seasons, two seasons of sub .500. Numbers don’t lie, that’s all he’s capable of. I hope the Glazers come to the same conclusion.
January 4th, 2026 at 6:41 am
Rod -if that call was made on Mike Evans you’d be pissed about it, talking about a lack of physicality, mad about how the Bucs are always getting screwed by the refs etc etc etc. Those are not the kind of calls you make in a big game. You are taught as a receiver knock him off his spot when they’re pressing. Tet shouldn’t get penalized for being stronger, bigger. There would be no flag if Morrison didn’t go flying because that actual hand slap act is common and taught.
As an aside – reading comments yesterday was hilarious. It’s like a microcosm of society and politics. Orlovsky railed against officials for a good minute about how stupid the taunting calls was against the Bucs the second play of the game or so. But as soon as Orlovsky criticized the officials for Tets pass interference call – the most non sensical, personal attacks against Orlovsky littered the comment section as if he was worse satan himself. It’s quite incredible how nobody can think down the middle anymore . Caitlin Clark makes an innocuous sports fan comment about hating the bills as a chiefs fan on alleged podcast and endless comments flood her IG and YouTube with the most vile, personal attacks as if she tortured animals. I’m rooting for AI at this point
January 4th, 2026 at 6:41 am
If they want to keep Bowles, they don’t want fans or wins.
January 4th, 2026 at 6:42 am
@FortMyersDave
@Gofortheface30
@FortMyersDave:
Well said, Dave. I can see a scenario (pending today’s game) where Todd announces his “retirement”, with the full support of the Glazers, which allows everyone to save face.
@Gofortheface30:
Agreed (if that’s part of the point you’re making) that the penalties went in our favor yesterday. I thought at least one DPI called against Carolina was suspect.
As for Voss ripping the TE’s helmet off. I was appalled and am still trying to figure out how the refs missed that! I’m curious as to what happened that led to Voss doing that.
So, we have guys that are head-butting opponents (Bullock in Miami) and ripping their helmets off… this is not how a championship team conducts itself.
Something’s got to give here…
Regardless of whether the season ends today or not, I think we need a coaching change, either through “retirement” or a firing.
A few lectures about professional conduct as an athlete might also be in order for one or two of our players…
January 4th, 2026 at 6:44 am
Another year of Bowzo is in our future? Fire the glazers.
January 4th, 2026 at 6:48 am
The Glazers are TERRIFIED of firing a diversity hire and not getting invited to Liberal parties anymore.
January 4th, 2026 at 6:50 am
If coach Bowles says this is a player led team. I believe him. He gets paid to let the team run itself? Man wish my job was that much of a breeze. We need a guy like Coach Cig. Gives no crap, and takes very little , A man with the same hatred in his eyes as Brady in crunch time. A coach the players want to run through the gauntlet for. I’m not saying Cig is the guy. Just love his attitude, aura and grit. That’s what this team needs. I think the team is salvageable. Some cancers need to see the door.
January 4th, 2026 at 6:55 am
If Todd stays….is Grizz coming back? Really wasn’t fair, he didn’t have most of the team to work with, I’m conflicted
January 4th, 2026 at 6:56 am
Adam Schefter Pregame Comment: Bucs Don’t Want To Fire Todd Bowles
I know Lefty R wants him canned, let Bowles lead another team’s defense and turn it into Baloney!!!
January 4th, 2026 at 7:14 am
yeah coach has been here for 7 years, and an intrical part of some of the best years in team history…
the organization is attached at the hip to him forever on a lot of levels…
if things end they need to end very chill…with future considerations…
people love rah rah dudes…football has a rah rah vibe…coach is like some sullen cowboy looking off into the desert sun on the sidelines…it doesn’t make people get behind the dude a paddle
January 4th, 2026 at 7:19 am
Lefty R Says:
“…let Bowles lead another team’s defense and turn it into Baloney!!!”
He’s retiring after leaving the Bucs.
January 4th, 2026 at 7:22 am
Just because “they don’t want to” doesn’t mean not mean they won’t.
January 4th, 2026 at 7:29 am
Eric Says:
January 4th, 2026 at 6:48 am
The Glazers are TERRIFIED of firing a diversity hire and not getting invited to Liberal parties anymore.
……………..
This here is the truth most here are embarrassed to speak
January 4th, 2026 at 7:37 am
Bowels, as a person is as good as they come. Great guy. Great family. Great members of our community. So was Dungy. Dungy couldn’t get the team over that hump in the playoffs. Bowels can’t seem to get this team to just a hair over 50/50. The 2 biggest problems we have are the DC and OC. Even in this game, Carolina receivers were wide open. This year has been like watching the Mike “Let em run free” Smith defenses. I could have sworn our jersey numbers were morphing into alarm clocks. TBs blitzes don’t work anymore. Teams have figured it out. He hasn’t adjusted. That’s the coach. Players have to play within the scheme.
