Lavonte David Suggests Bucs Fans, Media Are Out To Get Todd Bowles
February 2nd, 2026
“Todd, I’ve got your back.”
Lavonte David has made it clear.
The Bucs’ iconic linebacker has let it be known, from appearing on “Up and Adams” last week with Kay Adams, that had Bucs coach Todd Bowles been dismissed after the 2025 season, David had no desire to return to the team and already would have called it a career.
But Bowles was spared by Team Glazer, which has left the door open for David to return for another season.
During his appearance, David seemed suggested the Tampa Bay pen and mic club and fans have been unfair when it comes to Bowles because they don’t like Bowles’ public personality.
“[Bowles] as a man and as a person, everybody in the locker room loves him,” David said. “The media and the fans give him a hard time because he’s not, you don’t see [a personality] out of him. But we [players] see it all. That’s why we love him.”
Joe understands where David is coming from. But Joe can confidently type that of all the Bowles detractors, and there are many, Joe doesn’t think half want him run because his public personality is akin to a totem pole.
No, most fans aren’t wanting Team Glazer to inspire change because of Bowles’ public personality. For most fans, it has everything to do with wins and losses. The Bucs fans Joe interacts with believe Bowles hasn’t gotten the most out of his players and those same fans are not convinced Bowles is a defensive guru.
Joe cannot speak for others in the pen and mic club but Joe has crossed paths with Bowles several times away from the prying eye of a camera. What people see of Bowles on the sidelines or at press conferences is not the man Joe knows.
This Joe has typed and explained on the “Ira Kaufman Podcast” that Bowles has a borderline gregarious personality. Joe knows that may shock Bucs fans.
Would a number of fans like to see Bowles act like Chucky on the sidelines? Yeah. We live in a visual world and unless a guy acts like the Tasmanian Devil, those same fans are suspicious that a coach even cares enough.
Yes, that’s nonsense, but that is society, like it or not.
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February 2nd, 2026 at 3:33 am
Personality has nothing to do with it. It’s poor decision making and a bottom of the barrel defense. The guy is a lame duck coach that has no chance of getting this team to the SB.
February 2nd, 2026 at 4:29 am
He was awful with the jets and he’s awful here in Tampa #!! That’s great his players and owners like him he’s a great guy too bad he’s not a great coach #!!
February 2nd, 2026 at 4:38 am
We want him run because of results like 3rd and 28
February 2nd, 2026 at 4:45 am
LVD was part of the problem last season. He’s the leader of Todd’s pathetic defense. Please retire.
February 2nd, 2026 at 5:02 am
Too many “leaders” on this team talk too much. Especially when they didnt make it to the playoffs. I really wish they’d put this much effort in their game than in interviews.
February 2nd, 2026 at 5:30 am
Only reason I don’t like Todd much is because he is a mid .500 coach. I don’t care what his demeanor is as long as he is winning SBs but that’s a game he can’t get to. For instance as a HC not wanting a DC for 5 years that hovers around mid tier because he doesn’t want to run himself out of a job. Even though it’s best for the team to off load those duties. When that routine fails again and again it’s the same excuses. I wish him the best but he should have hired a DC a long time ago but pride and stubbornness is in the way.
February 2nd, 2026 at 5:34 am
If he was a good coach, he could have pigeons sitting on him and I wouldn’t care. He is not. He is a mediocre coach and his record proves it. Stop the spin.
February 2nd, 2026 at 5:41 am
To Paraphrase the Late Great John McKay
This fan would like run David and Bowles back to Green Bay!
That will fix their wagon!
February 2nd, 2026 at 5:46 am
The objective is winning games, it’s not a popularity contest, and you don’t get participation trophies because players like you. I don’t like Bowles as a coach, his defense doesn’t work (most of the time), he coaches scared, poor game decisions, poor clock management. Two of his four years have been LOSING seasons, and he would’ve gotten SMOKED in any other division in football. But yeah, we should like him. Hahahaha
February 2nd, 2026 at 5:52 am
If Lavonte David is the “definition of what it means to be a Buccaneer” then the losing culture is real.
