Buccaneers' Todd Bowles fires multiple staffers in major shakeup

Todd Bowles may be staying, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are going to look much different in 2026.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles walks around the field during warmups prior to a game against the Miami Dolphins | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Change is certainly coming in Tampa Bay, and it's coming fast. While head coach Todd Bowles is staying on in 2026, he was expected to make a lot of changes, and a lot of those changes are already taking place on Thursday.

Bowles fired a good number of coaches across the board with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with some coaches electing to retire. It's looking like Bowles will field a completely clean slate in 2026, which will likely be his last chance to prove that he can be a successful head coach for the Buccaneers.

Todd Bowles fires multiple Bucs staffers, others retire

Bowles fired five assistant coaches on Thursday with two more retiring.

Bowles fired offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard, quarterbacks coach Thad Lewis, special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey, defensive line coach Charlie Strong and defensive backs coach Kevin Ross, per Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. Safeties coach Nick Rapone, 69, and senior offensive consultant Tom Moore, 87, are both expected to retire, leaving seven openings on Bowles' staff.

Quite a staff purge by the Bucs and HC Todd Bowles.
Fired: Offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard, QBs coach Thad Lewis, special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey,
defensive line coach Charlie Strong, defensive backs coach Kevin Ross. Safeties coach Nick Rapone, 69, and senior…

— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) January 8, 2026

Bowles spoke on the staff changes in a press release put out by the Buccaneers.

“These decisions are always difficult, but the disappointing end to the season required some changes to our coaching staff in order to ensure we live up to the high standards we have set here,” Bowles said in the release. “These coaches have all put in tremendous amount of work and effort, but unfortunately, the results were not there this past season. Our goal is to compete for championships every year, and it is my responsibility to make these tough decisions in order to reach those expectations. I want to thank these coaches for all that they have contributed to our success over the years, and I wish them well.”

This isn't expected to be the last of Bowles' staff changes, either. There has been talk that Bowles could potentially hire a defensive coordinator to call plays, relegating himself to a CEO type of role. Even if that doesn't happen, even more coaches could be on the chopping block with Bowles being retained this offseason.

Bowles is 35-33 with the Buccaneers and is 1-3 in the playoffs, and the Bucs missed the playoffs entirely this season after a 6-2 start, finishing 8-9 — Bowles' second losing season as head coach of the Bucs. With Bowles sticking around, he'll now have to hire new staff in key position-group areas, and that may be a difficult ask with the knowledge that next year might be his last in the NFL.

Regardless, the Bucs will look to make some splashes on the coaching market with these openings in hopes of climbing to the NFC South again in 2026.

READ MORE: What Todd Bowles' return means for Buccaneers star Mike Evans

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