Tampa Bay secured their leadership Thursday by giving head coach Todd Bowles and GM Jason Licht new contracts. While the team kept the contract details private, the decision shows they're committed to their top leaders for the long haul.
Since becoming head coach in 2022, the 61-year-old Bowles has guided the team to three straight playoff appearances. His 27-24 regular season record, along with a 1-3 playoff record, includes three straight NFC South titles.
Licht had a rough start, winning just one season in his first six years. Everything changed when he brought in Tom Brady in 2020. That move led to a Super Bowl victory and a 13-win season the next year.
When Bruce Arians stepped down before 2022, Bowles moved up from defensive coordinator to head coach. The team kept winning through the change.
Both leaders faced challenges in Tampa. Rough starts in 2023 and 2024 put them to the test. Bowles worked on fixing his clock management while making a strong defense even better.
After coming aboard in 2014, Licht made smart moves - especially getting Brady - to build a championship team. Three division titles in a row made it easy to keep both men on board.
New deals give Tampa Bay consistency as they look to go further in the playoffs. While making the postseason each year under Bowles is great, a 1-4 playoff record shows there's more work to do.
Together they brought Tampa its second Super Bowl in 2020. Despite losing players and dealing with injuries, they've stayed on top of their division.
