Todd Bowles facts for kids
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Bowles in 2025
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| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | |||||||||
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| Position: | Head coach | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | November 18, 1963 Elizabeth, New Jersey, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 203 lb (92 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Elizabeth | ||||||||
| College: | Temple (1982–1985) | ||||||||
| Undrafted: | 1986 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
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| As coach: | |||||||||
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| As executive: | |||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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| Head coaching record | |||||||||
| Regular season: | 53–65 (.449) | ||||||||
| Postseason: | 1–3 (.250) | ||||||||
| Career: | 54–68 (.443) | ||||||||
| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||
| Coaching stats at PFR | |||||||||
Todd Robert Bowles (born November 18, 1963) is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the National Football League (NFL).
Bowles played college football at Temple University. He then joined the Washington Redskins in 1986 as an undrafted free agent. He was part of the team that won Super Bowl XXII. Bowles also played for the San Francisco 49ers.
After his playing career, Bowles became a coach. He has been a head coach for the New York Jets and the Buccaneers. He also worked as a defensive coordinator for the Arizona Cardinals and Buccaneers. He was a secondary coach for several NFL teams.
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Early Life and College Football
Todd Bowles grew up in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and went to Elizabeth High School. He played college football at Temple University from 1982 to 1985. He was a starting cornerback for all four years.
During his time at Temple, he played under coaches Wayne Hardin and Bruce Arians. Years later, Bowles would work as an assistant coach for Bruce Arians in the NFL. Bowles made seven interceptions during his college career. He later earned a Bachelor of Science degree in youth and community development in May 2023.
Playing in the NFL
Todd Bowles started his NFL journey when he signed with the Washington Redskins in 1986. He chose the Redskins over six other teams.
In 1987, Bowles earned the starting job as a free safety. That season, he caught four interceptions and recovered a fumble. He was the starting free safety when the Redskins won Super Bowl XXII by defeating the Denver Broncos 42–10.
After leaving the Redskins, Bowles played for the San Francisco 49ers in 1991. He played in all 16 games and started in 14 of them. He later returned to the Redskins for a short time in 1992.
Working Behind the Scenes
After his playing days, Bowles worked for the Green Bay Packers. He was part of their player personnel staff in 1995 and 1996. In this role, he helped find and evaluate players for the team.
Coaching Career
Todd Bowles began his coaching career in college football. He was a defensive coordinator and secondary coach at Morehouse College in 1997. Then, he worked at Grambling State from 1998 to 1999.
Early NFL Coaching Roles
Bowles moved to the NFL in 2000. He was the defensive backs coach for the New York Jets. He also coached for the Cleveland Browns and the Dallas Cowboys. From 2001 to 2003, he was the Browns' defensive nickel package coach.
Miami Dolphins
In 2008, Bowles joined the Miami Dolphins as their secondary coach and assistant head coach. In December 2011, he became the interim head coach after the previous coach was fired. The Dolphins won two of their three games under Bowles that season.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles hired Bowles as their secondary coach in 2012. Later that year, he was promoted to defensive coordinator. Under his leadership, the Eagles' pass defense improved.
Arizona Cardinals
In 2013, Bowles became the defensive coordinator for the Arizona Cardinals. His defense was very strong. For his excellent work in the 2014 season, he won the Associated Press (AP) Assistant Coach of the Year award. This was the first time this award was given out.
New York Jets
On January 14, 2015, the New York Jets named Todd Bowles their new head coach. In his first year, the Jets had a good season, finishing with 10 wins and 6 losses. They just missed making the playoffs.
The Jets struggled in the following seasons. After the 2018 season, where the team finished with a 4–12 record, Bowles was no longer the head coach.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
In 2019, Bowles joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as their defensive coordinator. He reunited with coach Bruce Arians.
Bowles' defense was a key reason for the Buccaneers' success in the 2020–21 playoffs. His defensive strategies helped the Buccaneers win against strong teams like the New Orleans Saints and the Green Bay Packers. Bowles won his third Super Bowl ring (and his first as a coach) when the Buccaneers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 31–9 in Super Bowl LV. His game plan was praised for putting pressure on Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and preventing them from scoring a touchdown.
In March 2022, Todd Bowles became the head coach of the Buccaneers. This happened after Bruce Arians moved into a different role. In his first year as head coach, the Buccaneers won their division with an 8–9 record. They made it to the playoffs but lost in the Wild Card Round.
In 2023, the Buccaneers won their division again with a 9–8 record. They won their first playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles but then lost to the Detroit Lions. The Buccaneers continued their success in 2024, winning their division for the fourth year in a row with a 10–7 record. They lost in the Wild Card Round.
On June 26, 2025, Bowles signed a new contract to continue coaching the Buccaneers for several more years.
Head Coaching Record
| Team | Year | Regular season | Postseason | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won | Lost | Ties | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result | ||
| MIA* | 2011 | 2 | 1 | 0 | .667 | 3rd in AFC East | — | — | — | — |
| MIA total | 2 | 1 | 0 | .667 | 0 | 0 | .000 | |||
| NYJ | 2015 | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 2nd in AFC East | — | — | — | — |
| NYJ | 2016 | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 4th in AFC East | — | — | — | — |
| NYJ | 2017 | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 4th in AFC East | — | — | — | — |
| NYJ | 2018 | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 4th in AFC East | — | — | — | — |
| NYJ total | 24 | 40 | 0 | .375 | 0 | 0 | .000 | |||
| TB | 2022 | 8 | 9 | 0 | .471 | 1st in NFC South | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost to Dallas Cowboys in NFC Wild Card Game |
| TB | 2023 | 9 | 8 | 0 | .529 | 1st in NFC South | 1 | 1 | .500 | Lost to Detroit Lions in NFC Divisional Game |
| TB | 2024 | 10 | 7 | 0 | .588 | 1st in NFC South | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost to Washington Commanders in NFC Wild Card Game |
| TB total | 27 | 24 | 0 | .529 | 1 | 3 | .250 | |||
| Total | 53 | 65 | 0 | .449 | 1 | 3 | .250 | |||
* – Interim head coach
Coaching Connections
Todd Bowles has worked under several head coaches during his career. This is sometimes called a "coaching tree." Here are some of the head coaches he has worked with:
- Doug Williams
- Al Groh
- Butch Davis
- Terry Robiskie
- Bill Parcells
- Wade Phillips
- Tony Sparano
- Andy Reid
- Bruce Arians
Also, some of Bowles' own assistant coaches have gone on to become head coaches in the NFL or college football:
- Karl Dorrell
- Dan Campbell
- Brian Daboll
- Dave Canales
- Liam Coen
Personal Life
Todd Bowles is married to Taneka. They have three sons named Todd Jr., Troy, and Tyson.