Same with the OC. Although Grizzard was dealt a raw deal with all of the injuries, he hasn’t effectively schemed to his players abilities. Instead we’re playing what Joe calls the horizontal offense. I get that there a bunch of screens in our playbooks, but these backups aren’t capable of the same things as Cody, Luke (for a bit), Tristan, and Ben are. Plus Barton has regressed. So he should have adjusted for that. He didn’t. That’s the coach. Baker has been pressing, and trying to hit his reads while running for his life while injured. I’m not worried about Baker. He’ll be fine. 11 INTs is a bad year for him. 11 INTs would have been a career year for Jameis. Brady threw 12 INTs in 2020 and 2021.
We need new coordinators at minimum. I think we need a new coach too. I just don’t know who would fit.
January 4th, 2026 at 7:52 am
Grizz is terrible
January 4th, 2026 at 7:55 am
I think we have to let it all play out because a lot can change. If we don’t get in obviously that’s a massive failure. Let’s say Saints win today we do get in. What if we win the wild card round? West coast team coming to east coast is a huge advantage. What if we get blown out badly in wild card? What if either Kancy this defense looks 100 times better in playoffs? Lot of things are still up in the air.
Let it play out then decide. As much as these fans are screaming now when we were 6-2 his approval rating was high. If he comes back winning solves everything.
If he wins nobody will remember this collapse the way nobody remembers how he took a team with the most dead cap money in nfl history to second round of playoffs when they were picked to finish dead last.
Glazers will do what they think is best not what our fan base does. Honestly we have the dumbest fan base in sports so listening to them about anything would be insane.
Let the season play out and I trust Glazers who have more inside info then we do to make the right call.
January 4th, 2026 at 8:00 am
My god those Panthers are awful.
January 4th, 2026 at 8:04 am
The Giants already fired their coach. They are 3-13. So are the jets but their coach is not fired yet. But why? The Glazers do not want to fire Todd? But why? Go ask the secretary of education.
January 4th, 2026 at 8:11 am
Go to hell Glazers if he still here. Playoffs or not
January 4th, 2026 at 8:14 am
Dan the Bucs fan
Really??? The dumbest fans?
I feel like I just read a 3rd graders homework reading your post.
Go back to playing with your crayons and coloring book
January 4th, 2026 at 8:22 am
Still think we need to win the division and win a playoff game or two. Agreed. The Glazers are in pause mode.
January 4th, 2026 at 8:41 am
Sooo the locker room is bad because the Bucs like being losers ohh ok that makes perfect sense. Basically if they keep Bowles they’re saying only goal of the Bucs is to keep winning division titles in the worst division in football.
January 4th, 2026 at 8:44 am
They will keep Bowles and force him to make changes to the coaching staff. Special Teams and OC fired
January 4th, 2026 at 8:51 am
@BucNWaterBoy …best comment of the bunch…measured, no insults, not saying anyone sucks. It’s time for a change, and I agree. We’ve run our course with Bowles, it’s time to see something different, hopefully without blowing too much up. Keep writing my guy.
January 4th, 2026 at 8:57 am
Hodad
Yesterday, the Glazers were looking at a prostate exam. The birds win today, they have to be considering a colonoscopy. Drink the laxative and flush.
January 4th, 2026 at 9:29 am
I too believe if Todd REALLY wants to do what’s best for organization he will announce his retirement (Bruce should encourage him to do so). It’s win win, anything else has ugly ramifications. Let’s not drag the organization and fan base through that Todd. It’s been an OK run for you . So do the right thing.
January 4th, 2026 at 10:04 am
Nobody *wants* to fire someone (unless they’re a sociopath), but sometimes you have to do things that are hard because they’re necessary.
January 4th, 2026 at 10:10 am
BRING BACK B.A. AS HC.
He will get everyone in check and right the ship, guaranteed. 💯
January 4th, 2026 at 10:15 am
Just be prepared to boycott this trash until they are forced to clean house. An empty stadium will send the Glazers the message.
January 4th, 2026 at 10:17 am
GO FALCONS GO. If Bowles returns, expect yet another season of Mediocrity.
January 4th, 2026 at 10:26 am
The PI against the Panthers was an excellent call. Even the ref upstairs agreed.
You may as well not have DB’s if the receiver is allowed to aggressively push off his opponents head. It clearly allowed separation to make the catch.
Not sure what Carolina fans are bi+ching about?
January 4th, 2026 at 10:27 am
Stupidity = Unpredictably. That’s Moe, Curley and Larry Glazer in a nutshell.
January 4th, 2026 at 10:29 am
I like lefties as much as you right nutters but why must you always bring in your political talk on this Bucs football board, and Joe(s) why do you allow it??? You delete any bad things said about Baker and his girl troopers with your mods even anything relating to color or race but you allow this crap since I’ve been up here for over 10 years.
January 4th, 2026 at 10:36 am
Erik you want Arrians???? Who do you think left us with Bowles in the first place??? He’d keep Bowles as our DC meaning our defense would continue to suck again because between him, Bowles and Licht they can’t evaluate defensive talent, draft any or get any worth while free agents to make it better. The offense might get better unless Baker is injured and then he’ll have that excuse why it doesn’t.
