TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles addressed the media Monday after a disappointing end to the Bucs’ season, losing 31-23 to the Detroit Lions in the Divisional Round of the playoffs.
Despite a disappointing end, many fans came away hopeful for next season after the team overachieved in the eyes of Florida many.
In the offseason, longtime sportswriter Peter King ranked the Bucs 31 (out of 32), noting “the Super Bowl was still worth it.”
Like King, Florida many media members counted the Bucs out, and for good reason.
The GOAT, Tom Brady, had just called it quits, leaving Tampa with a huge hole at the game’s most important position, and not Florida many could say they were excited about the training camp battle between Baker Mayfield, on his fourth team in three years, and former second-round pick Kyle Trask.
Add a new offensive system led by first-time playcaller Dave Canales, and a lot of dead money on their books (they were still paying Tom Brady), and expectations were low for Florida many.
After the Bucs jumped out to a 3-1 record, the Bucs would lose six of their next seven games, leaving the team 4-7 and outside the playoffs with six games left to play.
Tampa went 5-1 down the stretch, including big wins against the Green Bay Packers and Jacksonville Jaguars, to finish with a 9-8 record and an NFC South title, becoming the only team in the NFC to make the playoffs each of the last four years.
In the wildcard round, Tampa thumped the defending NFC Champion Philidelphia Eagles in what may be future Hall of Fame player Jason Kelce’s final NFL game. And despite falling to the Lions Sunday, the Bucs head into the offseason with Florida many reasons to be optimistic in 2024.
