Tag: Bowles

Report: Todd Bowles returning as Buccaneers’ coach

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles told the Tampa Bay Times via text on Wednesday that he will be returning for the 2026 season, the newspaper reported.

Bowles led the franchise to NFC South titles in each of his first three seasons as coach, but Tampa Bay missed the playoffs in 2025 with an 8-9 record.

Bowles has a 35-33 record in four seasons and stands 1-3 in the postseason. He is under contract with the Buccaneers through the 2028 season.

While meeting with reporters on Monday, Bowles stated that he deserved to return for the 2026 season.

“I’ve earned the chance — I’ve won three straight division titles, so that says a lot as far as I’m concerned,” Bowles said.

Tampa Bay started 6-2 this season with quarterback Baker Mayfield ranking as one of the NFL’s top players during that stretch. However, injuries to Mayfield and other players caused a major setback in the second half of the season.

The Buccaneers returned from a midseason bye to lose three straight and seven of eight games to find themselves two games below .500 entering Week 18.

Tampa Bay posted a 16-14 win over the Carolina Panthers on Saturday, but missed the playoffs when the Atlanta Falcons won their game Sunday, creating a three-way tie for the NFC South crown. The Panthers won the tiebreaker and advanced to the playoffs.

Bowles met the Glazer family, who own the Buccaneers, on Tuesday and was reportedly scheduled to meet with members of his coaching staff on Wednesday and Thursday.

Tampa Bay’s top record under Bowles is a 10-7 mark in 2024. The lone playoff victory under Bowles came in the 2023 season when the Buccaneers mauled the Philadelphia Eagles 32-9 in the NFC wild-card round.

Bowles has a 61-74 record in eight-plus seasons as a head coach. He went 24-40 from 2016-18 with the New York Jets and also went 2-1 in an interim role in 2011 with the Miami Dolphins after Tony Sparano was fired.

–Field Level Media

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield practices, expects to play Sunday

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Nobody would rate Baker Mayfield’s health close to 100 percent, but the Buccaneers are counting on him playing on Sunday following an encouraging return to practice on Friday.

Mayfield and the Buccaneers have lost three in a row since a 6-2 start, part of the reason a playoff mindset has set in despite the quarterback dealing with a painful left shoulder sprain.

Head coach Todd Bowles said Mayfield was definitely “trending” toward being in the lineup on Sunday, a positive development that followed the final full practice of the week on Friday.

Mayfield injured his non-throwing shoulder in the second quarter of a 34-7 blowout loss at the hands of the Los Angeles Rams last week. He did not play in the second half as backup Teddy Bridgewater led the offense. Tests showed a sprained AC joint for Mayfield.

“Every game in my eyes, is a must-win playoff scenario, but understanding that, you know, if I sit one game out, that (potentially) provides me to be healthier for down the stretch,” Mayfield told reporters on Wednesday. “And that’s, that’s how I’m gonna look at it.”

And the Buccaneers (6-5), now just a half game up on the Carolina Panthers (6-6) for first place in the NFC South, are ready to reverse the losing trend.

“Our sights are still set on the playoffs, but to get there, we have to win these games, especially the NFC matchups,” Mayfield said. “And it’s kind of a double-edged sword, but we’ll see how it goes.”

The game against the Cardinals starts a three-game home stretch for the Bucs that also includes visits from the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons. After that, Tampa Bay will face the Panthers twice over the final three weeks of the season.

Mayfield, 30, has completed 62.7% of his passes this season for 2,406 yards, 18 touchdowns and five interceptions, although two of those picks came in the first half against the Rams.

In eight NFL seasons with the Cleveland Browns, Panthers, Rams and Buccaneers, Mayfield has completed 63.5% of his passes for 27,238 yards, 189 touchdowns and 95 interceptions since he was the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2018 out of Oklahoma.

–Field Level Media

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Jalen McMillan (15) makes a catch against Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Daryl Porter Jr. (39) during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

Bucs WR Jalen McMillan to miss weeks with ‘severe’ neck sprain

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Buccaneers wide receiver Jalen McMillan likely will miss several weeks recovering from a neck injury and was ruled out for Tampa Bay’s Week 1 game by head coach Todd Bowles on Tuesday.

“He’s got a severely strained neck,” Bowles said. “He’s going to miss some time.”

McMillan made a big impact after Chris Godwin was lost for the season in October, but will open the season on injured reserve. McMillan had seven touchdown receptions in the final five games as a rookie.

