How secure is Todd Bowles' job with Buccaneers if they miss playoffs?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have now lost six of their last seven after dropping their third-straight NFC South game to the Carolina Panthers in Week 16.

The pressure inside One Buc is palpable and there is reason to think that some serious offseason changes are in store no matter how the rest of the 2025 season plays out.

The one catching the most heat inside the Buccaneers' organization is head coach Todd Bowles, who continues to be the place of blame for the fanbase and pundits alike. With pressure mounting on the back of Bowles, it begs the question — how secure is his job as the head man in Tampa, especially if he is not able to get the team to the playoffs?

How hot is Todd Bowles' seat?

The Bucs' playoff chances plummeted by 19%, down to 58% from 77%, following their loss to the Panthers. While they still have a fighting chance (a likely chance, even), they will need the Seattle Seahawks to handle business against the Panthers in Week 17, beat the Miami Dolphins in Week 17, and then win their second game against the Panthers in the final week of the season to win the division and secure the 4th seed in the NFC playoffs.

With everything seemingly coming down to that regular season finale, it has been expressed by many that Bowles might not even keep his job even if he is able to somehow will the team to the playoffs. The expectations of this Bucs team are not high, and the overwhelming majority also believe that Tampa Bay would not fare well in any playoff matchup.

If we are talking about job security, things seem to be a fine line with Bowles.

He has done well in the post-Tom Brady "rebuild", having taken the Bucs to the playoffs in every season as head coach. However, there continues to be lapses in decision making and continuous decline in play from his defense which he is in charge of.

During Todd Bowles' tenure as head coach for the Buccaneers, he has gone just 34-31 in the regular season with an abysmal 1-3 record in the playoffs, losing in the Wild Card round twice (2022 & 2024) and then losing in the divisional round in 2023 to the Detroit Lions after beating the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card round.

Mediocrity is a term that can encapsulate the Todd Bowles era, with 2024 being the outlier mainly due to how great Liam Coen was as offensive coordinator.

There is no clear direction that can be taken on what the decision will be from the Glazer family on Bowles' future at the moment. However, the Glazers have shown in the past that they are willing to make the uncomfortable move if need be. Now, whether that happens is a different story, and there is no guarantee that the next coaching carousel will provide what the Bucs desperately need.

In short, Bowles' job is absolutely not as secure as some might think, and if things get worse in Week 17 or Week 18, then I would bet big money that the team will move off of him, along with several other staff members, this offseason.

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