As the saying goes, “hindsight is 20/20,” which makes looking back at NFL events something everyone does. Whether it’s free agency, the draft or contract value, people inside and outside the league scrutinize it as it’s reported.
The latest example comes from ESPN, who decided to look back and rank coaching hires over the past five years. The Buccaneers’ hiring of Todd Bowles will be graded during this time. There are a total of 37 coaches who need to be inspected. Regardless, at the bottom of the rankings is Urban Meyer, who has an incomplete season with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
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As for Todd Bowles, he is ranked No. 12 in ESPN’s rankings.
They explained his ranking, writing: “Bowers succeeded the retiring Bruce Arians as Tampa Bay’s defensive coordinator after winning a Super Bowl, and he kept the Buccaneers atop the NFC South for much of his tenure. He was able to smoothly transition the Buccaneers from the end of the Tom Brady era to the beginning of Baker Mayfield’s tenure at quarterback, and Tampa was solid in the playoffs, beating the Eagles and struggling against the Lions and Commanders in contention. “I still think Bowles is a good coach who was too conservative early in his tenure and his decision-making improved late in the game, but 2026 appears to be a make-or-break year for his future in Tampa.”
As they mentioned, Bowles faces a make-or-break season in 2026. If he doesn’t measure up, he’ll likely be finished in Tampa Bay, which will push him down the rankings if they revisit the roster. Fortunately for him and the Buccaneers, he hired some promising coaches such as Zach Robinson as offensive coordinator and Danny Smith as special teams coordinator.
If these hires are successful, his job should be more secure as the Buccaneers look to turn things around for his benefit and the team’s.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: How does ESPN rank Todd Bowles’ hirings in recent years?