When Todd Bowles first took over as Tampa Bay’s head coach after Bruce Arians stepped aside, he carried a legacy built on defensive mastery. In just three seasons, he steered the Buccaneers to an NFC South three-peat, notching 27 regular-season wins, the second-most through that period in franchise history. His blueprint? A disciplined defense that ranked top in rush defense and turnover creation.

Under Bowles’s watch, the offense blossomed too, with Baker Mayfield orchestrating one of the league’s most efficient aerial assaults. But playoff shortcomings—chiefly in clock management and defensive consistency—haunted him in consecutive Wild Card exits. Still, the locker room remains firmly behind him, fans quietly divided, and the Glazers are convinced continuity breeds title contention.

So, now that we’re approaching the 2025 season, the Bucs, head coach, and the Glazer family are looking towards the future rather than past postseason horrors, which is precisely why the Tampa Bay team has decided to re-sign Todd Bowles as well as the general manager, Jason Licht, on multi-year contract extensions. And get this, the head coach has laid out his plan for Mayfield and the team’s future.

“I am excited to continue working with Jason for years to come as we build on the success we’ve enjoyed and keep reaching for even bigger and better goals,” Bowles said, addressing the general manager. “My family loves Tampa and we’re looking forward to delivering more great moments for our fans in the coming seasons.”

The Bucs have been one of the most successful teams in the league for the last five years. We’re talking about 57 wins (51 in regular), five trips to the postseason, four division titles, and a Super Bowl under Tom Brady. Mayfield took the helm (in Bowles’ second year as the head coach) after Brady hung up his cleats for good. Mayfield turned heads in Tampa Bay, no doubt. His 19-15 regular season record does enough talking to prove his worth.

But the postseason? That’s where things get shaky. Mayfield’s playoff record in Tampa sits at 1–2, with one divisional round loss and a pair of Wild Card exits. Still, this year feels different. Todd Bowles has made it crystal clear: the bar is higher now. Bigger goals, bolder expectations. And the silver lining? The Bucs genuinely believe that sticking with the same core—coaches included—is the formula to finally break through. Continuity, they say, breeds contention.

No wonder the team first signed Mayfield on a three-year deal last year, and now they’ve re-signed Bowles and the general manager on multi-year contract extensions.

Jason Licht will continue producing a champion team

After signing Jason Licht and Todd Bowles to multi-year contract extensions, the Buccaneers Owner/Co-Chairman, Joel Glazer, explained that the leadership of Bowles and Licht has been critical for the team’s success over the years. “Jason and Todd’s leadership has been critical to our organization’s success. The winning culture they have established has us well positioned for the future,” Glazer said.

“The continuity and stability they provide will play a large role in our ability to compete for additional championships.” Bowles, after assuming the head coaching duties, led the team to three consecutive division titles, sure. Licht, on the other hand, has been building a roster that produced a Super Bowl championship in the 2020 season, multiple All-Pro and Pro Bowl selections, and, of course, the most consistent postseason contenders.

“I am very grateful to the Glazer Family for the trust and belief they have shown in what we are doing here,” Licht said. “I am also very excited to continue working alongside Todd well into the future as we continue our mission of finding and developing talented players and chasing additional championships for our fans.” Licht’s been running the show in Tampa for over a decade, and his draft résumé speaks for itself.

Since he arrived, the Bucs have led the league in total snaps and starts by players picked in Rounds 1 through 5. And here’s the kicker: of the team’s 50 different starters over the past few seasons, 40 were guys Licht either drafted or signed as undrafted free agents. That’s long-term roster building at its finest. The result? A multi-year contract extension. Plain and simple. Now, all eyes are on the 2025 season.