Buccaneers Team Captain Supports Head Coach Todd Bowles After Playoff Loss

Fans are frustrated with Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Lavonte David, but Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David stressed the locker room's love for their head coach.
Jan 12, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles before a NFC wild card playoff against the Washington Commanders at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Jan 12, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles before a NFC wild card playoff against the Washington Commanders at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images / Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
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Plenty of Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans haven't been happy with head coach Todd Bowles.

Bowles has a 27-24 regular season record with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and that extends to a 28-27 record if you include playoff games. Bowles is often touted as a defensive guru and calls defensive plays for the Buccaneers, but his defense has struggled at times. The team gave up 245.3 passing yards per game this year, good for 31st in the NFL, and it lost its Wild Card game against the Washington Commanders in part because the defense couldn't get off the field — the Commanders held the ball for 12 more minutes despite only averaging 2.5 yards per carry on the ground.

All of that causes frustration, and frustration can lead to fans calling for the boss' job. But one legendary Tampa Bay Buccaneers player and team captain had a message for those fans after the team returned to One Buccaneer Place on Monday.

Linebacker Lavonte David has played for the Bucs for 12 years, and he's played in Todd Bowles' defensive system for six of those years. When asked about Bowles on Monday when the team was cleaning out lockers for the year, David stuck up for his head coach and said that things on the inside may not be what they seem from the outside perspective.

"Outside looking in, they see something different. Inside, being in the building, seeing him every day, the way he works, the way he tries to do the best for the players and stuff like that — we know what type of guy we got," David said. "We know what type of leader and man he is, and If you don't hear none of us complaining about him, I don't think you should complain about him."

It has been clear for some time how much the players in Tampa Bay's locker room have bought in to Bowles and his coaching. And while that coaching leaves fans frustrated, David stressed that Bowles has a will to win just as much as the players do — and the players believe in him.

"So just know that he got our best interests... that he wants to win as well. He just tries to put us in the best position to win football games," David said. "You can tell we love him by the way we play for him."

Bowles will almost certainly return next season to helm the Tampa Bay Buccaneers once again. Offensive coordinator Liam Coen, however, may not be with him, as he's taking a head coaching interview with the Jacksonville Jaguars and will likely take a few more in the coming weeks.


READ MORE: Every Buccaneers Free Agent Heading into 2025

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River Wells
RIVER WELLS

River Wells is a sports journalist from St. Petersburg, Florida, who has covered the Tampa Bay Buccaneers since 2023. He graduated with a journalism degree from the University of Florida in 2021. You can follow him on Twitter @riverhwells.