Todd Bowles makes a staff move that was completely unavoidable after rough 2025 performance

Todd Bowles continues to shake up his staff on Thursday.

Craig Smith — College Football & NFL Trending News Writer
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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers continue to clean house just days after their 2025 season ended prematurely.

Tampa Bay special teams coordinator Thomas McCaughey was fired by Todd Bowles on Thursday, per NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero.

Buccaneers fire special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey

McGaughey was hired after the 2023 season as the team’s special teams coordinator. He held that same role previously with the New York Giants (2018-23), Carolina Panthers (2016-17), San Francisco 49ers (2015), and New York Jets (2014).

The Bucs’ special teams have been problematic since the start of the season. Tampa Bay saw three kicks blocked during the first four weeks of the season.

The Texans blocked a punt in Week 2, which Tampa Bay narrowly recovered from to prevail 20-19. The next week, the Jets blocked a field goal and returned it for a touchdown for a late lead. Once again, Baker Mayfield drove the offense down the field, and the Bucs escaped on a walk-off kick. Against the Eagles, Riley Dixon’s punt was blocked after the Bucs’ opening drive, and the Eagles scooped that up for a touchdown. Philadelphia went on to win by six points.

Most recently, Bowles has been saying that he’s been kicking the ball deep into the end zone for a touchback to the 35-yard line because he’s had concerns about his kickoff coverage unit’s ability to prevent long returns. The new NFL rules were utilized to encourage returns and slightly penalize touchbacks, so the Bucs gave up field position because they couldn’t handle basic kick coverage duties to the head coach’s satisfaction.

The Bucs special teams have to improve markedly in 2026, and it’s obvious the Bucs needed new direction at the position to make that happen.

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