February 2nd, 2026 at 6:03 am
Yes, Chucky does have an engaging charisma. People are attracted to his personality type more than Todd’s type. You have some good points there,
Over time fans have developed a dislike for Bowles as an NFL coach. And yes it is about wins and losses for the most part. The less mature have gotten downright nasty about him, however
As a Buc fan I will once more pull for Todd to succeed in 2026 regardless of the past because he is our coach.
February 2nd, 2026 at 6:33 am
Based on final 2025 regular season data and PFF evaluations, Lavonte David and Derrick Barnes were among the worst-performing qualified linebackers in pass coverage. Lavonte David allowed a 132.2 passer rating when targeted, which ranked as the third-worst among all qualified linebackers for the 2025 season.
February 2nd, 2026 at 6:36 am
We could go into missed tackles, but why pile on?
February 2nd, 2026 at 6:39 am
We’ve seen exactly who Todd Bowles is. I don’t need Lavonte or anybody else to tell me why Bowles is just misunderstood. That’s a lazy garbage take. He’s a terrible HC and a worse DC. They both absolutely should of been fired.
February 2nd, 2026 at 6:40 am
If you read it he never said he loved him as a coach
February 2nd, 2026 at 7:04 am
Well to be fair, EVERYbody sucks with the Jets
February 2nd, 2026 at 7:04 am
All anyone ever says to defend him is that he’s a great guy. Not a great coach.
February 2nd, 2026 at 7:07 am
We nearly lost out last season due to injuries especially in the O-line and receivers this past season. The season before it was the secondary. The huge masses of injuries to position groups need to stop.
February 2nd, 2026 at 7:08 am
I honestly couldn’t care less about the personality of a coach on the sidelines (as long as it’s not embarrassing, and I have a high bar) , it’s all about wins. I’ve never been a Bowles “hater” and I felt him keeping the job up until now was fair. Not optimal, but fair.
However I felt this year it was time. No hate, just time for a change. Now that a change hasn’t happened my biggest hope is Todd proves me wrong. He isn’t the one I would have chosen to coach the Bucs in 2026 but I wish him great success.
Because if not, it will be real ugly around here. You think it’s bad now? LOL
For everyone feeling angry right now, step into an alternate universe of optimism with me. The Glazers were long term thinking. Would you have wanted to be in the coaching market this year, or give it one more year. We would have been one of eleven, and at best the 4th best job. If you go through all the teams and imagine who might be HC shopping next year, it’s a lot better picture
February 2nd, 2026 at 7:09 am
The $$$ now overshadows winning for many players
February 2nd, 2026 at 7:21 am
Nailed it Joe. Players need a leader, not another likeable friend.
February 2nd, 2026 at 7:32 am
No disrepect to the great 54, but his and the other players love for this man has proven insufficient to make up for Bowles leadership weaknesses.
Bottom line, the Bucs have the wrong cosch or/and the wrong players. Either way, the HC is accountable, unless he is merely a puppet for the GM (not true here).
February 2nd, 2026 at 7:39 am
Lavonte… I love you as a player for your heart and dedication to this team. That being said, the reason why Todd Bowles needs to be shown the door is the regression and lack of performance by the defense in the past 4 years. The defense is the primary reason given for him being the HC and he can not put one on the field that can compete in this league. He also needs to be shown the door because of his lack of accountability. That presser after the Atlanta game alone she have had him fired on the spot!
February 2nd, 2026 at 8:01 am
Of course the players love him. A new coach would replace half the players on this team without question. It’s always about the $. It’s 3rd and 28 for me.
February 2nd, 2026 at 8:04 am
Just an observation—— Todd doesn’t seem to be able to fill his defensive staff openings at the moment, while other teams with new coaches are finishing up their staffs.
February 2nd, 2026 at 8:06 am
His personality is fine but his defense is not. And has been that way for a couple years. I wasn’t calling for his release but was surprised that he is still here and calling the defense.
February 2nd, 2026 at 8:14 am
Thank you for your years LVD but you need to pipe down and retire.
