The Sean McDermott Tire-Kicking
January 29th, 2026
What’s the plan?
Joe was actually wrestling in bed last night, thinking about why the Bucs showed interest in former Buffalo coach and long-time NFL defensive guy Sean McDermott.
Yesterday it was learned that the Bucs reached out to McDermott to gauge his interest in joining the Bucs’ staff in an unspecified role on the Bucs’ staff.
Joe has to believe Bucs coach Todd Bowles was on board with this. Joe’s pretty sure Bowles, as most head coaches do, has the final say on his coaches. And it just seems wild to Joe that Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht would try something like this behind Bowles’ back.
That would be the height of meddling.
Now previously when it was learned Bowles was coming back for the 2026 season, he let Greg Auman of FOX Sports know that he would retain play-calling duties on defense.
Did something change in the past week or two? Or did the Bucs just want to bring McDermott in as a consultant or “analyst” where he sits with the general manager on gamedays, drinks free Coke Zeros, and then tells both Bowles and Licht what’s wrong with the team?
And if the Bucs were interested in bringing in McDermott, would they not be interested in lassoing a top-shelf defensive mind like Jim Schwartz if McDermott wants to take a year off?
If not, why not? Apparently, someone, including Bowles, thinks they need a veteran defensive guy to help out or they wouldn’t have approached McDermott in the first place. And watching the Bucs defense, yeah, there are problems.
The trick here is, McDermott and Schwartz are 4-3 defensive guys. Bowles is 3-4 through and through. Are the Bucs thinking about flipping to a 43 defense?
If you think about it, outside of Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey, the entire front seven needs an overhaul. Yes, bring back YaYa Diaby. He’s a nice defensive end/outside linebacker. Not great, but he’s solid.
So if the Bucs were to flip to a 43 defense this would be the time to do it. The Bucs have a bunch of holes on the first two levels of the defense. So it shouldn’t be much of a problem to go to a 43 since the Bucs need to add so many bodies as it is.
And if the Bucs did go to a 43 defense, it seems unlikely Bowles would be calling the shots on the defense.
This is all very interesting to Joe.
January 29th, 2026 at 4:35 am
Joe, when does wishful thinking become reality? Or is this just window dressing to divert our attention and keep us on the hope train; thinking that our D will be different next season? I mean, what top-notch defensive mind would want to play second fiddle to a sub par HC?
January 29th, 2026 at 4:40 am
Oh wow, didn’t see this coming either. I am not a huge fan of McDermott, but after learning more and more after his firing, he got a raw deal from the Bills. They kept the GM which is baffling to me. And now putting Joe Brady in the HC role is even more a slap in McDermott’s face and the fans. He seemed to have the locker room and fans, including Bills Mafia.
McDermott and/or Schwartz would be dynamic coming in as part of the defense team in some way and working with Todd. Defensive wonderland. Come on down! And the rumor is that Schwartz isn’t happy where he is right now.
January 29th, 2026 at 4:42 am
Joe, when you are wrestling in bed. The buccaneers should be the last thing on your mind. I applaud your dedication.
January 29th, 2026 at 4:44 am
Nickel is the new base defense. Its usage league wide has steadily increased the last 10-12 years. It’s more or less used two-thirds of the time around on average league wide.
That 3rd CB is used a lot more often and with the way the game is played offensively, a little more valuable than a 3rd stand up ILB.
Will & Sam Backers don’t even exist anymore, they’re all “OLBs”/“Edge” now.
Jacob Parrish, playing mostly Nickel and floating at outside CB, 76% of the defensive snaps.
3-4 vs 4-3, they’re both hybridized and used less as base alignment now than at any time since being introduced to the game.
I believe if we were to bring in a DC, it’d have to be someone who’s defensive ideals line up with Bowles scheme and that holds more weight than, how they line guys up. More to do with what do they want from the whole unit.
I’d be all for Bowles giving up calls, to focus more on overseeing the bigger picture. Doubt we land McDermott though, but I’ve said before I wouldn’t be mad with Morris IF he brings Nate Ollie, who is still very, very unemployed.
If you like throwing blitzes, have a plan in place to improve our front 7, close up the middle of the field in the pass game and/or squeeze the potential out of our younger DBs, you’re a candidate if we’re looking.
January 29th, 2026 at 4:48 am
something sounds off here…because with bowles staying, and having the rep of a defensive guru, his defense is going to remain the same…
to scrap the entire defense and switch it up, wouldn’t at that point you have also just scrapped bowles, with the semi-house cleaning that took place ?
i must admit, at this point, i’m one bewildered bucs fan…but i’m going with the flow
January 29th, 2026 at 4:49 am
^^^
yes this is true joe, your wrasting in bed is TMI
January 29th, 2026 at 4:51 am
“Wrestling in bed”?!!?
We thought that’s what guys say when our little ones walk in on us.
How far has Joe fallen from the days of his dreams about Rachel Watson!
January 29th, 2026 at 4:57 am
can you imagine if we had a front 4 or 7 like we had back in the sapp days, or during the shaq, jpp, suh days…
especially during the sapp era…
bowles is able to scheme up and manifest them to basically
45 -50 sacks a year with no real dudes…
give bowles a bunch of freakin’ real dudes up front, and if he really wanted, he could probably bring that number waaaay up…
maybe the team should really buy, build, draft and stack the front to where they’re like the old ny jets sack exchange of the 80’s or something…
turn 45-50 sacks per year into a beastly 70-75…
could you imagine our bucs just eating quarterbacks like its 1985…
how wild would that be…
i’m sure bowles at some point imagined 75 sacks in a season, and having the horses to actually git err dun
January 29th, 2026 at 5:16 am
They better make a decision and soon. The clock is ticking on JL and TB prove it year. A lot of improvement needs to happen, no excuses accepted. The NFL is a production league, just ask McDermott.
January 29th, 2026 at 5:38 am
Here we go again getting ya’ll excited about a Mc Daniel’s, oops Mc Derm. Stop it Joe 🤣🤣🤣🤣 let me guess Greg A.has source in one Bucs? Stop it. That
Stubborn HC is a guru 😏he’s is not bringing in another mind.🤙🏾
January 29th, 2026 at 5:42 am
adam from ny – Liking the thinking outside of the box!
January 29th, 2026 at 5:52 am
I’m a 4-3 guy and suggested this at end of season. The D has so many holes that it’s an opportunity to bring in a DC that can change the scheme to revitalize the D. Would be able to bring in all the new pieces and let Bowles step back and be HC. The roster on D needs to be turned over anyway.
January 29th, 2026 at 5:54 am
BTW – Joe, not sure I’ d start an article with, “ I was wrestling in bed …”. Just thought.
January 29th, 2026 at 6:08 am
Did the thought ever pop into our heads that maybe Todd is desperate?
While I genuinely believe this to be the case, I do give him credit for seeking a second pair of eyes.
January 29th, 2026 at 6:20 am
Why is everyone assuming that Todd Bowles knew anything at all about this? For all we know, the second McDermott became available, the Bucs might have thought … “maybe we should replace Bowles …” but when McDermott said he wanted to take the year off, they spun it to some vague, no title interview.