Buccaneers defensive coordinator Todd Bowles has a new three-year deal with the team and he isn’t currently interested in discussing whether he’ll be in Tampa for the entire life of the pact.
Bowles’ work with Tampa’s defense on the way to the Super Bowl LV title led to discussions about whether he’ll get a second chance at being an NFL head coach at some point in the future. Bowles went 24-40 over four seasons with the Jets before coming to Tampa -- he was also 2-1 as an interim head coach in Miami in 2011 -- but round two isn’t his immediate concern.
Bowles said he loves being on Bruce Arians’ staff and that “it’s not about being a head coach, it’s about being the best coach with a chance to succeed and be happy.” As a result, the only thing on his mind is the 2021 season.
“I have a desire to get my team ready,” Bowles said, via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. “I don’t look for the next job. You look for the next job, you don’t do the job you have. If something comes up at the end of the year, that’s a discussion. Right now, it’s the furthest thing from my mind.”
Whatever aspirations Bowles might have about another run as a head coach will only be helped by success this season, so keeping his focus on the present works on multiple fronts.