February 2nd, 2026 at 8:18 am
Set aside the fact that Bowles is the head coach. Does anyone think he would not have been fired if he were just the defensive coordinator after this season’s defensive performance? Over the last three years, the defense has been gotten worse, not better. Fans want Bowles gone because he is mediocre head coach AND because he is a terrible defensive coordinator.
February 2nd, 2026 at 8:20 am
Barf
February 2nd, 2026 at 8:21 am
Why would we think that LVD, because he absolutely STINKS as a HC?
February 2nd, 2026 at 8:23 am
3rd and 28!
4th and 14!
LVD is in denial… It’s pretty idiotic to blame the fans.
February 2nd, 2026 at 8:30 am
Some evidence to reinforce Joe’s point is Dungy’s tenure here. I can only recall him getting animated on the sidelines once. Aside from that, he basically had the same demeanor as Bowles. The difference is that Dungy coached up one of the greatest defenses the league has ever seen. (Literally – it is now forever known as the Tampa two.) I’d wager a guess that we wouldn’t hear all the chirping about Bowles’s sideline stature if 3rd-and-28 hadn’t happened.
February 2nd, 2026 at 8:32 am
No Lavonte Bucs fans have just had enough of the mediocrity. But clearly you haven’t since you love your days off.
February 2nd, 2026 at 8:33 am
LVD quote pretty much sums it up. “Bowles as a man and a person, everyone loves him”
No one hates the man or person, they hate the results, LVD.
This team once once known for having great defenses. Im ok with having a good offense and competent defense. But the man in charge of the defense has failed to develop players and a scheme to maximize those players. It’s been too long with too many different players..the scheme is broken and Bowles is in denial. That’s why most Buv fans would like to see a change, not because of his personality.
February 2nd, 2026 at 8:40 am
This is an attack campaign against the fans common sense. Ever since he was retained. Someone on the media or in the organization talks Bowles and they say fans don’t like his personality?
As if a 35-33 regular-season record in four seasons and being 1-3 postseason isn’t enough reason to dislike him. His mediocre personality happens to for will with his mediocre head coaching career. Stop selling us on what he did as a coordinator, there are many good offensive and defensive coordinators who suck at being a head coach just like Bowles
February 2nd, 2026 at 8:42 am
Really don’t need to set aside anything when Todd is equally bad at both. He can stand on the sidlines in the mascot suit as long as the team looks prepared and is performing it doesnt matter. They talk as if we didn’t all see a collapse it’s just cope to actually think fans are just angry at him because he is stoic on the sidelines.
February 2nd, 2026 at 8:43 am
SO AS A PAYING FAN THAT LITERALLY SUPPORTS THIS ENTIRE TEAM…
Ask yourself…
WOULD YOU RATHER A COACH WHO IS LOVED BY EVERYONE BUT PRODUCES BARE MINIMUM RESULTS
OR A COACH WHOS BARELY LIKED BUT GETS YOU MANY WINS
OR A COACH LIKE MIKE TOMLIN WHO GIVES YOU WINS AND LOVED BY EVERYONE
BOWLES WAS GIVEN A SB CALIBER TEAM AND HAS BRUNG THE TEAM DOWN EVERY YEAR MORE AND MORE…
A GREAT COACH ADJUST HIS SYSTEM TO FIT THE PLAYERS TO MAXIMIZE RESULTS…
He runs same Defense regardless…
3rd & 28
February 2nd, 2026 at 8:45 am
I am sorry but I do agree with Lavonte…one or two below average seasons and fan want him out. I do not recall this happening to this magnitude for any coach 500 or better average…Fans seemed to have never really loved Bowles since he became HC. I think they dislike him more than Schianno, and there was reason however unfairly quick.
At this point the owners are committed to Bowles and so should true fans going into a new season. If he does nothing this coming year then move on but firing him in season would be a huge mistake. Let’s get real more than half the coaches out there this year that got HC jo s this year will be fired in 2-3 years.
