“No Comment. I Love Coach Bowles”
October 7th, 2026
Dark times lately in the Buccaneers locker room.
Sunday had a rock-bottom feel to it. After losing three consecutive home games and falling to 0-4 after a stunning collapse last season, the Bucs are on the precipice of major change.
Tristan Wirfs faced the media Sunday and the Buccaneers served up video at Wirfs’ locker as he struggled to find words at times.
Sage of Tampa Bay Sports Ira Kaufman asked Wirfs about his head coach.
“What would be your message to ownership that are looking at Todd Bowles right now?” Kaufman asked.
Wirfs replied: “I don’t have, no comment. I love Coach Bowles. Yeah, I don’t know.”
Joe believes Wirfs answered candidly. This whole darn 0-4 start has been so unthinkable, what’s he supposed to say?
October 7th, 2026 at 1:28 pm
Sad. Prep for Buccaneer Horror Night in Dallas. But these millionairs love their Millionare coach. So do the Glazer accountants.
October 7th, 2026 at 1:30 pm
The follow up question: Do you love coach Bowles more than you love winning? Because you can’t have them both.
October 7th, 2026 at 1:31 pm
Agreed. Certainly for players that appear to be giving their all. Wirfs is as close to the face of the franchise as an OL can be. Fortunately he’ll never go through the frustration that Paul Gruber had to go through. Hopefully last season is the worst that he’ll ever have to go through. Although this year isn’t looking good.
October 7th, 2026 at 1:34 pm
Joe – I like how you ended the article. These upcoming responses should bring some good laughter for the remaining afternoon. By the way, I bet site traffic is way up these days….
Wirfs to Glazers – “Now I get why Big Mike left. How many more years left on my contract?”
October 7th, 2026 at 1:35 pm
A new OC for 5 consecutive years
Your franchise QB is banged up and underperforming
You lose the best offensive player in Bucs history
There’s a lot going on with this offense
And the players are lost for words
October 7th, 2026 at 1:35 pm
He loves Todd Bowles?
Well, that’s an unexpected Scandal!
Doubt it affects have crappy the teams playing, though.
October 7th, 2026 at 1:35 pm
On this franchise are several problems one of them is the coach.
Let’s name them,
1- Cheap owners who only care for the $$$$
2- Overrated GM
3- Bad Coaching
4- Not a talented roster as most of fans, local media and national media predicted
5- Overrated QB.
October 7th, 2026 at 1:38 pm
But, they have to keep grinding
It ain’t over until it’s over
Don’t give up, anything is possible, if you believe in yourself
There’s still time to turn this around
October 7th, 2026 at 1:41 pm
D-rules can check me but i believe i read somewhere that in the 2 yrs Zac was the o coordinator of Atl. they never scored over 30 pts. The Falcons have put up over 40 in there last 2. Penix & Cousins look like diff players compared to what they were in ATL. One would think with all the analytics in the game now, surely someone at at OBP knew this 30pt stat and they still hired him. Something fishy in the Bay people!
October 7th, 2026 at 1:43 pm
Falcons scored 30+ in both games vs Bucs in 2024
October 7th, 2026 at 1:49 pm
Bowels is “Inspiring change” in ways he never predicted.
October 7th, 2026 at 1:51 pm
Awww – that’s so sweet…
I love my coach who lets me have all preseason and training camp off.
This team has become the laughing stock of the entire NFL.
October 7th, 2026 at 1:52 pm
What does Love have to do with it? Just win baby win.
October 7th, 2026 at 1:56 pm
Ofcourse you would say that when u got no expecations and walk through practice sippin Mai Tai’s.
October 7th, 2026 at 1:56 pm
Baker was under rated after being let go by Carolina. Now he is over rated. When will he be just right rated Goldie Locks?
October 7th, 2026 at 1:59 pm
Just like Lakeland says, the Buccaneers have to keep grinding and hope they execute well and pull out a win against Americas team !
It may not happen but if it does it will be sweet victory. I’ll definitely be watching!!
Go Bucs !!
October 7th, 2026 at 1:59 pm
No comment lmao wild tristen what a clown show
October 7th, 2026 at 2:03 pm
With Todd Bowles, at best, you have a handle on one side of the equation, defense. He is not helpful with offense and seems to let his OCs do what they want to do. You can say he doesn’t have the defensive line talent to run his defense, yet he has not altered it to deal with it. Did he run Grizzard out? One, I think Grizzard needed more time to grow into the role. But with Bowles hot seat, he had to do something. All the good OCs were already head coaches. Bucs were stuck, not prepared to find a coach. I kinda don’t blame them, what’s the worse that could happen, we lose and we fire him this year, but at least we are already looking for the replacement (I hope we are) and we have top draft pick.