The Tampa Bay Times reported McMillan might be sidelined until midseason, pointing to the bye in Week 9 as a potential return date. McMillan, entering his second season, was hurt Saturday in the preseason game at Pittsburgh when he collided with Steelers cornerback Daryl Porter Jr. McMillan landed on the field helmet-first before his neck and back followed to the ground.

Godwin has not participated in practice and could be on a similar timeline for playing in his first game of 2025.

He returned to the Bucs in free agency in March but continues to rehab from a dislocated ankle in Week 7 of the 2024 season that required surgery. Godwin could be placed on the reserve/PUP list to start the season, which would require him to miss at least the first four games.

“We’re going to need guys to step up with Chris down and then Jalen going down,” Bowles said Tuesday. “A lot of guys have stepped up and we’ve got to see them step up even more. The depth was well-needed and we still have some decisions to make after this game against Buffalo.”

First-round pick Emega Egbuka has turned in a stellar training camp and preseason, including a touchdown reception against the Steelers. He’s likely to start alongside veteran Mike Evans.

–Field Level Media

Jun 10, 2025; Tampa Bay, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles gives a press conference after mini camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles, GM Jason Licht sign extensions

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles and general manager Jason Licht signed contract extensions, the team announced Thursday.

Terms of the contracts were not disclosed, but multiple reports pegged Bowles’ deal at a total of four seasons through 2028. He had one year remaining on his original four-year contract entering 2025.

Buccaneers owner and co-chairman Joel Glazer said the leadership team is vital to extending the team’s run of success in the NFC South and beyond.

“The continuity and stability they provide will play a large role in our ability to compete for additional championships,” Glazer said in a statement.

Bowles was promoted from defensive coordinator when Bruce Arians retired after the 2021 season and has a 27-24 record in Tampa. He previously was head coach of the New York Jets (53-65) and briefly served as interim coach of the Miami Dolphins.

The Bucs enter the season having won three consecutive NFC South division titles.

“I am excited to continue working with Jason for years to come as we build on the success we’ve enjoyed and keep reaching for even bigger and better goals,” Bowles said in a statement. “My family loves Tampa and we’re looking forward to delivering more great moments for our fans in the coming seasons.”

Licht has been in the GM chair for the Buccaneers for 12 seasons, building a core that supported free agent signing Tom Brady on the way to winning Super Bowl LV. No team has been as committed to drafting, developing and retaining players, but the Bucs have also hit on multiple free agents under Licht. Following Brady, the Buccaneers turned Baker Mayfield from perceived reclamation project to Pro Bowl selection.

“I am also very excited to continue working alongside Todd well into the future as we continue our mission of finding and developing talented players and chasing additional championships for our fans,” Licht said.

–Field Level Media

Aug 23, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles talks with quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Displaced Bucs pack bags, families, riding out week in New Orleans

Posted on | by Field Level Media

A structured early exit from Tampa for Week 6 allowed the Buccaneers to pack their bags, families and pets for an impromptu trip to New Orleans as the region braces for the impact of Hurricane Milton.

Head coach Todd Bowles described the mission for the team and staff as a three-day process with logistical hurdles in organizing families, players and staff to make the trip to Louisiana on Tuesday morning. More than 350 are in the team’s traveling party this week and the Buccaneers evacuated other player and staff family members to resorts in Orlando to remove them from harm’s way.

“I think overall, everything has gone smoothly. We got the team out, we got the families out, we got their pets out,” Bowles said Wednesday from a seat behind a folding table in a makeshift press conference setting. “Family is the most important thing right now. You can replace material things and you want everybody to be OK and you hope everybody evacuated; if not hunkered down safely. Family is the most important thing. If you can get your family out and keep them safe, everything else can be replaced.”

Bowles and several current players experienced a similar but far less orderly team evacuation prior to Hurricane Ian in 2022. Bowles said multiple players drove with family and there were failed connections along the way. The Bucs made only minor adjustments to their work week when Hurricane Helene made landfall in the Big Bend region of Florida two weeks ago.

This week the Buccaneers are practicing at Tulane University in the late afternoon. They’ll play the Saints in New Orleans on Sunday before determining possible next steps.

Bowles said the Buccaneers will assess the aftermath of the hurricane and another round of potential logistical challenges that could await. The team facility at One Buc Place is landlocked and adjacent to Raymond James Stadium, but sits blocks from the Hillsborough River to the east and is separated from Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico only by Tampa International Airport.