January 4th, 2026 at 10:37 am
The Bucs won in spite of Bowles not because of him. How many wide open receivers did the Panthers have yesterday. Nothing has changed on defense except a little more intensity for the defensive side of the ball. I like Bowles, he seems like a great guy but there a lot of great guys who have had less problems than Bowles who have gotten fired. No matter what happens unless the Bucs somehow make a run if they get in this should be Bowles last year. I have a family member who has been with the Bucs since their inception who quit watching the team after the bye. It is so painful to watch them I may not be able to next year unless some changes are made. It’s like owning a Champion horse who breaks its leg and you don’t want to put him down but you know you have to.
January 4th, 2026 at 10:47 am
WHY?
Please tell me one reason to keep Bowles
No Other team would have kept this guy HECK the Bucs fired a Superbowl winning coach for losing 4 straight.
BUT NOT BOWLES EXCUSE AFTER EXCUSE
Bowles is not a good HC Period!
Hire Quality Please
January 4th, 2026 at 11:02 am
It feels like the players quit on Coach Bowles around midseason, and that’s an ominous way to go into the next season, keeping him around in such a circumstance. I would bet the question on the minds of the Glazers and of Licht is whether they think they can do better with forming the nucleus of a new coaching staff in the coming year. Perhaps with Monken, but unless they have that lined up, it’s a risk to fire someone.
As for diversity hire, please leave that stuff on Twitter, and let’s stick to football here.
January 4th, 2026 at 11:03 am
Sure, they don’t “want” to fire Todd Bowles. They also didn’t “want” to fire Tony Dungy, but they did. None of us want to do a lot of things, but we do them because they’re necessary. This is classic Glazer family speak.
At the end of the day, they’ll do what they have to do. They’re already surveying the HC market and weighing their options. Just like any position on the roster, if they believe they can improve it, they will. And if they think they can upgrade at HC, they won’t hesitate.
January 4th, 2026 at 11:27 am
I agree with everything Dan the Bucs fan said. With the injuries we had this year, im frankly surprised we won as many games as we did. That’s not a good way to judge a coach’s performance.
January 4th, 2026 at 11:28 am
And what they really need to do is be super active in free agency. There’s a couple too many holes in this team to address them all in the draft.
January 4th, 2026 at 11:35 am
If Bowles keeps his job, it will be on a one year probationary period. The Grizz is certainly gone. They fired Les Steckel after one year for much less. Steckel engineered the most productive offense that the Bucs had ever seen until that point. Dungy declared that he “wasn’t a good fit”. Enter Clyde Christensen.
January 4th, 2026 at 11:35 am
Evans gets a pi almost every game versus our division opponents
January 4th, 2026 at 11:40 am
I have a potentially cool idea to get all our receivers on the field in obvious passing situations: line up Evans as a tight end. Any thoughts?
January 4th, 2026 at 12:25 pm
Owners know how to print money. I doubt they care about winning as much as ticket buying fanatics.
January 4th, 2026 at 12:25 pm
The Bucs are in contention for a playoff spot. How many of you believe that the Bucs management would say anything other than “we want to keep Bowles” before the game?
January 4th, 2026 at 1:31 pm
any rational person will understand that if the Saints win today, the Bucs will not make it past the Wild Card round for at least a decade – yes you can proudly wear your pointy-head NFC South Champ hat while the neighbors laugh at you while your kids look kinda like the guy who delivers the mail
January 4th, 2026 at 1:44 pm
If the Bucs don’t want to fire Todd Bowles then this season’s problems have nothing to do with coaching. This is a player attitude issue that Jason Licht can fix in the off season. Malcontents will continue to be malcontents regardless who the coach is.
January 4th, 2026 at 2:15 pm
If true, it’s likely because they don’t see a better option available. Eveyone’s expendable when they can replace you
January 4th, 2026 at 2:46 pm
Jason Licht is NOT A RING OF HONOR PERSON
He was a passenger on the Brady express
Stop with this BS joes
Jason Licht has a losing records for the loser he is…he sucks.
SMDH. This site slobs his knob constantly for BRADY’S ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
JL is a joke.
January 4th, 2026 at 3:55 pm
They don’t have a choice
January 4th, 2026 at 5:22 pm
Can him, look at the 49ers, can him.
January 4th, 2026 at 5:49 pm
We need a new Defensive Coordinator, plain and simple. Bowles can continue to be the HC, because he is good with the players, but we need a new approach on Defense. He is trying to do two jobs and failing. He needs to concentrate on one and let some of the younger mines take over the defense. The game has passed a great many players and coaches by, he is no exception. If he disagree with that, he needs to go.
January 4th, 2026 at 8:45 pm
The Bucs didn’t play like the deserved to be in the playoffs. There is a handful of players that were the exception and I hope the get their props but most just seemed to play like they were there for the money and going through the motions. So sad and disgusted I couldn’t even watch the last two games at all.
January 5th, 2026 at 7:26 am
HODAD SAYS: it is a prostate gland exam, not prostrate
January 5th, 2026 at 9:54 am
IT IS NOT AN ACCIDENT THAT THE NFL IS MOVING TO A MIKE MCDONNEL TYPE DEFENSES. THE OLD STYLE BOWLES RUNS IS GOING AWAY. WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD TO SUCCEED