As they get ready to defend their Super Bowl title, the Buccaneers are taking care of a key member of the organization. Tampa has given defensive coordinator Todd Bowles a three-year contract extension, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
Schefter writes that this new deal replaces the one year Bowles had left on his old one, and “continues to make him the NFL’s highest-paid defensive coordinator.” Bowles has deservedly received a ton of praise for the heights he took the Bucs’ previously woeful defense to, as they became one of the best units in the league last year. The 57-year-old got some looks in head coaching searches this cycle, receiving interest from at least the Falcons, Lions, and Eagles.
It was also reported back in February that Bruce Arians would like Bowles to succeed him as Buccaneers head coach whenever he retires. He might not get that opportunity, since Schefter writes this new contract “doesn’t preclude him from taking another head coaching job,” and Bowles will likely be a hot candidate again this winter.
Bowles first broke into the league as a secondary coach with the Jets in 2000. 15 years later he would become New York’s head coach, a high profile role he held for the next four seasons.
His tenure there didn’t end well, but in recent years it’s been more or less accepted that the dysfunction had more to do with the Jets being, well… the Jets, than anything Bowles did wrong. It’s probably only a matter of time before he gets another head coaching opportunity, especially if Tampa’s defense keeps it up in 2021.
Bowles and the defense are by far the biggest reason they won the title
So much so that the Chiefs re-made their entire O line this offseason. Now that’s a statement!
I think it’s a bit wild to suggest the Chiefs did a remake based on one poor game. They did beat the Bucs during the regular season in Tampa Bay.
Yeah, I think we know that had a lot more to do with those two devastating injuries than the one game-even if that game was the big one.
Between Bakhtiari, Fisher, and Schwartz, Tampa got pretty good luck edge rushing wise to end the year. Not discrediting the defense, because I agree with the opening post. Just noting.
Agreed. And the o-line was fine. Just weak in terms of depth. Two massive injuries to the o-Lind and they were exposed.
I could see him replacing Gruden, if LV doesn’t make the playoffs this year.
I was hoping he would come home to Washington before he took the Tampa job. Congrats to his D last season!
Bowles is a great d coach. Terrible as a head coach, want no part of him. His press conferences alone were torture.
Because that’s what teams look for in a head coach …. Their press conference performance.
Huge news. Maybe the best DC in the league. Definitely top 3.