The Buccaneers weighed moving to Houston for the week but chose New Orleans to avoid making multiple trips before Sunday. They could be in a similar circumstance next week before a scheduled Monday night game at home against Baltimore.

Bowles noted obvious challenges and provisional plans should significant damage to the team facility force the Buccaneers to stay on the road for an extended period.

He knows players face unusual challenges returning to hotel rooms at night, many of them with family members present.

“We understand that the things that we do in football are a small mechanism in the game of life and the hurricane is going to affect people,” Bowles said. “But we’re focused and we’re trying to get ready for a game. If everybody’s here and there families are here, that makes it a lot easier.”

–Field Level Media

Sep 17, 2023; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (13) is congratulated by quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) after scoring a touchdown against the Chicago Bears during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports

Bucs focus on re-signing Mike Evans, Baker Mayfield

Posted on | by Field Level Media

INDIANAPOLIS — Keeping quarterback Baker Mayfield and retaining receiver Mike Evans are major priorities for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this offseason.

Mayfield was plucked off the scrap heap and put together his top all-around season, while Evans reached 1,000 receiving yards for the 10th straight season, a record at the outset of a career and just one off the overall consecutive seasons mark held by the legendary Jerry Rice.

Evans is a legend with the franchise while Mayfield stands to earn much, much more than the $4 million he received last season.

Negotiations are continuing with the soon-to-be free agent but the Buccaneers also plan to study quarterbacks this week at the NFL Scouting Combine.

“I know he wants to be a Buc. We want him to be a Buc, so that’s usually a good starting point,” Tampa Bay general manager Jason Licht said Tuesday. “We want Baker back. Trust me, I can’t go two blocks in Tampa without somebody asking me that and you understand that and I totally understand it.

“He’s been great for our team. He’s been great for the organization and we would love to have Baker.”

Mayfield, 28, has a 40-46 record as a starting quarterback, including stints with the Cleveland Browns, Carolina Panthers and Los Angeles Rams. He went 9-8 with the Buccaneers while setting personal bests of 4,044 yards and 28 touchdowns.

Evans, 30, caught 13 touchdown passes last season to match Tyreek Hill of the Miami Dolphins for the NFL lead. Evans had 79 catches for 1,255 yards.

“Mike did a heck of a job and he came to work every day,” Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles said. “He came to play every day, as you can see as a result from the statistics. And he’s been here for a decade and he’s done the same thing every year.

“He has been very consistent, very dynamic, yet he’s very humble off the field. But he’s a confident player. He’s one of my favorite players. I have a lot of respect for Mike and everything he does and he’s earned what he done.”

Evans just finished a five-year, $82.5 million contract with Tampa Bay.

But extension talks didn’t go well leading up to the 2023 season and the two sides didn’t reach a deal.

Licht declined to discuss where talks stand now.

“He’s an unprecedented player. We want him to be a Buc for life. We’re working towards that,” Licht said. “Obviously it takes two sides. I know he wants to be a Buc. We’ll probably have to strain a little bit (financially) but we’re working towards that right now.”

The Buccaneers also cleared close to $5 million in salary cap space by releasing outside linebacker Shaquil Barrett. The 31-year-old made the Pro Bowl twice in five seasons with Tampa Bay.

“Did not want to make that call,” Licht said. “At the same time I did — I wanted to give him some time here to look for another team if that’s what he wants to do. We can’t officially release him until the beginning of the league year, but he actually calmed me down on the call.”

–Field Level Media

Feb 28, 2023; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht during the NFL combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Bucs GM likens overhaul to finding ‘gems at the dollar store’

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Tom Brady’s retirement in February was the just the tipping point for Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht to put a massive roster overhaul in motion.

When the Bucs made their final roster cuts to 53 more than six months later, the team had gone from the oldest in the NFL to the eighth youngest. It was a necessary band-aid to tear off as Brady’s retirement brought a $35 million dead-cap hit and put the franchise nearly $60 million over the cap.

The ensuing months saw the departure of numerous veterans including running back Leonard Fournette and tackle Donovan Smith, and the addition of a slew of rookies — including six undrafted players who made the initial 53-man roster last week. They team with seven rookie draft picks on the roster.

“It was challenging for us, but it was fun. It was exciting,” Licht said Thursday. “Any time you challenge your staff to go find gems at the dollar store, there is kind of an excitement to it. That’s what we get paid to do.

“That’s how we earned our bones early, trying to kick the weeds and find guys, so it was a lot of fun for all of us.”

Licht admitted the focus was not only from getting younger while also paring the salary cap, but on getting faster and more athletic throughout the roster in the process.

