Bucs extend contracts of coach Todd Bowles, general manager Jason Licht

TAMPA, Fla. — On the sideline and in news conferences, Todd Bowles is stoic and steady. But away from the cameras, he can be sarcastic and silly.

“I don’t think the general public and the fans truly know Todd’s personality,” Bucs general manager Jason Licht said. “Todd is very stoic the way he carries himself. But in here he’s very steady, and that’s a great quality to have as a coach. But he jokes around ... he’s fun. I think if people saw that, they would think a little differently.”

There is another description that applies to Bowles: winner. The head coach has helped the Bucs to four straight NFC South titles and five consecutive playoff appearances, the longest active streak in the NFC.

As defensive coordinator, Bowles helped the Bucs hold Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs without a touchdown in a 31-9 win in Super Bowl 55 following the 2020 season.

Meanwhile, Licht executed the transition of the Bucs from the oldest team in the NFL to the second-youngest in 2024. From Tom Brady to Baker Mayfield.

On Thursday, Bowles and Licht each were rewarded with multi-year contract extensions from the Bucs.

Bowles, who was in the final year of his contract, reportedly received a three-year extension.

Reported as a three-year extension for Bowles. Presumably if he had this year left, it’s through 2028

“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,” Bucs owner/co-chairman Joel Glazer said in a statement. “The continuity and stability they provide will play a large role in our ability to compete for additional championships.”

Licht, 54, is entering his 12th season with the Bucs, making him one of the longest-tenured GMs in the league.

Since he took over in 2014, the Bucs lead the NFL in total snaps played (132,091) and games started (1,873) by players selected in the first through fifth rounds of the NFL draft.

In fact, 40 of the team’s 50 starters from 2023-24 were acquired through the draft or free agency. The Bucs’ 2024 rookie class produced four starters: center Graham Barton, running back Bucky Irving, defensive back Tykee Smith and receiver Jalen McMillan.

“I like our team. I like it a lot,” Licht said. “I think we’ve got a lot of talent. But more importantly, I think we’ve got the right kind of people, and this team has a lot of chemistry right now.

“And the culture — not just because of the type of people we have, but the type of culture that Todd manifests and fosters here as the head coach, because he’s the leader of this team — I’m very, very excited.”

Licht said he feels fortunate the Glazer family stuck with him for six years without the team earning a playoff spot. At the time, there was a head coaching carousel that included Lovie Smith, Dirk Koetter, Bruce Arians and Bowles in a span of nine seasons.

“I’m grateful they gave me the chance,” Licht said of the Glazers. “First, the initial chance of hiring me. But then they stuck with me, and they didn’t have to. If Bruce (Arians) doesn’t walk in here, it could’ve been another head coach who wanted his own personnel guy.”

Licht said while the Bucs enjoyed just one winning season in his first six, much of it was because they remained committed to Jameis Winston at quarterback.

“I think about this often,” Licht said. “We took Jameis No. 1 overall, and going back to that draft, we needed a quarterback. I took this job with no quarterback on the roster, no starting-level quarterback. We took Jameis, and the plan was to build around him. It was the right thing to do. What took us awhile to figure out was Jameis just wasn’t the right quarterback.

Bowles’ 27 regular-season wins rank second among Tampa Bay head coaches through three seasons, trailing only Arians with 31.

“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 in a statement. “My family loves Tampa, and we’re looking forward to delivering more great moments for our fans in the coming seasons. I also appreciate the confidence that the Glazer Family has shown in my abilities to lead this football team. It is a responsibility I do not take lightly and am honored to have.”

Licht credited Arians and the construction of a talented roster for luring Brady and eventually Mayfield to the Bucs as a free agent.

“Even though Baker wasn’t here, I think he’s heard enough stories, and Baker had to walk into Tom’s shoes,’’ Licht said. “So, he had to prove that he’s capable of leading this team and being the franchise leader, and he has been all of that.”

Bowles, 61, wanted to draft Mayfield out of Oklahoma when he was head coach of the Jets, but the quarterback went first overall to Cleveland.

“We knew what his ceiling was, which is a pretty good damn quarterback,” Licht said. “Thank God it happened for us. It’s extremely rare. Some of the same ways Tom chose us, Baker chose us, too. Tom chose us because it was the best place for him to win a Super Bowl. Baker chose us because it was the best place for him to revive his career.

‘Secondly, it’s really hard to follow a coach that just won the Super Bowl and is iconic like Bruce. It’s hard. It’s like Baker following Brady, But what I love about Todd — in addition to what I said about him being stoic and steady — he knows his faults like the great ones do, and he works hard to make up for them or to change them or improve, and he’s done a lot of that this offseason."

Bowles said he is happy to continue teaming with Licht.

“I’m 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 in the statement. “My family loves Tampa, and we’re looking forward to delivering more great moments for our fans in the coming seasons. I also appreciate that the Glazer family has shown confidence in my abilities to lead this football team. It’s a responsibility I do not take lightly and am honored to have.”