It’s not often that an NFL head coach misses any portion of his team’s offseason training. But, for Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles, Day 2 of rookie minicamp took a backseat for a good reason: his college graduation.
The Buccaneers shared a video on Saturday congratulating Bowles for walking across the stage to receive his college diploma, an honor that fulfilled a 37-year-old promise he made to his mother after leaving Temple for the NFL in 1985. According to the Tampa Bay Times, the 59-year-old coach earned a Bachelor of Science in youth and community development from Mount St. Mary’s University in Emmitsburg, Md. after completing the Accelerated and Adult undergraduate program in September.
Saturday’s special moment marked the culmination of a winding journey for Bowles, whose mother died in 2009. In September, Bowles, a 1986 undrafted safety who played eight NFL seasons, opened up on having the opportunity to make good on the promise he made to his late mother.
“For me, it was a personal thing, a promise I made to my mother before she passed, that I would go back and get it,” Bowles said at the time. “Sometimes life gets in the way. Things come up and you finally put your foot down, and you try to do it so it’s something I just did.”
Congrats on graduating, coach! 🎓
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) May 13, 2023
Todd Bowles made a promise to his mother when he entered the league that he would complete his degree, and today that promise was fulfilled. pic.twitter.com/o7aRjDAq4s
After nearly four decades, the stars finally aligned for Bowles, a process that was reportedly set in motion after his agent and Mount. St. Mary’s alum Anthony Agnone sparked his interest in the idea of returning to school in the summer of 2020.
Outside of gathering inspiration from his mother and Agnone, Bowles also previously revealed he drew inspiration from another source near and dear to him. The Super Bowl-winning coach told the Times that influence came from his three sons, and his desire to set an example for them by achieving his goal.
“Over the years, as I became a father, it became something I wanted to do in order to set a proper example for my sons as they continue on their educational paths,” said Bowles. I have also worked pretty extensively with children through my various community projects, and I felt it was important to show them they can achieve whatever they set their mind to.”
