For years, Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles has been more of a punching bag than he’s been praised.
Bowles is to blame for some of that. He bumbled and stumbled his way through 4 seasons and a 24-40 record as the New York Jets head coach from 2015 to 2018, then rebuilt his career as a defensive coordinator with the Buccaneers under Bruce Arians, including a Super Bowl winning year in 2020.
Now in his fourth season as Tampa Bay’s head coach, Bowles seems to be at the peak of his powers after 3 consecutive playoff appearances he’s off to a 4-1 to start the 2025 regular season.
And here’s the thing about that kind of success — it tends to spread. In this case, Bowles’ coaching tree seems like it’s starting to grow roots around the NFL.
There are currently 4 head coaches in the NFL who came from Bowles’ coaching tree, and 3 of those are operating at a very high level right now; Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell, Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales and Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen.
New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll — the AP NFL Coach of the Year in 2022 — is also from the Bowles’ coaching tree. Campbell was named The Sporting News NFL Coach of the Year in 2023.
“That Todd Bowles coaching tree continues to grow!” Washington Commanders superfan Corey Sanchez wrote on his official X account on October 7.
‘El Serpiente’ Curved Buccaneers for Jaguars Job
Out of Bowles’ coaching tree, no one has generated more buzz this season than Coen, who spent one season as offensive coordinator in 2024 before telling Tampa Bay he was coming back in 2025 … only to curve the Bucs and take the Jaguars job.
From JoeBucsFan.com on October 3: “Former Bucs offensive coordinator Liam Coen, El Serpiente, slithered out of One Buc Palace for mega milions in January to become Jaguars head coach — after promising the Bucs he would sign a fat new contract to stay on his Tampa Bay job. Reports claimed mild-mannered Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht was infuriated. Licht himself later acknowledged he had to ‘heal’ from the experience.”
Coen, Canales Asked to ‘Save’ No. 1 Overall Picks
Coen, 39 years old, is coming off his first signature win with the Jaguars over the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football. Jacksonville is off to a 4-1 start and tied for first place in the AFC South in his first season — one year after going 4-13.
Campbell, who coached under Bowles on the Miami Dolphins in 2011, has his team off to a 4-1 start after earning the No. 1 seed in the NFC in 2024 and making the NFC Championship Game in 2023.
Canales was the Buccaneers’ offensive coordinator in 2023, after the Panthers went 2-15, and went 5-12 in his first season with the Panthers in 2024. They’re off to a surprising, 2-3 record in 2025.
Both Canales and Coen also have something in common with their new teams — they were brought in to try and “save” the careers of quarterbacks who were No. 1 overall picks.
For Canales, that means 2023 No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young, who is 8-25 as a starter.
For Coen, he’s the fourth head coach in 5 years for 2021 No. 1 overall pick Trevor Lawrence, who is 26-39 as a starter.
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