AP Photo/Jae C. Hong
Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive coordinator Todd Bowles is reportedly expected to be in the mix for the vacant New York Giants’ head coaching job.
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano, Bowles is a “name to watch” in New York after the Giants fired Joe Judge.
Getting hired by the Giants would represent a return to the Big Apple for Bowles, who was the head coach of the New York Jets for four seasons from 2015-18.
Bowles’ tenure with the Jets wasn’t a successful one, as he went just 24-40 and failed to take them to the playoffs.
The 58-year-old landed on his feet nine days later after getting fired by the Jets, however, joining head coach Bruce Arians with the Bucs in 2019 as defensive coordinator. The former defensive back also played for Arians at Temple.
Bowles previously thrived as Arians’ DC with the Arizona Cardinals in 2013 and ’14, and the combo has worked wonders again in Tampa.
With Bowles at the controls, the Bucs defense has been dominant against the run, ranking first in the NFL in both 2019 and 2020, and third in 2021.
En route to the Buccaneers winning the Super Bowl last season, they ranked sixth in the NFL in total defense and eighth in scoring defense.
They dropped to 13th in total defense this season but stiffened when it came to allowing points, ranking fifth in the NFL
Given how he has reestablished his value as a head coaching candidate by working wonders with the Tampa Bay defense, Bowles has been a hot commodity in recent weeks.
He reportedly already interviewed with the Jacksonville Jaguars for their vacant head coaching position, and he is set to interview with the Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings as well.
In addition to his previous experience as head coach of the Jets, Bowles is from Elizabeth, New Jersey, which gives him even greater ties to the area and could make the Giants job attractive to him.
Bowles would have a lot of work ahead of him since the Giants have won six or fewer games and missed the playoffs in each of the past five seasons, but few coaches are better equipped to handle the rigors of coaching in New York.
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