I think Licht has to be evaluated to. Lots of draft misses. They don’t have a #1 WR, though they have drafted top picks two years in a row for one. Don’t have defensive front talent, offensive line is bad, Barton may be a bust as a Center. And you are in cap hell despite not having top talent? These things seem to indicate the need for a change here too.
On the positive for Licht, he did build a Super Bowl ready team meant for Jamies and taken over by Brady and won a Super Bowl and almost a second one.
I’m sure everyone like Bowles, that doesn’t mean he can lead this team to the Super Bowl, now or ever.
October 7th, 2026 at 2:08 pm
Ira … “What would be your message to ownership that are looking at Todd Bowles right now?”
Since my previous comment was obviously disallowed, I’ll rewrite it Sage. Isn’t that kinda dirty pool to ask a player what he’d say to OWNERSHIP about the performance of his Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator?
October 7th, 2026 at 2:08 pm
Good news ! Chase McLaughlin is good to play on Thursday night ! so now will Caden Fordham or JJ Roberts be elevated to fill in – and maybe not-ROH-worthy Tom-Brady-hand-puppet field-sideline-avoidant fan-projectile-skittish Fred-Flintstone-lookalike IQ-deficient Jason Licht will put a kicker on the practice squad
October 7th, 2026 at 2:11 pm
Yeah Todd is lovable but can he also be a winning coach?
October 7th, 2026 at 2:13 pm
@ Jjuice32 – It’s an incompetent and incapable FO without any ANSWERS. They are just waaaayyy over their heads, and don’t know what the hell they’re doing. Bottomline, PERIOD. End of Story. Contrary to what some may believe, but “I” am VERY careful with my words and views. So, when you see ME going ‘all-in’ on something, hell, anything… Then, you can bet your ass, that “I” am RIGHT. I don’t care if it’s about this team, that team, this player, the other player, world events, politics, or whatever. Again, when you see ME continuously beat-it in the ground, over and over again… You can bet your ass. Take-it to the BANK. It’s over.
October 7th, 2026 at 2:13 pm
Marine
Don’t forget a season full of walk-through practices. One Buc cupcake.
October 7th, 2026 at 2:24 pm
0-5 is coming!
October 7th, 2026 at 2:28 pm
I think Todd would be more well-received if he adopted a more Dudley-Dickerson-like persona on the sidelines and at the podium – it’s got to better than what he’s
Doing
October 7th, 2026 at 2:30 pm
That’s a lousy thing to ask. And Wirfs is a class act for his answer.
October 7th, 2026 at 2:32 pm
In the words of many a sailor….
This season is FUBAR. lol.
October 7th, 2026 at 2:33 pm
Imagine if we flushed the toilet bowles after last season? Just delayed the inevitable
October 7th, 2026 at 2:40 pm
Todd would be better received if he let his defensive ends be defensive ends by running a 4-3 instead of making his defensive ends try and be olbs.
October 7th, 2026 at 2:44 pm
Any time a mediocre team has players that love their coach….youve got a problem. They love him because he was a player and operates from that perspective which allows everyone to be comfortable. Great coaches have egos, they demand accountability and could care less about being liked or your friend. The best HCs are respected not liked….big difference. Bowles is liked…and we see what product you get when everyone is on good terms. It’s mediocre at best, unfortunately this year it’s terrible.
Nobody gets their a$$ reamed after a penalty or missed assignment, nobody gets benched so they lose their performance bonuses, nobody gets called out….its super comfortable for everyone despite the results being beyond unacceptable. There’s literally no standard at this point, nothing we do great, it’s just a very carefree environment of poor play.
October 7th, 2026 at 2:57 pm
Tucker … ‘Todd would be better received if he let his defensive ends be defensive ends by running a 4-3 instead of making his defensive ends try and be olbs.’
I agree 100%, but I don’t think Todd Bowles could change his 3-4 into a 4-3 at this point (although it looks like he runs plenty of modifications of the 4-3 right now).
I took a page from Rod Munch and asked AI about that, and here’s what it kicked back about Todd’s 2026 defense:
• Bowles’ scheme is highly versatile and utilizes a “one-gap” attacking style. When edge-rushing outside linebackers (like Yaya Diaby or Rueben Bain Jr.) put their hands on the dirt on the line of scrimmage, the front functionally mirrors a 4-3 alignment.
