Buccaneers' Bruce Arians steadfast in backing Todd Bowles, Jason Licht

It wasn't all that long ago that the 2025 Tampa Bay Buccaneers were viewed as a legit contender for a Super Bowl. After a 6-2 start to the season, it was no wonder, but they quickly fell off a cliff to finish the season at 8-9 and on the outside looking in at the playoffs.

Two of the most talked about issues down the stretch and following the end of the season have surrounded the jobs done by head coach Todd Bowles and general manager Jason Licht, mostly due to their not being able to put together a team that can contend in the league.

While many continue to speculate, former Buccaneers' Super Bowl-winning head coach and current Senior Advisor to the General Manager, Bruce Arians, has been outspoken when defending his colleagues. And that continued during an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show.

Arians continues to back Bowles, Licht

Nov 16, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

"Yeah, I think so. A lot of injuries this year, and some things didn't go right in a couple different spots. Todd's going to right the ship, and Jason Licht's going to get another great draft. They'll reload, they won't have to rebuild."

BA sure doesn’t seem worried about Todd Bowles pic.twitter.com/xIsbiNCUHg
— Matthew Hewitt (@BucsTrackerNFL) January 6, 2026

After handing the keys to Bowles just a few years ago, Arians has transitioned into a front office role where he is the fly on the wall for those of us on the outside. While his word isn't always the factual truth, because decisions are ultimately up to the Glazer family as owners, there is a fair amount of trust that can be taken from it.

While no decision has been formally made yet by the Glazer family, one is expected this week. And if everything said since the end of the regular season for the Bucs, then it seems as if Bowles and Licht will continue their duties at One Buc and Raymond James Stadium into 2026.

Bowles just finished his first season on his new contract, and Licht has yet to mess up bad enough to warrant being fired from his position. While there are still many things that need to be played out, the contracts mixed with giving the two another shot likely sway the decision-making by the Glazers.

At this point, it appears as if things will remain the status quo in Tampa, with major changes coming to the coaching staff outside of Bowles, along with the roster. If things do go south once again in 2026, then the possibility of a full revamp becomes much more apparent.

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