Todd Bowles hot seat update emerges after loss to Browns

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles has been the subject of hot-seat rumors since his team endured a collapse last season that involved it going from 6-2 to 8-9 en route to missing the playoffs. 

More recently, Bowles' Buccaneers fell to 0-2 on the ongoing campaign when they suffered an upset 23-19 home loss to the lowly Cleveland Browns (1-1) this past Sunday. For his latest mailbag, Buccaneers reporter Scott Reynolds of Pewter Report addressed whether or not Bowles could be fired during the 2026 season.

Todd Bowles likely won't get fired until...

"Todd Bowles is squarely on the hot seat after this team’s stunning 0-2 start to the season," Reynolds wrote. "Sunday’s loss to Cleveland was inexcusable on many levels, and Tampa Bay is now 2-9 over the last 11 games dating back to last year. Don’t expect (Buccaneers owners) the Glazers to fire Bowles at any point this season unless they want to break precedent. Raheem Morris lost 10 straight games after a 4-12 start in 2011 and didn’t get fired until after the season. It was the same thing with Greg Schiano, who started the 2013 season 0-8 and didn’t get fired until after the team finished the year 4-12."

Things get no easier for Bowles and Co., as the winless Buccaneers will host the 2-0 Minnesota Vikings on Sept. 27. As of Tuesday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had Tampa Bay as a 1.5-point home underdog for the game that will feature Vikings Week 1 starting quarterback Kyler Murray making his return from the concussion protocol.

The Buccaneers' decision to pay quarterback Baker Mayfield ahead of Week 1 has come under fire following his first two performances of the season. Such chatter likely will only grow louder if Tampa Bay falls to 0-3. 

History paints ominous picture regarding future of Todd Bowles

"Bowles is now 35-35 (.500) as head coach in Tampa Bay, with two losing, 8-9 seasons sandwiching a 9-8 and a 10-7 season, in addition to this year’s 0-2 start," Reynolds added. "The Glazers have fired every head coach that has had back-to-back losing seasons since they took over as owners in 1995, and one would have to think that trend would continue with Bowles, who is unpopular with fans, if he can’t turn this season around by January." 

Bowles' players have offered him public support throughout his Tampa Bay tenure. One wonders whether that will again be the case before the Buccaneers face the Vikings this coming Sunday.