Leave it to Pro Football Hall of Fame head coach and NBC Sports broadcast analyst Tony Dungy to say what is on his mind. Never shy to discuss anything, Dungy recently appeared on the Sports Spectrum Podcast with former NFL running back Matt Forte. The appearance offered a wide-ranging look at his faith and how that affected his playing career and coaching journey.

Toward the end of the show, Dungy was asked about what he thinks of all the coaching changes happening across the league. Despite a coaching candidate pool viewed by many as thinner than in recent years, 10 teams still let their head coaches go. To him, that reflects modern times, and he went on to defend the current Bucs head coach, Todd Bowles.

Tony Dungy Believes Todd Bowles-Led Bucs Are “Doing Fine”

Tony Dungy first brought up the point of NFL teams not being satisfied despite finding success when discussing the Ravens firing John Harbaugh. Even though Harbaugh coached the team for 18 seasons and led them to 12 playoff berths, he was still let go by Baltimore.

“John Harbaugh, who I think is one of the best coaches in football, took his team to the Super Bowl, took his team to the playoffs 12 times, he [was] out of a job because he didn’t win this year,” Dungy said. “It’s crazy, but that’s life, and that’s why you got to put your faith in Christ.”

That was what Dungy did, having experienced something similar with the Bucs.

Former Bucs HC Tony Dungy – Photo by: IMAGN Images – Michael C. Hebert

Under his leadership, he helped make Tampa Bay a relevant and respected organization after 14 straight losing seasons. When Dungy took over in 1996, the franchise was a punchline, burdened by a culture of losing. After being hired by the Glazers, he quickly transformed the team into a disciplined, defense-first squad. The Yuccaneers became the Buccaneers under Dungy’s leadership.

From 1997–2001, Tampa Bay reached the playoffs four times, posted five straight winning seasons, and established one of the league’s most dominant defenses led by Warren Sapp, Derrick Brooks, John Lynch, and Ronde Barber, among others. The 1999 team reached the NFC Championship Game, coming within a controversial call of reaching the Super Bowl.

Yet Dungy was fired after the 2001 season due to mounting frustration over the team’s stagnant offense and inability to take the final step. Ownership believed the roster was Super Bowl-ready and needed a more aggressive head coach, ultimately leading to the trade for Jon Gruden.

Fast forward 25 years. In an age where many teams are making similar moves, he is not on board with it.

Year in and year out, only one team wins the Super Bowl. Everything has to go right, and often it comes down to one small mistake making or breaking an organization’s future. Dungy knows it all too well, and he went on to explain why it is a reflection of our society and everyone wanting instant gratification and success.

Bucs HC Todd Bowles – Photo by: IMAGN – Jim Dedmon

Residing in Tampa Bay, he hears all of the current criticism from fans about Todd Bowles.

“That’s the state of affairs, and I think it really demonstrates what we think in this country,” Dungy said. “It’s all about success, it’s all about the immediate, and you have someone like John Harbaugh who has delivered for a long time. I’m sitting here in Tampa now and since coach Harbaugh got fired, that’s all the talk here in Tampa. ‘Well, what about our coach? We should fire our coach. We didn’t make the playoffs this year.’ Even though he went to the playoffs the last three years, even though they’re doing fine. We want to win. We want to win everything right now. It’s just crazy.

“We just need people that are level-headed that think long-term and have some loyalty. If my coach is doing what I ask and everybody in the building is on the same page, that’s what I’m looking for. Yes, the game can be won or lost, a kicker can miss a kick and we don’t make the playoffs, but that shouldn’t be a reflection on the job that my coach is doing.”

Tony Dungy went on to have a fulfilling second head coaching chance with the Colts after his Bucs tenure, which makes it reasonable to believe ownership considered Dungy’s post-Tampa success this time around. The organization has decided to stick with a coach it believes in, and while trusting in Todd Bowles is not the most popular move, Tampa Bay will remain competitive in 2026.