Following a tumultuous season where the Bucs let a 6-2 evaporate to an 8-9 regular season record and missing the playoffs, Todd Bowles will remain the head coach for a fifth season. According to a report from Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, Stroud said that Bowles texted him that he is back as the head coach in 2026.

This is also comes after reports from Jeremy Fowler of ESPN that Bowles had already had his meeting with the Glazers.

Todd Bowles’ Season And Career Outlook With Bucs

After winning three consecutive NFC South titles in 2022, 2023 and 2024, Bowles and the Bucs finished 8-9 at the conclusion of the 2025 regular season. Tampa Bay lost four straight games to four teams with losing records in the Saints, Falcons, Panthers and Dolphins before finally winning the 2025 season finale against a Panthers team that also finished 8-9.

Their other victory since the bye week was a three-point win over a bad, three-win Cardinals team, which came back in Week 13. The t back breaking defeat blowing a 14-point fourth quarter to the Falcons on Thursday night football while wearing the creamsicle jerseys. Atlanta also cost the Bucs a fourth consecutive NFC South title due to them beating New Orleans in the season finale on Sunday. That led to Carolina winning the division due to a three-way tiebreaker among 8-9 teams.

Todd Bowles three division titles look better on paper than they do in reality. One would think those banners would be spectacular, but the 2022 division title came with an 8-9 record. The 2023 championship, the Bucs were only a one game improvement at 9-8. The 2024 title was the most respectable at 10-7, but they couldn’t sustain success for very long, dropping below .500 and getting worse by two games.

Bucs HC Todd Bowles – Photo by: USA Today

In four years as the team’s head coach, Bowles’ record concludes at 35-33 with a 1-3 mark in the postseason. Two of his four seasons in Tampa Bay finished with losing record – an 8-9 mark in 2022 and this year’s 8-9 record.

For the third consecutive season, Bowles found himself embroiled in a situation where the Bucs started out hot before a midseason slide and then having to try to rally to clinch the NFC South title and a playoff berth in Week 18 in what is the weakest division in the NFL. The Buccaneers had to deal with a massive amount of injuries during the 2025 season, yet found a way to start off 6-2 when the team was missing the most players. Tampa Bay got healthier as the season went on yet kept losing down the stretch.

The losing coincided with the collapse of Bowles’ defense this season. Despite new starters at strong safety, nickel cornerback, outside linebacker and inside linebacker, Bowles’ defense continued to regress. Tampa Bay had the league’s seventh-ranked scoring defense in 2023, then saw that unit slide to No. 16 in 2024 and then down to the 23rd-ranked scoring defense in 2025, allowing an average of 24.8 points per game heading into the season finale versus Carolina.

Todd Bowles Must Make Moves On Bucs’ Coaching Staff

Its evident that the Glazers are big fans of Bowles, giving him another opportunity despite many flaws on this team. Frustrations by the fanbase will only grow given the news that former Ravens coach John Harbaugh was available, though many teams are pursuing him.

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield, OC Josh Grizzard and HC Todd Bowles – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Bowles gets another crack at it for the 2026 season with hopefully a healthier unit in place. His return likely comes with the condition that there will be major changes on the coaching staff.

Defensively, its time that the Bucs move on from cornerbacks coach Kevin Ross and safeties coach Nick Rapone, who haven’t been around for too long and haven’t gotten better development from core talent. Offensively, the Bucs may opt for a more proven and ready play caller at offensive coordinator, moving on from Josh Grizzard after one season. Grizzard had growing pains as a first time play caller, and the Bucs offensive numbers dwindled as the season went on.

Regardless of what moves are made, Todd Bowles will be on the hot seat going into next season.

UPDATE

Per Jenna Laine of ESPN, Bowles was told by the Glazers even after thew news about Harbaugh that he would be back next year. Changes are expected on Tampa Bay’s coaching staff.

Looks like Bowles is at the helm again for another season as the Bucs try to improve.