Yeah, there are plenty of Bucs fans actively hoping Todd Bowles is not the team’s head coach for the 2026 season.

And the hope to which they cling got a little stickier last night.

It’s been widely reported that Team Glazer made a quick run at fired Ravens head coach John Harbaugh last week but passed when it was learned Harbaugh was seeking absolute power, kind of like what Bill Belicheat had in New England.

It’s understandable the Bucs turned Harbaugh down in a hurry. There’s no evidence he would be a good football overlord/head coach, and Harbaugh turns 64 in September.

Do you really want to turn your entire football operation over to a guy that might retire after a few years?

And that brings Joe to Mike Tomlin, the 19-year Steelers head coach who has never had a losing season. The “Fire Tomlin” chants returned loud and proud again last night after Pittsburgh was blown out at home by the Texans in the wild card round of the playoffs. There’s been rampant speculation that Tomlin and the Steelers may part ways.

While there have been rumors of Tomlin jumping to television, Tomlin says coaching is his DNA.

“I’m institutionalized, man,” Tomlin said, via SI.com. “I gotta have it. I just love the challenges week in and week out that this job provides: the growth in it, the collective growth, the individual growth. A lot of lessons I’ve learned in life has been through my football experiences. I’ve been on a team eery year of my life, man, since 1980.”

Tomlin, 53, was a Tampa Bay assistant coach for five years under Tony Dungy (1 year) and Jon Gruden (4 years). He also appeared in the new and fantastic Raise The Flags! Buccaneers documentary on Amazon Prime. Tomlin also is very close friend of legendary Bucs cornerback Rondé Barber, who also works for the Bucs. Barber chose Tomlin to present him with his gold jacket at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

If Team Glazer pounced on calling Harbaugh when he was fired, Joe would wager a few nickels the Bucs owners would call Tomlin if he and the Steelers were to part ways this week.

Joe has no clue what might happen in Pittsburgh, but Joe does know a lot of Bucs fans are paying attention.

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