Who is Todd Bowles? A detailed look at new Buccaneers head coach
The wild NFL off-season got much more restless last night as Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians retired from coaching and moved into a front-office position. Arians joined the franchise back in 2019 and helped them win a Super Bowl in just his second season. Defensive coordinator Todd Bowles will now take over as the Bucs' head coach this season.
Bowles has experience being a head coach. The New York Jets hired Bowles as their head coach in 2015, and he lasted until 2018. Bowles coached the Jets to a 24-40 record during his three-year stint. He led them to a 10-6 record in his first year with the Jets but missed the playoffs. On December 30, 2018, the Jets fired Bowles after finishing 4–12.
Before being the head coach of the Jets, Bowles was the defensive coordinator for the Arizona Cardinals. On January 31, 2015, he was voted Associated Press (AP)'s Assistant Coach of the Year for his efforts in the 2014 season.
Bowles began his coaching career in 1997 at Morehouse College as a defensive coordinator and secondary coach. He then coached the same duties at Grambling State from 1998-1999. In 2000, he began his coaching career in the NFL. He was the defensive backs coach for the New York Jets in 2000, the Cleveland Browns in 2004, and the Dallas Cowboys from 2005 to 2007. He was the Browns' defensive nickel package coach from 2001 to 2003.
From 2008 to 2011, Bowles served as the Assistant head coach and secondary coach for the Miami Dolphins. In 2011, he got bumped up to be the Dolphins' interim head coach. In 2012, Bowles was the Eagles' secondary coach and interim defensive coordinator.
Todd Bowles played eight seasons in the league and became a Super Bowl Champion
Before his time as an NFL head coach, Bowles played in the NFL for eight seasons. Bowles was signed by the Washington Redskins as an undrafted free agent on May 7, 1986. He was the starting free safety in Super Bowl XXII, which Washington won in a blowout.
Bowles has won the Super Bowl as a player, an executive, and a coach in the league. Bowles will bring in veteran leadership as the next Buccaneers head coach and inherit the same talented roster that Arians left.