One of the NFL coaches whose future was up in the air was Buccaneers leader Todd Bowles. He seemed to have no doubt that he would return to Tampa Bay for the 2026 season, but fans questioned if the organization would fire him.
Bowles met with the Bucs’ owners, the Glazer family, on Tuesday, and then met with his coaching staff on Wednesday. From those conversations, the coach confirmed to the Tampa Bay Times on Wednesday that he will retain his job as the Buccaneers’ coach for the 2026 season. However, Bowles noted that there may be some changes made to his coaching staff.
Bowles’s current contract runs through the 2028 season, and it sounds like the organization won’t be ending his employment early as of now. Seven other head coaches have been fired this cycle.
The Buccaneers devastatingly missed out on the playoffs this season despite starting the year 6–2. The team lost seven of its final nine games to finish the season 8–9. The Panthers ended up capturing the NFC South title and playoff bid via tiebreaker despite the Buccaneers beating them in Week 18. Carolina beat Tampa Bay in their first matchup in Week 16.
The 2026 season will mark Bowles’s fifth as Tampa Bay’s head coach. He’s posted a 35–33 overall record with the team, and a 1–3 playoff record in three appearances. The 2025 season is the first and only year in which Bowles did not lead the Bucs to a playoff bid as head coach.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Todd Bowles Confirms Bucs Job Status Amid Hot Seat Rumors.
