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Todd Bowles has hired his son, Todd Bowles Jr., to join the Buccaneers coaching staff as a defensive assistant
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers completely collapsed down the stretch of the 2025 campaign, and while head coach Todd Bowles managed to hold onto his job, the same wasn’t true for several members of his coaching staff. And after making a slew of moves, it appears as if Bowles has finalized all of his hires.
While the biggest move Bowles made saw him bring former Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson to town to fill the same role on his staff, the addition of several new assistants will surely be important as well. And now that Bowles has brought several new coaches aboard, fans were quick to note that his son, Todd Bowles Jr., will be a part of his staff in 2026.
Todd Bowles Hires His Son to Work for Buccaneers’ Coaching Staff
The #Bucs announced a slew of coaching additions, including hiring Todd Bowles Jr. as a defensive assistant.
Bowles has spent the past seven years working with the Buccaneers. Initially, Bowles was the team’s defensive coordinator for three seasons before he got promoted to head coach in the wake of Bruce Arians’ decision to step down from the position. While Tampa Bay has remained successful under Bowles’ lead, things took a turn in 2025.
The Bucs raced out to a hot start last season, winning six of their first eight games, but they only won two more games the rest of the year, and ended up missing the playoffs entirely. This prompted Bowles to make some drastic changes to his coaching staff, and it’s safe to say that his seat has gotten significantly hotter as a result of the team’s sudden collapse.
Unsurprisingly, Bowles is acting with a sense of urgency when it comes to getting the Buccaneers back on track. However, when his full coaching staff was revealed, some folks were surprised to see that Bowles’ son, Todd Bowles Jr., had been hired by the team to work as a defensive assistant, despite the fact that he has no prior coaching experience.
“The Bucs announced a slew of coaching additions, including hiring Todd Bowles Jr. as a defensive assistant,” Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team shared in a post on X.
Buccaneers Turn Attention to Free Agency
GettyTampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles.
The younger Bowles just wrapped his collegiate career as a player, and it seems like he’s jumping right into coaching. While his hiring will catch attention, he likely won’t have too many responsibilities put onto his plate by his father right out of the gate, especially when considering the stakes Bowles is facing as he heads into the upcoming season.
With the coaching staff set, the Bucs can turn their attention to free agency and the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft, which will both be important in determining if the team can bounce back next season. Things weren’t right for Tampa Bay on either side of the ball, so it will be critical for the team to find the right group of guys for the upcoming year. And while the coaching staff is key, this will likely play a bigger role in whether or not Bowles will make it through next year.
Owen Crisafulli Owen Crisafulli is a Breaking News Writer at Heavy. In addition to writing for Heavy, Owen works as a Content Producer for More Views Media. His work has also appeared on ClutchPoints, The Sporting News, Athlon Sports, Basketball Network, and FanSided, where he shared his insights on a variety of sports topics primarily surrounding the NFL, NBA, and MLB. More about Owen Crisafulli
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