Todd Bowles is back in familiar territory after Tampa Bay’s 0-2 start, and the latest read on his future suggests the Buccaneers are not expected to make a move anytime soon.
The pressure ramped up again Sunday when the Buccaneers dropped a 23-19 home game to the Cleveland Browns, a result that added to the frustration around a team that has now gone 2-9 over its last 11 games dating back to last season. Bowles has been tied to hot-seat talk ever since Tampa Bay’s late-season collapse a year ago, when the club went from 6-2 to 8-9 and missed the playoffs.
In his latest mailbag for Pewter Report, Scott Reynolds said Bowles is in danger but also laid out why an in-season firing remains unlikely.
"Todd Bowles is squarely on the hot seat after this team’s stunning 0-2 start to the season," Reynolds wrote. "Sunday’s loss to Cleveland was inexcusable on many levels, and Tampa Bay is now 2-9 over the last 11 games dating back to last year.
Don’t expect (Buccaneers owners) the Glazers to fire Bowles at any point this season unless they want to break precedent. Raheem Morris lost 10 straight games after a 4-12 start in 2011 and didn’t get fired until after the season.
It was the same thing with Greg Schiano, who started the 2013 season 0-8 and didn’t get fired until after the team finished the year 4-12."
The schedule does Bowles no favors next. Tampa Bay will host the 2-0 Minnesota Vikings on Sept. 27, with DraftKings Sportsbook listing the Buccaneers as a 1.5-point home underdog as of Tuesday morning. The game will feature Vikings Week 1 starting quarterback Kyler Murray making his return from the concussion protocol.
The scrutiny has also spread to the Buccaneers’ decision to pay quarterback Baker Mayfield before Week 1, especially after his first two outings of the season. If Tampa Bay slips to 0-3, that noise figures to get louder.
Reynolds also pointed to the bigger picture around Bowles’ record in Tampa Bay.
"Bowles is now 35-35 (.500) as head coach in Tampa Bay, with two losing, 8-9 seasons sandwiching a 9-8 and a 10-7 season, in addition to this year’s 0-2 start," Reynolds added. "The Glazers have fired every head coach that has had back-to-back losing seasons since they took over as owners in 1995, and one would have to think that trend would continue with Bowles, who is unpopular with fans, if he can’t turn this season around by January."
For now, Bowles still has support from his players, at least publicly. Whether that holds through another rough week will be a major storyline heading into Sunday’s matchup with Minnesota.
In Other News...
Vikings Young Talent Is Already Separating After Ugly Week 2
The Vikings may have escaped Week 2 with an ugly 9-3 win over the Bears, but the bigger takeaway is how quickly some of the rosters younger pieces are starting to sort themselves out. Minnesota sits atop its division after a game that was more grind than glamour, and that usually gives a coaching staff a clearer read on who can be trusted when the offense is sputtering and every possession matters. Banks was active with six tackles, while Donovan Jackson kept building on a strong start at guard, giving the Vikings reasons to feel good about a couple of key developmental spots.
Elsewhere, the picture was less settled. Tai Felton and Claiborne were unable to carve out much of a role, which only sharpens the competition as the season goes on, and Brett Thorson continued to help flip field position as a punter before the hamstring issue surfaced. For a team trying to protect an early lead in the division, those little separations matter, even if the full answer on the young group is still a week-by-week proposition. [Read more 🡒]
Bears QB Trouble Just Got Worse After That Vikings Game
Tyson Bagents status is the latest quarterback concern to spill out of the Bears meeting with the Vikings, and it leaves Chicagos offense in a tricky spot heading into Week 3. Bagent is now in the NFLs concussion protocol, adding another layer of uncertainty to a QB room already dealing with Caleb Williams hamstring issue, which has him listed week to week.
If Williams cannot go against the Eagles, Case Keenum would be the next man up, a scenario that underscores how quickly the Bears depth chart has thinned. Keenum brings experience, but his recent starting history is limited, with his last starts coming in 2023 and 2018, so Chicagos answer under center could come down to how much health the team can recover in just a few days. [Read more 🡒]
Rob Brzezinski's Tough Call Helped Spark The Vikings Pass Rush
The Vikings decision to move Jonathan Greenard to the Eagles on draft weekend was not the kind of deal that promised an immediate payoff. It brought back two late third-round picks and, as interim general manager Rob Brzezinski acknowledged, it did not make the roster better right away, which is often the uncomfortable part of any front-office gamble.
Dallas Turner has since turned that patience into something more tangible for Minnesotas defense. His rise as a leading pass rusher has given the Vikings a fresh edge off the line, and it has helped frame Brzezinskis hard call as one of those moves that can look far more sensible once the season starts unfolding, even if the full story is still being written. [Read more 🡒]