The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are likely to fire Todd Bowles at some point. The question is more about whether they do it during the season or wait until after the season. Either way, after the Bucs 0-4 start, there is already buzz about who will step in to replace Bowles next season.
Former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin and former Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott were noted as the first names that the Bucs could look into, according to Scott Reynolds of Pewter Report.
“Former Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin, who got his NFL start with the Bucs under Tony Dungy, and former Buffalo coach Sean McDermott are two names that immediately come to mind,” wrote Reynolds.
Reynolds noted that a veteran coach with a proven track record could be a direction they go, which is why these two come to the forefront.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Could Hire Mike Tomlin or Sean McDermott
Tomlin has been heavily tied to the Bucs since he stepped away from the Steelers last season. He is currently on NBC Sports, but has noted that if the right opportunity came, he would consider returning to coaching.
His success on NBC Sports has made him the top name on the market this season. He started his career as the Bucs’ defensive coordinator, so coming back to Tampa Bay could intrigue him.
As a head coach, he is 193-114-2. He has won two AFC Championships and one Super Bowl. However, he is 8-12 in the playoffs, and he has lost seven straight playoff games before bowing out in Pittsburgh.
There are a lot of reasons to like Tomlin, but there are questions about what he can bring.
Bucs Could Hire Veteran Head Coach
McDermott does not have quite the highs of Tomlin, but he has a similar resume with a few more recent playoff wins. He started his career with the Philadelphia Eagles and moved to the Carolina Panthers as defensive coordinator before jumping to the Bills in 2017.
McDermott spent nine seasons with the Bills. The team went 98-50 with him over that time. He has not won any AFC Championships, but he is 8-8 in the playoffs during his time. That includes going 0-1 without Josh Allen.
McDermott gets credit for drafting Allen, but that was also his demise. The Bills were only 8-7 with Allen in the playoffs and they only made the AFC Championship twice over that time. So, he has had immense success, and Buffalo always had a good defense with him.
Still, coming up short too often with the best quarterback in the NFL is not a good way to get you hired, especially on a Bucs team that has major questions at quarterback.
While these are the two most experienced names with the best resumes, there is a question as to whether that is the best path forward for the Bucs.
2 Big Name Former NFL Head Coaches Emerge as Bucs Targets