Buccaneers legend Ronde Barber gives honest thoughts on potential head coach hires

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been on quite a downturn these last few weeks, losing six of their last seven games, but miraculously, they aren't done yet. Unless the Carolina Panthers beat the Seahawks and the Bucs lose to the Miami Dolphins in Week 17, the Bucs can still win the NFC South and make the playoffs with a win over the Panthers at home in Week 18.

If they don't do that — or maybe even if they do — there will be questions about the team's head coach in Todd Bowles. Bowles has won the division every season he's coached the Buccaneers, but he's just 1-3 in the playoffs and has just barely won the NFC South every year he has, raising questions from Buccaneers fans.

Bucs franchise legend Ronde Barber has been skeptical of whether or not the Buccaneers would even hire a new head coach in the offseason, and one of those reasons is a simple question — if the Bucs fire Bowles, who do they hire from there?

Ronde Barber not impressed with potential coaching pool

Ronde Barber delivers his speech during the Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement, Saturday, Aug. 5, 2023, in Canton. | Kevln Whitlock / USA TODAY NETWORK

Barber was given three names on the Ronde Barber show on WFLA — Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak (calls plays), Jacksonville Jaguars OC Grant Udinski (doesn't call plays) and Los Angeles Rams OC Mike LeFleur (doesn't call plays). Barber, when asked his thoughts on these candidates, didn't seem all too impressed.

"One of these three guys? I'm 100% convinced that none of those three guys right there are your next Liam Coen," Barber said. "They're not. They're just not ready to be that guy. And Liam is maniacal, dude — these guys aren't like that. It's different to have the mind to be an offensive coach, but then get in front of 53 guys and put a vision together. These guys ain't Ben Johnson... careful what you wish for, is all I'm saying, with these young guys that seem hot."

Coen, of course, was Tampa Bay's offensive coordinator in 2024 before going to Jacksonville with the Jaguars to become their head coach. Jacksonville is 11-4 and currently in line for the AFC's No. 1 seed, showing an incredibly quick turnaround in his first year at the helm.

Barber doesn't think Kubiak, Udinski or LeFleur could do that sort of thing, and he may be right. This coaching pool is more limited than last year's, which could make the Buccaneers hesitant for any big changes this offseason.

The Buccaneers play the Miami Dolphins at 1 p.m. on Sunday. If the Bucs lose that games, questions directed at coaching will continue to mount.

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