"It was something I had promised my mother" - Buccaneers HC Todd Bowles reveals the touching reason why he finally completed his college degree 37 years later

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles is officially a college graduate. The 58-year-old began his college career at Temple University in 1983 and left before finishing his Bachelor's Degree to follow his dreams of playing in the NFL.

He had always promised his mother that he would finish his degree and in the summer of 2020, began taking online classes at Mount St. Mary's University in Maryland. 37 years after he left college to play football, he officially earned his Bachelor's Degree in Youth and Community Development. He will participate in the university's spring commencement ceremony.

Bowles said that he had always planned to finish his degree as a commitment to his mother, Joan, who passed away in 2009.

"Completing my degree was something I had always wanted to do over the years because it was something I had promised my mother when I went to play in the NFL, and I wanted to follow through on that promise."

He then went on to say that he wanted to finish his degree to set a good example for his three sons.

"Over the years, as I became a father, it became something I wanted to do in order to set a proper example for my sons as they continue on their educational paths. I have also worked pretty extensively with children through my various community projects, and I felt it was important to show them they can achieve whatever they set their mind to."

His oldest son, Todd Bowles Jr., is a sophomore at Rutgers. His other son, Troy, is a senior at Jesuit High School and has verbally committed to playing football at the University of Georgia next season. His youngest son, Tyson, is in sixth grade.

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Did Todd Bowles play in the NFL?

Todd Bowles went to Temple University after graduating from Elizabeth High School in New Jersey. He left after three seasons to pursue a career in the NFL, but went undrafted and signed as a free agent with Washington in May 1986. He won the competition for starting safety in training camp and made the roster. He was the starting safety when Washington won Super Bowl XXII against the Denver Broncos.

After the 1990-91 season, he became a free agent and signed with the San Francisco 49ers. He was released by the 49ers before the start of the season and then ended up re-signing with Washington. He last played for the team in August 1993 before he was released. He then began his coaching career in 1995 with the player personnel staff of the Green Bay Packers.