was it Bowles or was it Licht's and Arian's love affair with the Mayfield?
This is an example (there are others) of how it was reported by Ira Kaufman and I think Stroud
"Think back to the winter of 2023. Bowles, after his first head coaching season with the Bucs, had an 8-9 record despite winning the NFC South. Legendary quarterback Tom Brady had retired. As the Sage of Tampa Bay sports, Ira Kaufman, said on his podcast, the Bucs were “peering into the abyss” without a quarterback.
Bowles was on the hot seat given significant fan dissatisfaction and the history of Team Glazer after one of their coaches has back-to-back losing seasons.
At quarterback, Bowles would have untested Kyle Trask (who Bowles didn’t draft) and someone else. That someone else happened to be Mayfield.
Mayfield had come off four starts with the Rams. But partly because of how he left Cleveland (unwanted) and Carolina (mutual agreement to part ways), teams were wary. Aside from the Bucs, only two teams were interested in Mayfield and both (Rams, Crows) only wanted him as a backup.
The Bucs, with an opening at quarterback and a coach desperate for wins, had a starting gig available. Bowles hounded Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht to sign Mayfield.
There are other similar articles.
Trask is the plan before Bowles is the HC, right?
say he's too involved on the offensive side of the ball decisions.
One of the reason Bowles probably got the extension was the challenge of gettign good coaches to come here. I agree that Bowles is probably less involved in the offesne day to day and even in acquiring ,ost of the talent BUT . . . .
IF WE ARE EVALUATING BOWLES AS A HEAD COACH . . . and as the Bucs owners would . . .
He CORRECTLY identified an non-play calling OC and the right call for the Bucs. And then he did it AGAIN with a no NFL experience (or limited NFL experience) OC who really knocked it oput of the park
This discussion is why I mention that people have a tendency to selectively define Bowles. He is basically the DC when the defense falters and NOT the HC when it comes to the offensive success, but he is the HC when it comes to ST struggles. In fact, his defense owns some of those points ST gave up!
Since 2022 he's been the HC and just like he owns the team record - for both good and bad - he owns the Mayfield, Canales and Coen and now Grizz - selections. Even on Grizz, he CHOSE to stick with him, right? Some here suggest that was a BAD choice, so it must be on Bowles right? lol
Anyway, if Bowles is BLAMED for the ST coach (he should be) then he's credited with Grizz, Coen and Canales
