There’s nothing more frustrating than watching your favorite football team unravel while another team—one that poached your best coach—thrives and climbs the division standings. Bucs fans are feeling the sting as the Bucs squander a promising start, while the Jacksonville Jaguars, now led by last year’s offensive coordinator Liam Coen, are running away with their division.
But this isn’t unusual; coaching changes often lead to drastic shifts in team performance. The Jaguars have already won eight more games than last year, while the Bucs are down three wins with just two games remaining.
Take the Chicago Bears, who poached Offensive Coordinator Ben Johnson from the Detroit Lions this offseason. As of now, the Bears have improved their record by six wins (from 5 to 11), while the Lions have fallen from their 15-win season to just eight this year. Both of those win-loss differences are drastic!
Bears’ Ben Johnson instructing Caleb Johnson – Photo by: Chicago Sun Times
Coaching is the primary factor behind these turnarounds. You can shuffle players, but without strong coaching, the impact usually isn’t great. Long-time coaches often show consistent performance over time. For example, Andy Reid has thrived with two different franchises and quarterbacks, while Mike Tomlin has maintained a record just above .500, making playoff appearances for nearly a decade without a playoff win. Sean Payton is building another competitive team in Denver, much like he did in New Orleans.
This isn’t a coincidence—good coaches win. The Los Angeles Chargers are succeeding despite losing most of their offensive line early in the season. Kyle Shanahan’s 49ers have faced numerous injuries but remain in contention in the NFC West.
Now, let’s look at our coach, Todd Bowles. In his fourth year at the helm, we’ve had plenty of time to assess his performance. He has coached in the weakest division in the NFL and won it every year, yet not once would his team have qualified as a wild card, being that their highest finishing seed by record was 8th in the NFC. He holds a .500 record and has gone 1-3 in the playoffs. His defenses have consistently ranked in the bottom five in pass defense over the last three years, and they seem to be getting worse.
We can only speculate what this season might have looked like under Coen. Even the most realistic fans might envision a record closer to the Jaguars’ 12 wins rather than the Bucs’ 7. This franchise has made more coaching mistakes than successful hires, but they shouldn’t let past errors deter them from seeking improvement.
There are many young offensive minds out there worth considering. Choosing the wrong one may lead to a few tough years, but staying on the current path could be just as damaging. The winning culture established when Tom Brady arrived at One Buc Place can shift quickly, and players, coaches, and fans can fall into a losing mindset just as fast. Settling for mediocrity is a sure way to accelerate that decline.
Seahawks’ OC, Klint Kubiak – Photo by: The Seattle Times
Perhaps it’s time to reach out to Klint Kubiak, the Seahawks’ Offensive Coordinator. His offense is putting up impressive numbers with players who weren’t known standouts. It resembles Coen’s Bucs offensive turnaround from last year, combining a solid run game with the ability to match opponents score for score.
Regardless of how this season wraps up for the Bucs, most fans likely don’t want to see the same coaching staff and strategies in 2026. Don’t hesitate to take a chance—sometimes, that’s what it takes to achieve greatness.
