The Tampa Bay Buccaneers ended their 2025 campaign in a tailspin, and there’s no sugarcoating how rough it got down the stretch. After a promising 6-2 start, the Bucs dropped seven of their final nine games, finishing 8-9 and missing the playoffs for the first time in six years. The collapse wasn’t just on the offense or special teams - the defense, which is supposed to be head coach Todd Bowles’ specialty, was a major culprit.
Let’s be real: the defense hasn’t looked right for two years now. The issues that plagued them in 2024 - busted coverages, inconsistent pressure on the quarterback, and a general lack of cohesion - only got worse in 2025. And while Bowles has maintained control of defensive play-calling throughout, the results simply haven’t matched the expectations.
Despite that, Bowles is staying put - both as head coach and, for now, as the man calling the defense. But others on the staff weren’t as fortunate.
Staff Overhaul in Tampa
Bowles made sweeping changes to his coaching staff following the season. On the offensive side, coordinator Josh Grizzard and quarterbacks coach Thad Lewis were both let go after just one season.
Offensive consultant Tom Moore, a legendary figure in NFL coaching circles, retired at age 87. The Bucs are now in the market for a new offensive coordinator as they look to recalibrate that side of the ball.
Special teams saw a shakeup too, with coordinator Thomas McGaughey being dismissed - a move that many inside and outside the building felt was overdue.
But it’s the defensive staff changes that raise the most eyebrows. Cornerbacks coach Kevin Ross and defensive line coach Charlie Strong were both fired, while safeties coach Nick Rapone retired at 69.
Yet, Bowles didn’t completely clean house. Larry Foote, George Edwards, and Mike Caldwell remain on the defensive staff, along with assistant secondary coaches Tim Atkins and Rashad Johnson.
It’s a partial reset, not a full reboot. And that’s what has people talking - including one of the Bucs’ own.
Rachaad White Speaks Candidly About Bowles, Bucs’ Struggles
Running back Rachaad White, who’s set to hit free agency for the first time in his career, opened up about the state of the team during an appearance on the Loose Cannons Podcast. White has only played under Bowles during his NFL career, but with his contract up, he didn’t hold back when reflecting on the season and the direction of the franchise.
“I’m just being real,” White said. “I do feel like Coach Bowles… should let somebody else call defense and he just be a head coach. I feel like he’d probably be better off by doing that so he can just focus on really just the head coaching job.”
White’s comments weren’t inflammatory - they came from a place of honesty and respect. But they still hit hard. When a player who’s been in the locker room all year says the head coach might be stretched too thin, it’s worth paying attention.
He went on to question the logic behind firing a large portion of the coaching staff without making a more comprehensive change.
“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,” White said. “But I do understand where they’re (ownership) and where he’s (Bowles) coming from in the aspect of ‘Yeah, another year. Won’t be bad… chance to just see.’”
That “chance to just see” feels like a final audition of sorts. After two straight years of defensive regression and a second-half collapse that cost the team a division title, the pressure is squarely on Bowles heading into 2026. The Glazers have given him another year, but the margin for error is razor-thin.
What’s Next for the Bucs?
The Bucs’ offseason is already shaping up to be a critical one. They need to find the right offensive coordinator to develop whoever ends up under center next season.
They need to retool a defense that has too much talent to be this inconsistent. And they need to do it all while navigating the uncertainty around Bowles’ long-term future.
White’s comments reflect what many around the league are thinking: if you’re going to overhaul most of the staff, why stop short of a full reset? Whether Bowles can prove that he’s the guy to lead this team forward - not just as a defensive mind, but as a head coach who empowers the right people around him - will define the next chapter of Bucs football.
For now, the spotlight stays on Bowles. The coaching carousel spun, but he’s still standing. Now he’s got to show he can steer the Bucs back on course.