• Nickel Sub-Packages dominate: In reality, the Buccaneers rarely stay in either a traditional 4-3 or 3-4 base. The team heavily relies on sub-packages, playing in a Nickel look (often featuring 4 down linemen/rushers and 2 inside linebackers) for roughly 70% or more of their total defensive snaps.
From what I’ve seen, that’s close to a perfect 2-bullet description of what our 2026 defense has been doing. What it doesn’t tell though is how effective … or ineffective … the Nickel alignment has been. My GUESS is that it’s been very ineffective, because we typically pull 1 ‘big guy’ from our DLine, keep 2 OLBs & 2 ILBs, to ‘pay for’ the extra CB in the Secondary.
And that extra CB hasn’t provided any overwhelming advantages far as I can see. Scott has 17 tackles (all but 1 solo BTW), 0 sacks, 0 TFLs, 0 QB hits, 0 INTs & 1 PD. He’s also allowed 78.6% completions. Doesn’t sound to me like using that Nickel formation is paying dividends. Especially since our pass rush sucks, and pulling 1 DLineman to insert the Nickel doesn’t help your pass rush.
October 7th, 2026 at 3:15 pm
I haven’t been on in years. I echo Lakeland. The players can turn this. Let’s not rely on coach, GM, or owners. What would you do if this was your business? 86 the coach…yes. 86 the scout….not so fast. Survey the GM’s across engage and tell me someone better at drafting percentages? Can’t fire the owners so follow what they do and give them your mind!
October 7th, 2026 at 3:15 pm
Good question, Sage. He didn’t say KEEP HIM PLEASE KEEP HIM.
October 7th, 2026 at 3:17 pm
I can’t come up w scenario where Bowles D keeps Dallas below 30 this week,, lose this one and then we start the Bowles redemption tour,,,
October 7th, 2026 at 3:26 pm
he could have added i love bowles, he is a great coach
October 7th, 2026 at 3:45 pm
ModHairKen Says:
October 7th, 2026 at 2:30 pm
That’s a lousy thing to ask. And Wirfs is a class act for his answer.
—————–
I agree. I was surprised this question came from Ira. Seems like a Joes question.
October 7th, 2026 at 3:52 pm
Thats exactly why Bowles was retained..
October 7th, 2026 at 4:00 pm
Mike Evans said the same thing and the bolted
October 7th, 2026 at 4:03 pm
TG Says:
October 7th, 2026 at 4:00 pm
Mike Evans said the same thing and the bolted
————————-
Mike just said he left because tampa fans suck 🤣
October 7th, 2026 at 4:25 pm
Next coach up.
October 7th, 2026 at 4:25 pm
MelvinJunior Says:
October 7th, 2026 at 2:13 pm
Too bad you’re not careful with your punctuation, capitalization, and length of comments. Not to mention the pointless fist pounding. Maybe you should be more careful about taking your medication.
October 7th, 2026 at 4:26 pm
Flush Bowles
October 7th, 2026 at 4:28 pm
at 0-4, the players all know they are officially playing for him. Those who say they do love him, they have to know hes gone unless they go on a legendary come back from here on out.
October 7th, 2026 at 4:39 pm
That was a classless question to ask a player about his coach while in the middle of a terrible start to a season! That was without a doubt a question to start dissensioni in the locker room, which helps no one. Kudos to Wirfs for being a professional ! This team can win some games when they realize their offensive coordinator sucks! If they fire Bowles now than who would take his place? Robinson who has no clue on what a game plan really is! Bowles has put this franchise in Dire Straights that will take time to recover. I have been through worse with them I assure you, but will not give up on them! GO BUCS!
October 7th, 2026 at 5:30 pm
This team has truly taken on the identity of it’s coach.
October 7th, 2026 at 5:56 pm
Sure you love him.🥱
October 7th, 2026 at 5:56 pm
I don’t remember too many players talking about loving Bill Belichek. Fear maybe. Fear of consequences for not earning their salary. I get it Bowels is a nice guy. Yeah! He might get the “Most Popular “ trophy but not the “Most Likely To Succeed” trophy.
October 7th, 2026 at 6:23 pm
I love my wife , but if the relationship became toxic , she would be fired.
October 7th, 2026 at 6:51 pm
D F
Players and coaches get paid alot to answer any questions put to them, especially at 0-4 …
you are what your record says you are !!
staring at 0-5 🙁