“We knew that there would be a lot of opportunity for new faces, but if you would’ve told me back in April that we’d keep six undrafted rookies, I probably would’ve thought you were crazy,” Licht said. “But it worked out. We’re excited about every single one of them. I think a lot of them are going to play big roles for us.

“It’s an exciting time. Whenever you have a young team and are thinking you can compete with that young team, it’s great. It worked out well for us.

“We’re paying the bills right now.”

Whether the Bucs can be competitive in 2023 remains to be seen. After being preseason favorites during each of Brady’s three seasons, Tampa Bay is now the longshot to win the NFC South — including +750 at BetRivers and +1000 at DraftKings.

Head coach Todd Bowles spoke to the overall intelligence he sees in the team’s rookie class, which he believes picked up the Bucs’ system extremely quickly. He believes if players have the talent, they can play and contributing no matter the experience level.

“We have guys on the team that can play ball. Just because their names are not known doesn’t mean they can’t play,” Bowles said. “They’re just unknown at the time, but they’ll be known pretty soon.

“It’s up to us to get them ready and it’s up to them to play, and we feel confident in that.”

The Bucs face a difficult opening stretch that will likely determine realistic expectations. After opening at Minnesota, Tampa Bay will play host to Chicago and defending NFC champion Philadelphia before its first divisional game at New Orleans ahead of a Week 5 bye.

There are still veterans at key positions the Bucs will rely heavily on to get through that opening gauntlet. Among them are wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin along with quarterback Baker Mayfield, who won the job over Kyle Trask to begin the season.

“Baker was obviously better or we wouldn’t have chosen him to be the starter,” Licht said. “I think Baker is in a great head space right now, so I’m excited to see how this turns out.”

Meanwhile, the defense will be led by linebackers Shaq Barrett, Lavonte David and Devin White along with nose tackle Vita Vea and defensive back Antoine Winfield Jr.

“I just know I like the vibe that our team has right now, I like the energy and I like how far we’ve gotten in the offseason as a team,” Licht said. “I can’t make any predictions — I just feel like our team has the DNA to want to compete against anybody.”

–Field Level Media

Aug 3, 2023; Tampa Bay, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) and quarterback Kyle Trask (2) participate in training camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

Bucs coach mulling options for starting quarterback

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles said Sunday that he isn’t ready to name a starting quarterback for the upcoming season, and he doesn’t feel rushed to do so.

“We don’t have a timetable on it,” Bowles said. “We’ll name it when we name it. We feel comfortable with where we’re at, so we’ll go from there.”

The Buccaneers will play their final preseason game on Aug. 26 against the Baltimore Ravens. Baker Mayfield and Kyle Trask are expected to play in that game for the Bucs, who saw fellow quarterback John Wolford sustain a neck injury in the team’s 13-6 victory over the New York Jets on Saturday.

Wolford was discharged from a New York-area hospital in time to fly home with the team.

Mayfield signed with Tampa Bay in March as the presumed starter after making three stops during a whirlwind 2022. After being traded from the Cleveland Browns to Carolina that offseason, he was 2-8 with 2,163 yards, 10 touchdown passes and eight interceptions with the Panthers and Los Angeles Rams.

Mayfield, 28, is 31-38 as a starter since being drafted with the No. 1 overall pick by Cleveland in 2018.

Trask, 25, has only appeared in one regular-season game since Tampa Bay drafted him in the second round in 2021. He is 3-for-9 passing for 23 yards.

–Field Level Media

The Philadelphia Eagles were able to land Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter - arguably the best player in the draft - with the No. 9 overall pick. Syndication Columbia Daily Tribune

Crash survivor sues Georgia, Jalen Carter

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Victoria Bowles, a former Georgia staffer who was injured but survived the fatal car accident that took the lives of two others in January, filed a lawsuit against Georgia athletics, Jalen Carter and the estate of the deceased staffer.

According to the lawsuit, filed in Gwinnett County (Ga.) on Wednesday, Bowles likely suffered “permanent disability” in the Jan. 15 wreck that killed Bulldogs offensive lineman Devin Willock and recruiting staffer Chandler LeCroy, who is named in the lawsuit.

Police say LeCroy, the driver, had a blood alcohol concentration of .197, nearly 2 1/2 times the Georgia limit, when the SUV she was driving was traveling 104 mph when it veered off the road and hit two power poles and several trees.

Bowles has incurred more than $170,000 in medical expenses since the wreck, per her attorneys.