February 2nd, 2026 at 8:45 am
That attitude is part of the problem. No one doubts that Bowles is well liked and a nice man. Bottom line, the defense is not good and has collapsed in too many games starting with our last championship game with Brady.
Bowles is the leader of the defense. It is his job to make it work and he has not done that. That is the problem.
February 2nd, 2026 at 8:46 am
He’s thrown up the white flag on defending the forward pass in a pass happy league. Every QB with even a shred of talent carves up his scheme.
If the players don’t like how we talk about him, they’re free to go talk to their buddy in the head coach office and help him come up with a plan to keep the likes of Quinn Ewers and a decrepit Kirk Cousins from lighting up the score board against them.
If this is truly David’s concern then its time to retire.
February 2nd, 2026 at 8:48 am
I don’t care a whit about sideline demeanor. Just win the games.
February 2nd, 2026 at 8:49 am
This was evident in the Raise the Flags documentary. There’s the buttoned up persona we see in front of the media and sidelines and then there’s his real persona that the players and inner circle see.
February 2nd, 2026 at 8:57 am
I could care less about his personality.
Results on the field is what matters.
February 2nd, 2026 at 9:00 am
That’s great LD. But that has nothing to do with his ability or lack of to be this team’s head coach. And everyone loves him so much why did it seem like they tuned him and his staff out? Quit on him? Play bored? Something was terribly wrong with this team in your locker room. Hell, it’s been reported that you screamed and yelled at your teammates after games. How is that possible if everyone loved their coach so much? Why didn’t they play for him?
More bullspit coming out of One Buc Place. It never ends. And I will continue to call them out and rail against this regime until real change happens.
February 2nd, 2026 at 9:06 am
I seem to remember Dallas having a coach who was famous for being stoic on the sidelines named Tom Landry. I don’t know why he wasn’t fired.
February 2nd, 2026 at 9:21 am
What Ever!!!
February 2nd, 2026 at 9:29 am
Unlike the idiots who want LVD gone simply because he has a different opinion, I know he is an excellent player and hope he plays another year.
As to Bowles, I wanted him gone, but I was unbiased in coming to that conclusion. It came, as it always does, down to players buying in to what Bowles is selling.
I believe most of the older veterans do, but we’re getting younger and most of those see a coach who threw them under the bus.
Now, for all I know, Bowles made amends and all is fine, but this team did not play hard for him after that.
I am NOT sold on him being a lame duck coach. Nor do I think he cannot win a superbowl. I think he potentially can, and a good season/post season would buy him yet another year.
Outside of that, injuries were the biggest issue this year. Fans h ate to admit its true but it is.
So far as the defense regression over the last 4 years, that happens when you ignore the defense in the draft.
You can’t say doing so was wrong. It took 7 years for a defensive head coach to take a team to the superbowl and todays NFL is all about offense. It DID get uss multiple division titles.
It takes time to build a good defense and they only started last year.
So I think Bowles has a chance.
February 2nd, 2026 at 9:32 am
3 season of pure Mediocrity and losing. Yet, we are out to get Todd Bowles? A Defense from a Defensive coach that cannot get off the field. Injuries to Offensive players because they are working extra to carry a team with no Defense. Consistent 3rd and 28’s and yet the opposition scores at will. Oh yeah, you bet your a.. we are out to dump Bowles in the bay. The Glazers too for not having any vision.
February 2nd, 2026 at 9:34 am
@ Mickman
one or two below average seasons and fan want him out.
Uh he’s only been here 4 seasons, which one was the above average season the 9 win or 10 win and Raheem won 10 games while using all the quarterbacks on the roster before settling on rookie Josh freeman. I think if you’re handed a “Super Bowl roster” the expectations should be a little higher don’t you?
