Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles unleashed a profanity-laced outburst, calling his team's blown lead "inexcusable" after a stunning fourth-quarter collapse.
It was safe to assume that Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles wouldn't be pleased with the way the Thursday game against the Atlanta Falcons turned out.
Tied for first place in December and playing a 4-9 team already out of playoff contention, Tampa Bay had a two-touchdown lead in the fourth quarter.
With 1:20 left, Tampa has a 92.8% win probability, according to multiple sources.
By the time the game was over, that probability had shrunk by 92.8%.
A 21-yard pass from Kirk Cousins to David Sills V put Atlanta at the Tampa Bay 36, needing just a field goal to win. Eventually, Atlanta-- aided by an offsides penalty-- drove to Tampa's 25, setting up Zane Gonzalez for a game-winning field goal.
So everybody watching Bowles' postgame presser knew he'd be upset.
But even knowing that context, his words were still eye-opening —and not at all PG-rated.
It started when a reporter asked Bowles what he told his team after this type of loss.
"It's inexcusable," Bowles said.
Then, the lid flew off.
"We don't make excuses. We... you gotta *expletive* care enough to where the *expletive* hurts. You gotta *expletive* care enough to where the *expletive* hurts. It's gotta *expletive* mean something to you. It's more than a job. It's your *expletive* livelihood. How well do you know your job? How well can you do your job? We can't sugarcoat that *expletive.* It's in-*expletive*-excusable, and there no *expletive* answer for it. No excuse for it, and that's what you tell them in the locker room. Look in the *expletive* mirror."
It may not eclipse that of former coach Jerry Burns on the list of NFL head coach press conference rants, but by 2025 standards, it was pretty competitive.
Some may not have approved of Bowles' use of profanity in a professional setting such as a press conference. However, one thing most will agree with Bowles on, is that Tampa's loss was "inexcusable."
Not too long ago, Tampa Bay was 5-1. It came into Thursday Night Football having lost five of seven and not only needing a win to jump back into sole possession of first place, but simply to remember what winning feels like.
Now, the Carolina Panthers (7-6) are in the driver's seat, with a chance to add to their new NFC South lead Sunday in New Orleans.
The good news is that Tampa has a crack at Carolina next Sunday at 1, with a chance to move into a tie for first place.
If that doesn't happen, Bowles will have more reason to use profanity.