Experienced head coaches usually don't survive seasons like the one the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are having.

The Bucs were overwhelming favorites to return to the top of the NFC South this year after a 2-7 collapse that ended last season, forcing them to watch the postseason from home.

An aggressive approach to free agency, a celebrated rookie class, and several key players returning to health after lost 2025 seasons all created high expectations for Tampa this season.

Instead of meeting those expectations, the Bucs have stumbled badly. They dropped the first four games and sit in last place at 1-5. Tampa currently has the worst record in the entire NFC. 

There is plenty of blame to go around. 

The offensive line has arguably been the team’s biggest disappointment. It was expected to be one of the NFL’s best, but it has already given up 22 sacks through six games. At that pace, the Bucs would allow 62 sacks this season, the most in franchise history. 

Quarterback Baker Mayfield struggled through the first three games before dislocating his thumb late in Week 3. He has been out since, but appears likely to return this week. 

First-round pick Rueben Bain Jr. looked like an immediate star but has had his own issues. Bain was invisible in Tampa’s first two games before missing the next two with injuries. He was a bit better in Week 5 and finally notched his first sack in the Bucs’ Week 6 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. It was by far Bain’s best game, hopefully a sign that he has turned a corner. 

The list could go on and on. 

However, nobody in the Bucs’ organization has received, or deserved, more of the blame than head coach Todd Bowles. 

Bowles continues to have his team underachieve, a problem that has been going on for years. He has frequently been outcoached, and his last two offensive coordinator hires (Josh Grizzard and Zac Robinson) have underwhelmed. His in-game decisions continue to be questionable. 

The lack of playing time David Walker has been given, despite being Tampa’s best pass rusher, has been infuriating. 

Former Bucs running back Leonard Fournette, who played under Bowles, has been a frequent critic of his former coach all season. 

Earlier this year, Fournette wondered whether Bowles’ time as Tampa’s coach had reached its expiration date. 

Earlier this week, Fournette hit Bowles with another haymaker. This time, Fournette revealed that Bowles’ players don’t take him seriously or respect him as a disciplinarian. 

On his 4th and South podcast with Jarvis Landry, Fournette had some harsh comments for Bowles.

“I can say this from being there, playing under Coach Bowles, right?” Fournette said. “He’s not a very vocal. He’s not a vocal coach, right? When we mess up, you know he might yell, but it’s not – it’s not one of those yells that you take serious.

“I mean I respect him, but it’s like when B.A. (Bruce Arians) got on your ass, he got on your ass. Like, ‘Damn, I hope [Arians] don’t chew my ass out again like that again like that.”

Just absolutely brutal. If Fournette is right and Bowles' players blow him off when he comes down on them, it's hard to see any of Tampa's issues actually getting fixed.

It's possible that Fournette's response to Bowles yelling isn't how other players react to it, but it is still embarrassing for Bowles that any of his former players would make a comment like that.

Bowles' tenure in Tampa is likely coming to an end soon barring a miraculous turnaround.