Todd Bowles’ life took a significant turn. After the Jets fired him as head coach a few years ago, Bowles could be laboring in relative obscurity as a DC somewhere. Instead, his 2023-24 Tampa Bay Buccaneers nabbed a division title, won a wildcard game, and will face the Detroit Lions in the divisional round.
It’s easy to laugh at Bowles’ NY critics, like WFAN’s Joe Benigno and other local media mouths, who did their best to run him out of town as the Jets’ head coach. But I’ll wager that Todd Bowles isn’t doing that. The past is that; he’s focusing on the here and now.
Photo courtesy NJ.com
I thought Bowles coached an excellent game on Monday night, blitzing Eagles’ quarterback Jalen Hurts at will. He also conducted himself with intelligence and class, traits that marked his tenure as the Jets head coach. He had his team ready to play.
For some New Yorkers–and I’m among them–there’s a sadness that Bowles couldn’t get it done here. Please don’t blame him, though. Blame then-Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan for giving him nothing to work with. The Jets couldn’t draft during Bowles’ tenure. Evidence? Only one player remains on the roster that Maccagnan drafted–Quinnen Williams, who has become a star.
I never thought Bowles should have been fired. He’s the same coach who won 10 games in his first season with Ryan Fitzpatrick as his quarterback. If Sam Darnold hadn’t turned out to be a bust, I think Bowles would still be the Jets’ head coach instead of Adam Gase and then Robert Saleh.
But here’s the thing: The NY Jets can’t get it right. They thought Aaron Rodgers would be the panacea this year, but that gamble didn’t pay off (at least not yet). So, the team’s postseason drought is 13 and counting.
Courtesy USA Today
It’s abundantly clear that Bowles wasn’t the problem. The organization is the problem, and it failed Bowles. While that conclusion is obvious to me, it’s interesting that neither Jets fans nor the media here want to give Bowles credit for the job he is doing with the Bucs. That said, I don’t think Bowles harbors hard feelings towards the Jets or is angry at Jets fans and the media. That’s just not how he’s wired. He’s stoic, which helps him minimize the madness of the job.
So, let’s congratulate Todd Bowles for making the most of his second chance, and let’s also give kudos to the Buccaneers for giving him the opportunity. We’re getting a glimpse of how good he can be as an NFL coach–something that wasn’t possible in New York. And let’s not conclude that success in Tampa is because Baker Mayfield is at the controls. There’s much more than Mayfield going on in Tampa.
We’ll never know what Bowles could have done with the Jets. That’s the injustice of it. But we all know what he’s doing with the Buccaneers. Good for him! He deserves it, and Jets fans should celebrate rather than deride him.
