Todd Bowles replacements: Ranking Buccaneers' best candidates, from Mike Tomlin to Zac Taylor originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Most expected the Buccaneers to have a tough time getting past the Steelers with Baker Mayfield still out due to injury, but a blown 16-3 lead left Tampa Bay feeling the sting after Pittsburgh won in overtime.
That might not be the straw that breaks the camel's back for Todd Bowles' job security, but it only increases the heat on his seat as the Buccaneers drop to 1-5.
If Tampa Bay moves on from Bowles, who could fill his shoes on the Buccaneers' sideline?
Here are the top options.
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Buccaneers best coaching candidates
1. Grant Udinski, Jaguars offensive coordinator
The Buccaneers probably wish Liam Coen, who was Bowles' offensive coordinator in 2024, was their head coach right now. They can't bring him back, but they can pry away his right-hand man.
Still only 30 years old, Grant Udinski seemingly had a real chance to be the Browns' head coach this past offseason and was in the mix for the Bills' job before sticking with Jacksonville. Trevor Lawrence has looked terrific early in the season, so Udinski's stock hasn't declined.
A Buccaneers team that seems likely to look for an offensive-minded coach could easily target Udinski and hope to pair him with an experienced defensive coordinator.
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin walks off the field after his team fell 30-6 to the Houston Texans during the NFL Wild Card game at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA on January 12, 2026. © Michael Longo/For USA Today Network-PA / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
2. Mike Tomlin, former Steelers head coach
Will the Buccaneers just make Mike Tomlin say no? How in-demand the former Steelers coach will be remains to be seen, but it wouldn't hurt Tampa Bay (and other franchises) to gauge his interest.
As far as locations go for a coach who spent nearly two decades in Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay isn't too bad. Tomlin could pair good weather with a fairly well-run, low-drama organization in a perennially weak division by joining the Buccaneers. If reports are to be believed, though, Tomlin probably won't be ready to dive back into coaching this winter.
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3. Nate Scheelhaase, Rams offensive coordinator
Nate Scheelhaase was another top candidate for the Browns this past season, and he's in his first season as the Rams' offensive coordinator as Sean McVay's right-hand man. L.A.'s offense is starting to play well enough to keep Scheelhaase's stock high, and he seems to impress teams when he interviews.
After the Buccaneers cycled through offensive play-caller after offensive play-caller, does it make the most sense to give that role and head coaching duties to someone who isn't calling plays under McVay? If Scheelhaase's football mind is as impressive as teams believe, it could be worth a shot.
Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
4. Zac Taylor, Bengals head coach
The Bengals are intensely loyal to head coaches, bit what if they miss the playoffs again? Can they really run it back with Taylor for a ninth season? With pressure to win during Joe Burrow's prime, that scenario might necessitate a change.
Would the Buccaneers really go with a retread who had just been fired? Well, Taylor would take them out of the cycle of finding a new offensive play-caller each winter and give the franchise a coach who has been to a Super Bowl. With less competition in the division, a second act in Tampa Bay could be the right move for Taylor.
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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5. Klay Kubiak, 49ers offensive coordinator
Kubiak isn't the 49ers' offensive play-caller, but the success of the Kyle Shanahan-Sean McVay tree is tough to deny. The son of Super Bowl-winning coach Gary Kubiak and Raiders coach Klint Kubiak, Klay appears to be next in line for a head coaching gig and could give the Buccaneers the kind of rising offensive mind they seem to need after so much offensive instability.
6. Anthony Campanile, Jaguars defensive coordinator
An offensive-minded coach seems to make the most sense for the Buccaneers, but if they really are looking to recapture some of the magic they found when Coen was on the staff, one of his understudies could make sense. If Udinski can't be pried away, could Jaguars DC Anthony Campanile be an option?
Campanile has impressed in his second season as a play-caller, and he received some interviews in the last cycle. If hired, though, Campanile would have to do what Bowles did and keep trying to find the right offensive play-caller.
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