Getty Todd Bowles before a game coaching the Jets.
The Detroit Lions have had a wide search for their next head coach, and things are only expected to expand further in the coming days.
After the team started off their search with a simple list, a new name has entered the mix for the job in the form of Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive coordinator Todd Bowles. Bowles has been under-the-radar in this cycle, but is a strong candidate that many teams could have interest in given his previous experience in the league and his work with Tampa Bay.
According to Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network, the Lions have put in a request to interview Bowles, and that request could be granted in the coming days, with the only holding pattern being the team’s playoff game against Washington on Saturday.
The #Lions have put in a request to interview #Buccaneers DC Todd Bowles for their vacant head-coaching position, sources say. Interview not scheduled yet as the sides wait for the outcome of tonight’s game but Bowles expected to meet with Detroit and the #Falcons.
Bowles is a late addition to Detroit’s search, but an interesting one given the fact that he was mildly successful with the New York Jets and could be a hot candidate in this cycle given what his defense has done this season. As Garafolo said, the Atlanta Falcons could also meet with Bowles soon.
Todd Bowles Biography
Bowles has a strong defensive background given he started in the league as a defensive back and played a role in the Washington Football Team winning Super Bowl XXII. Bowles finished his NFL career with 15 interceptions, and quickly transitioned to a coaching role, going to Morehouse College and Grambling before advancing to the NFL in 2000 as a secondary coach with the New York Jets. He worked on the defensive side with the Cleveland Browns from 2001-2004, then worked as a secondary coach with the Dallas Cowboys from 2005-2007. From there, he became the assistant head coach and secondary coach with the Miami Dolphins from 2008-2011, and he became the intrim head coach after the firing of Tony Sparano there. He was a secondary coach and interim defensive coordinator in 2012 with the Philadelphia Eagles, then joined the Arizona Cardinals as a defensive coordinator from 2013-2014. His star rose there, and he became the New York Jets boss where he went 26-41 and got fired in 2018. In 2019, he re-united with Bruce Arians and took over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense.
This year, Bowles’ defense has been solid with the Buccaneers given their status as a top 10 unit in the league. It’s important to remember he was a finalist in Detroit during the team’s 2008 search when they hired Jim Schwartz.
Lions Coaching Search Update
Detroit has seen their search start out early on in interesting fashion, and names like Eric Bieniemy, Arthur Smith, Robert Saleh, Marvin Lewis and Dan Campbell are a solid start for the team in terms of getting folks in the mix. Out of the bunch, Lewis and Campbell are the only one with previous head coaching experience from their time in Cincinnati and Miami respectively. Bowles would add some more experience to the mix for the Lions to consider at this point in time. Detroit could also be interested in getting an interview with a college coach such as Pat Fitzgerald.
Saleh has been seen as a potential leader in the clubhouse for the Lions, but there are conflicting reports on how well he interviewed with the team. Some say the process went well, while others maintained that was not the case. Regardless, the team is clearly going to keep an open mind for their next boss as this comprehensive search shows. Having Bowles come into the mix at this point is interesting for the Lions considering the team needs a fresh defensive approach as well as potentially someone with experience.
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