February 2nd, 2026 at 9:35 am
The fake fans and the Tampa media has been on a Witch hunt
The Bucs stunk last season, but they only wanted Bowles gone
That’s wrong, there’s nothing right about this picture
There were many, many people involved with this team collapse
But the fake fans and local media, tried to sabotage the Glazers
Tried to force them to fire Bowles, and ONLY Bowles
But it’s water under the bridge now
The Glazers are intelligent owners, and they did the right thing
End Of Story
February 2nd, 2026 at 9:43 am
No. LVD should just STFU before we’re out to get HIM. He will find that out REAL QUICK, if he takes a DIME OVER the league veteran MINIMUM, next season. Cause that is ‘one-thing’ fans will NOT tolerate, maybe more so, than a failing Head Coach. And, that is an PLAYER way underperforming HIS CONTRACT. Especially, an OLD player only chasing STATS. 💯
February 2nd, 2026 at 9:58 am
Team is as soft as Todd’s belly. Not a good coach, His personality is not the issue. Dungy was known for his quiet demeanor. He was a helluva coach.
February 2nd, 2026 at 10:01 am
Didn’t we read that poster Lakeland Says was
Bowles account or one of his family ?
My eyes don’t lie
I have seen enough crappy Bucs ball to know a bad team when my eyes see it
February 2nd, 2026 at 10:02 am
@ Mickman – No. It has been a historically weak division for 4-YEARS running. It’s all “Smoke & Mirrors.” They’ve beaten up on teams inside the DIVISION. We have EYES. This team is A LOT further away, than what most fans even realize. Bowles AND Lickt are 💯 to blame along with the Glazers. A HORRIBLE GM, scouting department, training staff, AND head coach is to blame. But, the OWNERS have allowed it. LVD loves him because he’s not held accountable. LVD KNOWS that if a young, aggressive, high-energy, ass-kicking, REAL HC came to town, then HE’d BE OUT. Wouldn’t be able to handle-it! It’d give ‘him’ one REAL BIG wake-up call. That’s FOR SURE.
February 2nd, 2026 at 10:05 am
Fans see the product on the field. Belichek wasnt popular in the media but guess what cured that? Winning.
The only thing media and fans are guilty of are pointing out the major flaw that is Bowles. Cant win in primetime, loses too often to backup qbs and mediocre teams, cant beat top teams consistently, can’t fix pass defense dating back to super bowl year, cant develop players, cant manage the game, including clock and critical situations. Bowles may be a good coordinator once upon a time but that ship has sailed. He was never a good HC. This team is a 12 win team most years in this crap division but Bowles is the anchor.
February 2nd, 2026 at 10:05 am
@ Sue J Says: “That attitude is part of the problem. No one doubts that Bowles is well liked and a nice man.”
There are LOTS of “nice guys!” When people say that, I’m like… “AND!?”
February 2nd, 2026 at 10:10 am
What Ben said.
February 2nd, 2026 at 10:12 am
Stpetematt Says:
February 2nd, 2026 at 7:07 am
We nearly lost out last season due to injuries especially in the O-line and receivers this past season. The season before it was the secondary. The huge masses of injuries to position groups need to stop.
^^^^^^^^
I seem to remember poor coaching, too.
February 2nd, 2026 at 10:13 am
Oh so many great minds on JBF. This is the place to hang out if you a compelling need to b**ch and gripe and holler about things that don’t really matter very much. I get it. You are unhappy and can have an outlet for your anger. Football is a game. It is not life.
February 2nd, 2026 at 10:32 am
I love Lavonte and I love Bowles. Easy to cheer for both of them to be successful. But, the results are not there. Division titles in a bad division are not good enough and the leadership of this team can do a better job at getting the best out of the players and coaches left on this roster.
February 2nd, 2026 at 10:35 am
I also agree with what Ben said.
February 2nd, 2026 at 10:35 am
Lakeland – I just don’t blame Bowles. JL is just as much to blame for this team’s absolute mess – especially on defense. He picked all the players. Bowles is paid to coach them. We have a bad roster on defense and many of those guys quit on their teammates and coaches. I say THEY ALL GOT TO GO. Not just Bowles. This was the only team effort in 2025 from JL all the way down. Bucs should have cleaned house. Glazers missed the boat BIG TIME on this one.
February 2nd, 2026 at 10:41 am
Bowles I believe is a defensive guru, just not a head coach guru.