“Tory is deeply saddened by the loss of Devin and Chandler,” Bowles’ attorney Rob Buck said. “She greatly appreciates the continued prayers, love and support she is receiving during her difficult recovery. … Tory is disappointed that the Association and its insurers have forced her to resort to litigation to address her life altering injuries.”

Bowles was a recruiting analyst who was in the car driven by LeCroy and also occupied by Willock and then OL Warren McClendon hours after the victory parade celebrating Georgia’s second straight national championship,

Bowles is suing the UGA Athletic Association for negligence for allowing LeCroy to drive the car despite knowing she had incurred “at least four speeding tickets, which included two ‘super speeder’ violations under Georgia law.”

Further, the lawsuit disputes Georgia’s assertion that LeCroy was not authorized to drive the 2021 Ford Expedition, leased by the athletic department.

“LeCroy told Ms. Bowles that she (LeCroy) had ‘permission’ to keep the SUV ‘until tomorrow,’” the lawsuit said. “Numerous text messages from recruiting staff supervisors to LeCroy, Ms. Bowles and other staff members show the Association’s statement is false. Recruiting staff were regularly informed they could leave their personal vehicles overnight at the Butts-Mehre football facility and permissively use Association rental vehicles through a specified cut-off date and time, unrelated to their assigned recruiting activity duties.”

The Georgia Athletic Association released a statement Thursday.

“We have not been served with the complaint, as plaintiff’s counsel chose to share it with the media before sharing it with us. Based on our preliminary review, we dispute its claims and will defend the Athletic Association’s interests in court.”

The suit accuses Carter, who police said was racing LeCroy in another vehicle, of illegally leaving the scene and failing to render aid.

Carter pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and racing in March. Carter was sentenced to 12 months of probation, a $1,000 fine and 80 hours of community service. He also will attend a state-approved defensive driving course.

Carter signed a four-year deal worth $21.8 million with the Philadelphia Eagles after being selected No. 9 overall in the April draft.

Willock’s father, Dave Willock, filed a $40 million lawsuit in May against UGA, LeCroy’s estate and Carter, among others.

–Field Level Media

Jun 9, 2023; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) attends an MLB game betewwnt the Texas Rangers and Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

Bucs’ QB battle: Baker Mayfield feels ‘comfortable’ in new offense

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The quarterback competition between Baker Mayfield and Kyle Trask is getting into full swing this week at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ minicamp.

Mayfield, the former No. 1 overall draft pick now with his fourth NFL team, said Tuesday he’s feeling comfortable with the Bucs’ offense so far.

“I feel comfortable with where I’m at right now. Now, it’s about making sure that my comfortability resonates with everyone else,” Mayfield said. “That is the quarterback’s job, is to make sure everybody gets on the same page and make sure we breathe that confidence throughout the whole team. I feel good with where I am at right now, but there is obviously always room to improve.”

Though it’s only June, Mayfield was concerned about cleaning up turnovers the offense committed during drills against the Bucs’ tough defense.

“But that’s what happens when you get the full defense back out there and the competition starts flying around a bit,” Mayfield said. “We just need to hone it in, but luckily, it’s minicamp now, so we’re going to be able to watch the film altogether and do a walkthrough to correct some of those mistakes.”

Mayfield was traded from the Cleveland Browns to the Carolina Panthers ahead of the 2022 season, but the Panthers went 1-5 in his six starts and his stay was short-lived. He was granted his release in early December and the Los Angeles Rams claimed him off waivers while dealing with quarterback injuries.

Across 12 games (10 starts) for the Panthers and Rams, Mayfield threw for 2,163 yards, 10 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 2022.

Trask, meanwhile, got into his first NFL game last season and went 3-for-9 for 23 yards. After backing up Tom Brady for two years, Trask has more of a chance to earn playing time.

Only a few years removed from his college days at Florida, where he was a Heisman finalist in 2020, Trask said he looked at Tuesday’s assignment like a final exam.

“We’ve been studying all throughout OTAs and then you’ve got three days to put it altogether,” Trask said. “The first day, we’re still working through some things and tightening up some things, but altogether, I think we’re really getting all of the concepts down together well and looking pretty solid.”

Head coach Todd Bowles revealed little about his quarterbacks’ progress, saying both Mayfield and Trask are “getting used to” playing with star receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin and receiving play calls from first-year offensive coordinator Dave Canales.

Asked where the QBs have shown the most growth recently, Bowles said, “Understanding the offense and making audibles at the line of scrimmage.”

–Field Level Media