Out of the gate in 2025, the Buccaneers looked set to top that 10-win mark, as quarterback Baker Mayfield and Co. nail-biting victories en route to a 6-2 start. But with time the magic disappeared.
Despite early season injuries to the likes of Bucky Irving, Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and others, the Bucs overcame their pitfalls. However, Mayfield injured his non-throwing shoulder in late November and his play began to decline, but that was hardly the only injury the Bucs couldn’t fix.
Bowles’ defense, a hallmark of the head coach, finished a mediocre 20th in points allowed, 19th in yards. It was the second straight season Bowles’ defense ranked outside the top 15 in scoring and total defense.
After a three-game losing streak, the Bucs defeated the Arizona Cardinals, 20-17, in Week 13 and, 7-5, the road to winning the division was still in full swing. But Tampa dropped its next four, all to back-to-back losses, including a prime-time loss to the Atlanta Falcons that left the usually subdued Bowles talking in his postgame press conference.
There was no figuring out how to stop the Bucs’ struggles in 2025, but the 62-year-old Bowles will have a chance to make things right in 2026.
With the offseason starting much sooner than expected for the Bucs, Bowles and general manager Jason Licht will have plenty of personnel issues to deal with. Linebacker Lavonte David could be retiring. Like David, Mike Evans, one of the greatest Mariners of all time, is a free agent, as are forward Haason Reddick, cornerback Jamel Dean, running back Rachaad White and tight end Cade Otton. There are also potentially some personnel changes that need to be made after a sub-par season.