Gerald McCoy's latest comments on Todd Bowles receive backlash from Bucs fans

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been on a bad, bad slide as of late. They've lost seven of their last eight games, and naturally, a lot of Bucs fans and pundits have been pointing the blame at a lot of different aspects of the team.

Quarterback Baker Mayfield has caught some flak for poor performances since Week 7, and offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard has had his fair share of heat. A lot of criticism, however, has come toward the defense, which entered Week 17 28th in points per game, 29th in total yards per game and dead last in pass yards per game since Week 9.

That unit is, of course, managed by head coach Todd Bowles, so he's gotten a large majority of the criticism. Fans have been calling for his job, but former Tampa Bay Buccaneers All-Pro defensive tackle Gerald McCoy took to social media to address the hate Bowles has been getting in recent weeks.

Gerald McCoy gives honest thoughts on Todd Bowles hate

Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Gerald McCoy (93) works out prior to the game at Raymond James Stadium. | Kim Klement-Imagn Images

McCoy noted that fans liked to talk about the defense a lot, but that the Bucs have been losing badly in all three phases of the game. He wrote on X that Bowles's defense shouldn't be a "scapegoat", and to instead direct anger at all facets of the team.

Yall keep saying Todd Bowles defense, defense, defense……… how the offense look? How have they been looking? It’s more than just the coach calling the defense. We are not a good football team right now. Period!! Call it what it is. Stop tryna find a scape goat and say what it…
— Gerald McCoy (@Geraldini93) December 28, 2025

McCoy is certainly right about one thing — all three phases of the team have faltered.

Aside from the defense, Tampa Bay's offense is middling. Since Week 17, the Buccaneers are 24th in the league in points per game, 26th in yards per game and 24th in first downs per game. They're also 26th in the league in overall EPA/play (-0.089) and and 28th in passing EPA/play (-0.183). Tampa Bay's special teams has also faltered, with the Miami Dolphins blocking a kick and then returning a kickoff that wasn't supposed to be hit in play all the way down to midfield.

That being said, a lot of Bucs fans went after McCoy with the opinion that if all three phases of a football team are going wrong and the team as a whole is bad, then that would fall on the person who is in charge of it — in this case, Todd Bowles.

G we say the entire team sucks. All 3 phases. But there is only 1 person in charge of the entire team. His name is Todd Bowles.
— Ty (@BayNewsTy) December 28, 2025

I love you G-Mac but those whole staff gotta go. There is no urgency in the entire team!!! Coaching matters!!!!
— King Tony 🤴🏾💯 (@KOLDCASHKILLA21) December 28, 2025

It starts at the top my man.

Whole team looks uninspired.
— Mike (@mswalsh68) December 28, 2025

Sir, it's 100% on the head coach to make the team better by any means necessary, and with that, I don't believe Coach Bowles is being scapegoated but Instead he is being held accountable.
— "The Chad Effect"🇺🇸 (@chadp71) December 29, 2025

McCoy later clarified his comments, saying that he is blaming everyone, including Bowles, and that he doesn't agree with others singling him out as opposed to blaming the entire team as a whole.

Yall missing what I’m saying. Yall keep saying Bowles but won’t say anybody else name. Just say this team is bad. Why is it just the HC fault. No other coaches, no players just the HC. It’s ALL on him.
— Gerald McCoy (@Geraldini93) December 28, 2025

It may well be true that players and other coaches are failing to execute like McCoy says, but at the end of the day, the buck will always stop with the head coach. It's Bowles, in this case, and Tampa Bay's huge losing streak has fans restless as the end of the season approaches.

That being said, the Buccaneers have one shot to make the playoffs by defeating the Carolina Panthers on Saturday at 4:30. Despite a massive losing streak, if the Bucs win the division, it will be Bowles' fourth time in a row doing so since becoming the head coach of the Buccaneers.

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