Dec 11, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach and defensive coordinator Todd Bowles looks on before the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Todd Bowles Opens Up About Firing Buccaneers Assistants

Originally posted on Tampa Bay Buccaneers on SI
By River Wells | Last updated Mar 2, 2026 1:55 PM ET

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers couldn't go through this offseason without any changes. The team started 6-2 and looked to be one of the NFC's premier contenders, but after that, the Bucs lost seven of their next nine games and missed the playoffs entirely at 8-9.

Head coach Todd Bowles stuck around, to much controversy, but that didn't mean other coaches did. Bowles dismissed five of his coaches — offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard, special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey, quarterbacks coach Thad Lewis, cornerbacks coach Kevin Ross and defensive line coach Charlie Strong — and also had offensive assistant Tom Moore and safeties coach Nick Rapone retire.

Those decisions weren't made lightly, of course, and the Bucs brought in some other staffers, like new OC Zac Robinson and new special teams coordinator Danny Smith, to help try and bring them back to the NFC South-winning heights they've been at for some time now. When asked about the staff changes at the NFL Combine, Bowles reiterated the need for change after what happened in 2025.

Todd Bowles discusses staff changes at NFL Combine

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Bowles told reporters that while making changes on the staff was a very difficult thing to do, it was necessary given the disappointment of 2025.

"When you had the season that we had, you need to make changes," Bowles said, per PewterReport. "That's starting with things we have to do from the coaching staff to the players. We had a lot of success with those guys that were here, and I love them to death — one of the hardest things we had to do, but we had to move forward."

#Bucs HC Todd Bowles discusses the changes made to the coaching staff after the season they had. It was time to move forward and it is up to him to make those decisions.

Bowles also mentioned that CBs coach Rashad Johnson and Ss coach Tim Atkins have been ready for promotions. pic.twitter.com/b6CAHxp8RH
— PewterReport ‍☠️ (@PewterReport) February 24, 2026

With Robinson in at OC, Bowles can potentially spend more time working with his defense as opposed to working with the offense and helping develop a new coordinator like Grizzard. Additionally, Tampa Bay's special teams unit was paltry in 2025, so if Smith can bring it up to even average in 2026, the Bucs will have a lot less to worry about as the game ebbs and flows.

Bowles made the decisions he felt he needed to for the Bucs to go back to their winning ways from a coaching perspective, and we'll have to see how that goes when the season starts. From the player perspective, though, the Bucs and general manager Jason Licht have a lot of work to do, and that work will start in March when free agency opens up.