Buccaneers HC Todd Bowles Quips on Liam Coen Head Coaching Rumors

Todd Bowles must be doing something right if coordinators like Dave Canales and Liam Coen are being sought after for head coaching jobs.

Jul 25, 2024; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles during training camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images / Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Todd Bowles has done well in picking his last two offensive coordinators. Maybe a little too well.

Bowles' first pick after firing Byron Leftwich in 2022 was Dave Canales, who came to Tampa Bay from the Seattle Seahawks. Canales, a quarterbacks coach in Seattle, revitalized the career of Geno Smith and then oversaw Baker Mayfield having one of his career years. It wasn't long before he caught the notice of the Carolina Panthers, and he was hired to be their head coach for 2024.

After that, Bowles hired OC Liam Coen, who worked with Sean McVay in Los Angeles with the Rams. And now, after leading Tampa Bay to the 4th-most points per game in the NFL over this current stretch, Coen is being discussed as a head coaching candidate, too.

For Bowles, that's an unfortunate reality. But at least he's taking it in stride.

"At least I’m picking the right guys," Bowles said when asked about Coen. "I need to play the lotto.”

Whether or not Coen will take a head coaching job next year remains to be seen, but for now, he'll be preparing to face off against Canales' Panthers in Week 13. And Bowles had a lot of nice words for his former offensive coordinator that he now finds himself facing off against.

"I think Dave has done an excellent job taking on that team and it’s taking over his personality right now. They’re playing pretty good football.," Bowles said. "They miss some games here and there but they’re playing very good football right now. It’s going to be a tough battle. I’m proud of him.”

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