Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Todd Bowles takes huge jump in NFL head coaching ranking

Todd Bowles is generally considered to be a very intelligent defensive football coach. He is known for being highly aggressive, good at in-game adjustments and for generally making life extremely difficult for opposing quarterbacks by disguising pressure in unique ways.

The approval ratings of Todd Bowles as a defensive coordinator are far from unanimous, but it's fair to say he's generally considered one of the better defensive minds in the game, especially in the minds of his own players. That said, when it comes to his role as a head coach, the opinions can vary quite drastically.

Bowles, alongside GM Jason Licht, recently agreed to a contract extension to remain with the Buccaneers for the foreseeable future. So regardless of what fans, players or anyone else thinks, the people who are paid to make those decisions on behalf of the franchise are clearly pleased with the job Bowles has done leading the team since he took over the gig from his mentor Bruce Arians back in 2022.

Under Bowles' leadership, the Buccaneers have won three consecutive NFC South Division titles. Not only that, but they've managed to transition from the Tom Brady era right into the Baker Mayfield tenure with very few hiccups. It's been an impressive stretch of football for the Buccaneers, and as the team continues to gain respect around the league, as does Bowles.

Recently, Sharp Football Analysis released their head coach rankings heading into the 2025 NFL season. Although Bowles isn't ranked inside the top 10, his stock is certainly on the rise. Bowles came in as the 14th-best head coach in the NFL, six spots higher than where he landed on the same ranking last year at 20th overall.

"Todd Bowles has been solid during his three-year run with the Buccaneers, making the playoffs in each of those seasons," Sharp wrote. "He jumps to 14th in this year’s rankings after finishing 20th a year ago. "

Although you can't deny the results that Bowles has produced and acknowledge that he's been exceeding expectations since taking over as the head coach of the Buccaneers, he's not without his faults. Most notable among them has been his clock and timeout management. That said, you have to give Bowles some points for being self-aware, as the Bucs' head coach made the decision to hire Zach Beistline, a game management expert who will serve the team under the title of Director of Football Research.

Bowles being ranked as the 14th-best head coach in the NFL feels about right. However, if he is able to build off the momentum he has built over his first few seasons running the show in Tampa Bay, we could very well see him ranked much higher come this time next year.