Bill to the Bucs? Super Bowl-Winning Coach Rumored Option for Tampa Bay

Former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick has enjoyed his time since stepping away from the NFL sidelines, becoming a prominent figure in media through a variety of outlets. 

While these ventures have worked out for him thus far, there is a sense he is itching to get back to the job he knows best. 

Belichick had flirted with a few different jobs after parting ways with New England during the 2024 offseason. But he ultimately chose to step away from the game. 

That could change in the coming months though and some teams have been linked to the future Hall of Famer. Strangely, the strongest of those are organizations with the head coaching position currently filled. 

The Jacksonville Jaguars with Doug Pedersen could be a potential suitor given how their season has unraveled. The same case could be made for the Dallas Cowboys and Mike McCarthy whose marriage seems to wither away with each passing week. 

In speaking with a sampling of coaches and executives across the NFL, those are two of the big names that The Athletic's Diana Russini has come across. A third in that group would be the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

Currently led by Todd Bowles, the Bucs have been under his leadership for the last two years with this being his third at the helm. Bowles has worked in the organization since 2019, serving as the team's defensive coordinator. 

Since taking over in 2022, the Bucs have captured two more NFC South titles and Bowles led the team to the NFC Divisional round in 2023. But his teams have floated around the .500 mark, never separating from what has been an admittedly watered-down division in recent years. 

Currently, the Bucs sit at 4-6 with a mountain of work to complete just for a chance at the postseason. A step back from what he has accomplished in his first few years could jeopardize his future with the team, especially if a coaching legend awaits the Bucs on the other side. 

The coaching carousel can be tricky and a wrong decision could set back a team that Jason Licht and the Bucs' leadership have invested a great deal in. If there is not an option definitively better than Bowles, pulling the trigger on a new higher could be a real risk. 

But if a future Hall of Famer like Belichick is waiting on the other side with a desire to take the job, all options must be considered.