Todd Bowles clears up Buccaneers' defensive coaching duties for 2022
Bruce Arians is no longer the head coach of the Buccaneers. Todd Bowles will take over BA's former position. That much was clear as of Thursday morning. But what happens on the defensive side of the ball? Bowles was the Buccaneers defensive coordinator over the last three seasons. Now that he's head coach, who takes […]
Bruce Arians is no longer the head coach of the Buccaneers. Todd Bowles will take over BA's former position. That much was clear as of Thursday morning.
But what happens on the defensive side of the ball? Bowles was the Buccaneers defensive coordinator over the last three seasons. Now that he's head coach, who takes his place?
Bowles had an answer to that question during his introductory press conference on Wednesday. Former-outside-linebackers-coach-turned-inside-linebackers-coach Larry Foote and defensive line coach Kacey Rodgers will be co-defensive coordinators for the Buccaneers in 2022.
Who will call plays though?
That will still be handled by Bowles, who's been calling the plays on defense for the last three seasons.
Bowles also happens to be the architect behind the defensive effort that held the Kansas City Chiefs touchdown-less in Super Bowl LV. So, the move makes sense, at the end of the day.
It is slightly interesting, however, that Rodgers was Bowles' defensive coordinator when the two coached together in New York. It wasn't for just a year or two, either. Rodgers was DC for all four full seasons Bowles was head coach.
The Jets finished sixth in overall defensive DVOA during Rodgers' first year as DC, but never finished higher than 22nd over the following three seasons.
Could that be a reason why? Possibly.
But the most likely reason is continuity. Bowles has been calling plays for three seasons now and was operating under the same mentality before BA's retirement. Granted, it's only March and it's not August – there is still plenty of time to correct course in regard to Bowles' mentality. But at the same time, coaches and athletes are creatures of habit. It takes a lot to throw them off course.
Regardless of reason, the Buccaneers defense has been one of the league's best since the back half of the 2019 season and that probably won't change based on the players they're returning in 2022.
No matter who's calling the plays.
Featured image credit via Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
