The NFL is a very difficult league to play in. You must have a lot of qualities, skill, talent, understanding of the game and much more to make yourself stand out amongst your peers. It is no coincidence then that the majority of the coaches, especially head coaches, have built a rich and long experience that has rightfully led them to the desired position. One such coach is the highly experienced Todd Bowles who took over the top job of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from Bruce Arians when the latter retired after the 2021 season from coaching duties.
Bowles knows the ins and outs of the game mainly because he himself was a former player. His command over the defensive side of the ball comes as no surprise as during his playing days he was primarily a safety. As expected he has been able to transition the defensive capabilities which he once possessed to those on his team now. Along with the head coaching duties, Bowles also called the plays on defense the past year. The Buccaneers’ defense finished top ten in several categories including total yards per game, sacks, tackles, and more.
Looking forward to the upcoming season, the addition of a talented quarterback in Baker Mayfield along with other changes is seen as a positive. But, how far can they go is a question that will be answered only towards the end of the season.
What position did Todd Bowles play in the NFL?
Todd Bowles played as a safety during his days as a player in the NFL. Bowles was actually an undrafted player in the 1986 NFL Draft. After the draft was over he had options from approximately seven teams from which he chose to sign with the then-Washington Redskins (Washington Commanders).
Bowles showed great potential and clawed his way into the team after an excellent training camp. By the next year, he improved by leaps and bounds to earn the starting free safety position for the team. In a career-best season, the New Jersey native played a big role in helping the team win Super Bowl XXII over the Denver Broncos. Apart from the 1987 season, Bowles didn’t have much success in the latter part of his career. After the end of his eighth season, Bowles was no longer in the league.
Has Todd Bowles won a Super Bowl as a coach?
Recently, in the 2020 NFL season, Bowles was the defensive coordinator of the Super Bowl-winning Buccaneers when they defeated the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV. Bowles was routinely praised for the way he guided the Buccaneers’ defense throughout the season and more importantly in the playoffs.
As a matter of fact, their defense was so good that in the Championship game, they held the Chiefs to just nine points and no touchdowns. Taking advantage of a makeshift offensive line for the Chiefs, the Bucs went all out and made Patrick Mahomes run for his life the entire game.
This victory actually gave Bowles his third career ring in the NFL, albeit all three have come in different roles. He first hoisted the Lombardi Trophy as a player in Super Bowl XXII with the Redskins. His second ring came in the form of an executive with the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XXXI.
If Bowles can manage to win another ring and this time as a head coach, his resume will be one of the most interesting ones in the history of the league.
FAQs
A. Yes, Todd Bowles is a former player in the NFL. He used to play the safety position.
A. As of August 2023, Todd Bowles’ record as a head coach stands at 34-50.
A. Todd Bowles spent 8 seasons in the NFL playing most of his career with the Washington Redskins and 1 season with the San Francisco 49ers.
A. Todd Bowles is the current head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
A. Todd Bowles has signed a five year deal with the Buccaneers On March 30, 2022.
