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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will not participate in the John Harbaugh sweepstakes or any head coaching search, for that matter, between now and 2026.
Todd Bowles will remain in place as Bucs head coach in 2026 after meeting with the team’s owners, the Glazer family, on Tuesday, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
Bowles, however, told the outlet that there will be changes to his coaching staff for next season. He did not specify what those changes would be. But it will be a completely different face in Tampa Bay after a disastrous second half that caused the team to miss the playoffs.
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles arrives before a game against the New Orleans Saints at Caesars Superdome. (Matthew Hinton/Imagn Images)
The Bucs were 6-2 to start the season, and many thought they would win their fourth straight NFC South title. However, the Carolina Panthers won this title despite losing to the Bucs in Week 18 due to NFL tiebreaker rules.
The Atlanta Falcons’ upset of the Los Angeles Rams in Week 17 changed everything.
PANTHERS MAKE PLAYOFFS AFTER FALCONS VICTORY OVER SAINTS; BUCANER ELIMINATED
There has been some discussion regarding Bowles’ job security if the Bucs don’t make the playoffs. However, the Glazer family and the rest of the front office are giving Bowles a chance to redeem himself and the team, at least for one more season.
Tampa Bay has won just two of its last nine games after going 6-2, and they finished 8-9 this year – the same record as the Panthers and Falcons.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive coordinator Todd Bowles watches from the sidelines during the team’s game against the Carolina Panthers on December 26, 2021, in Charlotte, North Carolina. (AP Photo/Brian Westerholt)
In Bowles’ four seasons at the helm of the Bucs, the team went just 35-33 despite its divisional success. They didn’t advance past the divisional round in those seasons, and Bowles’ best record was 10-7 in 2024.
However, with the Bucs, not everything falls on Bowles’ shoulders, even though he is their head coach. Injuries played a big role in the team’s demise, especially on the offensive line. There were also long-term injuries to receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, while running back Bucky Irving, who stole the show during his 2024 rookie campaign, was also out for several games.
The Bucs are hoping that changing the coaching staff, adding additional reinforcements via free agency and, most importantly, keeping the main leader in place, could bode well for 2026.
Todd Bowles, head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, walks onto the field before a game against the Miami Dolphins on December 28, 2025, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire)
Given the end of the division, the NFC South is wide open between now and 2026, although it appears the Panthers, Falcons and Saints are starting to catch up in terms of competitiveness.
