Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Rachaad White Speaks Candidly on Coaching Direction
The Buccaneers wrapped up another frustrating campaign at 8-9, missing the playoffs for a sixth straight season. And while there are plenty of questions swirling around the roster and coaching staff, running back Rachaad White didn’t hold back when asked what might help turn things around in Tampa Bay.
In a refreshingly honest moment, White suggested that head coach Todd Bowles might benefit from stepping back from his defensive playcalling duties to focus more broadly on leading the team.
“You can clip this or whatever, but it is what it is. I’m just being real,” White said.
“I do feel like Coach Bowles, I do think it would be easier on him. I do think he should let somebody else call defense and he just be a head coach.”
It’s a fair point, and one that’s been echoed in NFL circles before - the dual role of head coach and playcaller can stretch even the most seasoned coaches thin. For Bowles, a defensive mind through and through, handing off the play sheet could allow him to better manage the full scope of the team, especially as the Bucs navigate a pivotal offseason.
White, who’s set to hit free agency, didn’t stop there. He acknowledged the significant turnover already underway on the coaching staff and hinted that a larger reset might be in order.
“Obviously I’m not an executive on none of this,” White said. “I just think you get rid of a lot of the staff, you kind of should just go ahead … and I’m not wishing for nobody’s job to get taken, but just get a new everything.”
It’s a raw, unfiltered take - the kind you don’t often hear from players. But it also speaks to the uncertainty around Bowles’ tenure and the direction of the franchise. White made it clear he understands the Glazers’ perspective in giving Bowles another shot, but he also emphasized the importance of surrounding the head coach with the right people.
“Hopefully he can hire the right guys, which is tough,” White added. “But you try to do the best you can and just see if you can go from there.”
For a team that’s been stuck in neutral since their Super Bowl run, the message is clear: something has to change. Whether that means a new playcaller on defense or a broader overhaul remains to be seen, but the Bucs’ offseason just got a little more interesting - and a little more honest.
Atlanta Falcons: Matt Ryan Returns to Lead Football Operations
Matt Ryan is back in Atlanta - but this time, he’s not under center. The longtime Falcons quarterback has taken on a new role as the team’s president of football, stepping away from the CBS broadcast booth to rejoin the franchise where he made his name.
For Ryan, the decision came down to one thing: ownership.
“I think it’s the right opportunity,” Ryan said. “When you look at organizations and you think about places you’d like to be, it comes down to ownership, ownership, ownership, ownership.”
That message, hammered home to him during his time in TV by Hall of Famer Bill Cowher, clearly stuck. And for Ryan, Arthur Blank’s leadership and values made Atlanta the right fit.
“When you get an opportunity with a previous relationship and knowing what Arthur [Blank] stands for and what his family stands for, and you respect all of those core values, to me, that’s what makes it so exciting in terms of an opportunity,” Ryan said.
It’s a bold move for both Ryan and the Falcons. He’s stepping into a high-level executive role with no prior front office experience, but he’s not shying away from the challenge. In fact, he sees it as a natural extension of the adaptability that defined his playing career.
“I’ve been around guys who have been hired as first-time head coaches after being a play caller,” Ryan said. “I’ve been around coaches who have been position coaches and never play callers and they step into different roles, and they adjust. That’s something that I’ve done my entire life.”
Ryan’s competitive fire hasn’t dimmed - it’s just shifting into a new arena. And if his leadership on the field is any indication, the Falcons may have just added a major piece to their front office rebuild.
Carolina Panthers: Canales Drawing Praise for Team-First Approach
In Carolina, there’s a different kind of energy brewing - and it’s coming from the top. Panthers long snapper J.J. Jansen had high praise for head coach Dave Canales, not just for his offensive acumen but for his commitment to the entire team.
“I don’t know that there’s a lot of offensive playcallers right now that are head coaches that are doing that,” Jansen said. “You just know he’s taking care of the whole team, not just his side of the ball.”
That kind of holistic approach is rare, especially for a coach who also wears the playcaller hat. But Canales is making it a point to be present across all three phases - offense, defense, and special teams - and it’s not going unnoticed in the locker room.
Jansen believes the best is yet to come.
“I would imagine Year 3 will be even better because that’s what we as players have seen,” he said. “That while they’re asking us to develop, he and the coaching staff are always developing.”
A big part of that growth has come with the help of senior advisor Jim Caldwell, whose veteran presence has been a guiding force for Canales as he juggles his many responsibilities.
“He sees things from that 10,000-foot view,” Canales said. “Because of my mixed roles with my involvement in the offense … I can get hyper focused at times on helping the run game, helping the pass game.”
Caldwell’s mentorship has helped Canales stay connected to the full scope of the team, offering reminders and insights from his decades of experience.
“That was a little bit of a shot in the arm,” Canales added.
For a Panthers team looking to take the next step, that kind of leadership and perspective could make all the difference.