“I Think I’ll Be More Involved”
April 6th, 2026
Todd Bowles
In July, Todd Bowles said Bucs defensive assistant coaches would have more influence on 2025 decisions than they did in 2024.
In January, after Bowles launched multiple defesive assistants, the Joe typing here said there was no chance Bowles would hire a defensive coordinator and the head coach should be expected to take back a heavier hand on the defense.
Fast forward to last Monday, and Joe asked Bowles at the NFL annual meeting about last year’s defensive approach and whether he would flip back to being more controlling.
Bowles replied that change is coming, several changes.
“I think I’ll be more involved,” Bowles said at a Phoenix breakfast table. “It’ll be a big collaboration thing, but we’ve already tweaked some things to try to approach it a different way and break some things that we’re used to doing – try to do some different things that way. But, you know, it’s still about accountability from a player-to-coach standpoint. We have to teach it well and they have to play it well. So it’s a combination of both.”
Joe suspects Bucs fans were pleased to hear Bowles talk about tweaks and breaking trends and implementing changes.
Joe has heard hints that edge rushers won’t drop in coverage as often. Wouldn’t that be refreshing?
April 6th, 2026 at 3:50 am
Just have to coach it better, play it better. Yeah…we know.
April 6th, 2026 at 3:54 am
Oh No! Blunderball.
April 6th, 2026 at 4:08 am
He said this last year! How he found something on film and it was worse than ever! More involved? He needs to lay off as far as I’m concerned.
April 6th, 2026 at 5:18 am
Bowles will run some form of a “Prevent” defense, but instead of being a “bend but don’t break” defense, it’ll be a “bend AND break” setup. Remember when Lovie Smith’s and Mike Smith’s defenses were figured out, and they didn’t know what to do or how to adjust? Todd Bowles is an honorary Smith Brother, because it’s the same deal.
April 6th, 2026 at 5:21 am
We even have Bowles son as a coach now. Remember when Lovie had all of his relatives on the staff, when the they actually needed less?
April 6th, 2026 at 5:22 am
*When they actually needed less?
April 6th, 2026 at 6:16 am
Bowles defense is designed to tire the offense out! 🤣🤣🤣
April 6th, 2026 at 6:33 am
“” it’s still about accountability from a player-to-coach standpoint.””
The word accountability should NEVER come out of the mouth of that guy.
April 6th, 2026 at 7:01 am
What an F’n joke TODD BOWELS IS GARBAGE
April 6th, 2026 at 7:19 am
I mean…I think a lot of people get confused, or don’t have a full handle on 3-4 scheme. It’s not some out of the ordinary thing to expect edge to be a hybrid player. They ARE after all, a mother f’ing linebacker – god forbid they should be able to cover the flat. The flat, you know, the very reason completion percentage has skyrocketed due to garbage RPO offenses permeating across the league? You can’t have 5 people rushing the passer at all times – and we can’t even get to the quarterback when we do THAT which is hilarious. Yes we have a coach and scheme issue but we have a talent issue. A 3-4 requires more versatility (which we don’t have) and it is a very complex scheme, which players apparently can’t learn right because they’re always out of position.
April 6th, 2026 at 7:28 am
I swear he just keeps gaslighting the fans… MORE INVOVLED?????? 3rd and 28
April 6th, 2026 at 7:30 am
Last off-season he said they broke down tape and analyzed every second of every game and found the problem.
This guy sucks…dead man walking. No excuses…he cant coach.
April 6th, 2026 at 7:32 am
I played basketball in school. Maybe I should call the defensive plays.