The Buccaneers started the 2025 season at 6-2. Since then, they are now 2-11.
Sunday’s 17-14 loss to the Packers dropped the Bucs to 0-4. After the game, Coach Todd Bowles was asked if he was the right coach to lead the Buccaneers forward and what he could do to change the recent trend.
“I’m the head coach,” Bowles told reporters. “I can do more. I can always do more. I will always take responsibility for it.”
He was then asked again what he could do to change things.
“We’re going to fight, we’re going to stay together, and we’re going to solve this problem, and I’ll lead them through it,” Bowles said. “It’s my job.”
The good news is that every loss in 2026 has come in a one-score game. The bad news is they didn’t win any.
“We know what the problem is,” Bowles said. “It’s our fault. We can’t keep getting closer to failure. It’s not good enough. Our record says what we are. We’re 0 and 4, until we recognize that and correct our own mistakes, you know, that’s going to continue to happen. We talked about it as a team. We’re going to be a team, and we have to play harder at the end and we have to execute at the end. And that’s the only way we’re going to win the game.”
It won’t be any easier Thursday night, with a week-long trip to Dallas. The Cowboys aren’t easy to beat at home, and Tampa Bay will have an undrafted rookie at quarterback against Dak Prescott and company.
Next comes the mini-bye, which gives the Bucs the opportunity to make a coaching change.
There is an advantage to mid-season termination; it gives the team a longer runway to search for the next coach. What benefits Bowles is the fact that there is no clear candidate on his staff to serve as interim head coach. There is no defensive coordinator. Offensive coordinator Zac Robinson is in his first year with the team, after being fired by the Falcons. The special teams coordinator is Danny Smith.
The Bucs could leave the organization for an interim hire, like the Colts did in 2022 when Jeff Saturday replaced Frank Reich. Or the Bucs could just ride it out, quietly planning a new direction in 2027 while allowing the rest of 2026 to play out.
Either way, things aren’t going well in Tampa. After facing the Cowboys, the Bucs face the Steelers, Panthers, Falcons and Bears before the Week 10 bye. For now, they need to start digging out of the early season hole. And they’ll have to get used to plenty of empty seats for the remaining six home games – unless those empty seats are occupied by fans of the visiting team.
Gn sports
