For some reason, Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles can’t seem to remember the most important thing about his own roster — who is available to play and who isn’t.
The latest example came on Thursday, when Bowles didn’t seem to realize that starting running back Bucky Irving was on the injury report.
When Tampa Bay Times NFL reporter Rick Stroud asked about Irving’s injury, Bowles retorted that Irving, who appeared to leave the Week 3 game against the Minnesota Vikings injured, wasn’t injured.
That must have been super confusing for Stroud, because the Buccaneers’ injury report issued Thursday listed Irving as a “limited” participant at practice with a glute injury.
“Is there any injury to Bucky Irving?” Stroud asked.
“No, he’s not on the injury report,” Bowles responded.
It’s the 2nd time in the last week that Bowles has appeared to forget key injury issues on his own team, which is 0-3 headed into a Week 4 home game against the Green Bay Packers.
Bowles Didn’t Realize Starting CB Didn’t Play Week 3
As the leader and public face of an NFL team, Bowles is solely responsible for knowing who is on the field and who isn’t.
Unfortunately for Bowles, as with most things in his job in recent years, he can’t seem to pull the basics.
A video clip of Bowles speaking with Bucs team reporter Casey Phillips on “The Todd Bowles Show” about the Week 2 loss to the Cleveland Browns revealed an unfortunate gap in his knowledge of who was actually playing when he praised star cornerback Jacob Parrish for “covering well.”
One problem. Parrish did not play against the Browns. He was sidelined with a back injury suffered in a Week 1 loss to the Bengals.
Todd Bowles Leading NFL ‘Hot Seat’ Coaches
No NFL head coach has a hotter seat than Bowles right now — the Buccaneers finished the 2025 season 8-9 overall and missed the playoffs for the 1st time since 2019.
Tampa Bay is also 3-10 over its last 13 games.
“Reporter: ‘Is there any injury to Bucky Irving?’ Todd Bowles: ‘No, he’s not on the injury report’ (Bucky Irving was indeed on the injury report),” Baker Muse wrote on its official X account on Thursday. “HOW DOES THIS GUY STILL HAVE A JOB?”
“THIS IS REALLY WEIRD: Buccaneers HC Todd Bowles was asked about RB Bucky Irving’s injury status. Reporter: ‘Is there any injury to Bucky Irving?’ Bowles: ‘No, he’s not on the injury report.’ Bucky Irving was literally listed on the injury report,” ML Football wrote on its official X account on Thursday.
“The Packers Matt LaFleur and Buccaneers Todd Bowles are the 2 frontrunners to be the first NFL coach fired in 2026,” Packers reporter Rob Reischel wrote on X on October 1. “With their seats red hot, these 2 meet Sunday in Tampa Bay.”
Bucs HC Todd Bowles Forgets RB Bucky Irving’s Injury Status