TAMPA, Fla. — Call Joel, email Bryan and text Ed.

While you’re at it, reach out to Darcie, Avram and Kevin, too.

Gather the Glazer kids together and — since we so rarely see them — thank them for the past half-dozen seasons. For B.A., for Brady, for Gronk and for the Super Bowl. For five consecutive playoff appearances and for all the team’s good deeds around town.

And then ask a simple question:

What now?

I don’t know which direction the Bucs will choose in the coming weeks, but I do know this:

All options should be on the table.

The Glazers taught us that a long time ago. Back in 2001, when Tony Dungy was fired after three consecutive playoff appearances. Also, in 2008, when Jon Gruden was fired after a December collapse that cost the Bucs a division title.

Maybe this time the Glazers believe there are extenuating circumstances because of the extraordinary number of injuries the Bucs offense endured in 2025. Maybe, upon reflection, they’ll decide the roster was not as stacked as they believed back in August.

But if Tampa Bay’s owners do not give serious thought to replacing Todd Bowles as head coach, then they’re shortchanging their fans.

Look, despite the number of screaming messages on social media, this is not a simple decision. Bowles is a man of dignity and accomplishment. He won a Super Bowl here as a defensive coordinator, and he’s won three division titles in four years as head coach.

And while the firing of the man in charge may be satisfying in January, it’s often a different story come September. Or don’t you recall how the Bucs went through four different head coaches in the decade after parting ways with Gruden? They tried a hot young defensive assistant (Raheem Morris), a college coach (Greg Schiano), a former NFL head coach (Lovie Smith) and an offensive coordinator (Dirk Koetter).

Combined, those four coaches won zero division titles compared to the three Bowles has won.

That’s not a defense of Bowles, but rather an acknowledgment the job is not as easy as the guy at the end of the bar wants you to believe.

If there is justification for the dismissal of Bowles, it is this:

The Bucs seem to be stuck in neutral.

They have won 8, 9, 10 and 8 games in his four seasons. They haven’t been awful, but they haven’t been great, either. Take away their collective 15-9 record against the woeful NFC South from 2022-25, and the Bucs have gone 4-7, 5-6, 6-5 and 5-6 against the rest of the NFL.

That is not the look of a franchise on the upswing.

Even worse?

The Bucs were one win away from a winning season. One win away from another division title. And, somehow, they lost four consecutive games to the Saints, Falcons, Panthers and Dolphins — all teams that finished below .500.

There are whispers that Bowles will remain but the rest of the coaching staff could see an overhaul. Specifically, offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard might be on the hot seat after Tampa Bay went from an average of 29.5 points per game in 2024 to 22.4 this season.

If Bowles is prepared to pull that trigger, then what is the justification for him keeping his job?

While the offense was a disappointment in Grizzard’s hands in 2025, the defense was a bigger bust under Bowles’ direction. At least Grizzard can use the argument that three of his top receivers missed a combined 30 games, his starting offensive linemen missed 32 games, his top running back missed seven games and his quarterback played the second half of the season in obvious pain.

The defense, on the other hand, was relatively injury-free other than losing Calijah Kancey early in the season. And yet Tampa Bay gave up more points (24.2 per game) than in any season since 2019.

Grizzard is 35 and in his first season as a coordinator. Maybe this is the pinnacle of his career, or maybe he just needs more time to grow into the job. Bowles, on the other hand, is 62 and has been running defenses in the NFL for more than a dozen years. It’s not difficult to make the argument that he had a worse season than his offensive coordinator.

Does all of that add up to a pink slip for Bowles?

That’s up to the Glazers to decide. They should consider the tough 2025 schedule. They should consider the unnatural number of injuries. They should consider what other job candidates might be available.

And, based on previous history, they’ll probably consider what happens to season ticket renewals if Bowles returns.

Despite what anyone thinks, this is not a slam dunk decision.

But it absolutely deserves to be under consideration.

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