Head coach Todd Bowles and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are currently gearing up for the 2024 NFL season, which is set to begin in just a few days. Bowles helped lead a surprise run to the divisional round of the NFL playoffs for the Buccaneers a year ago, also helped by a resurgent season from quarterback Baker Mayfield, who has since been rewarded with a long term contract with the franchise.
As a head coach, Bowles has become known for his cool, calm, and collected demeanor on the sidelines, and when a media member asked him about that stoicism at a recent press conference, Bowles responded with a hilariously sarcastic answer.
“It's exciting!” Bowles exclaimed, via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times.
Bowles then elaborated on why he is so excited.
“You always have the butterflies when you go out there, man,” said Bowles. “It's opening day in the NFL.”
The moment got a laugh from several of the media members in attendance and is an early candidate for one of the viral clips of the season–before the season has even officially begun.
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As previously noted, the Buccaneers made a surprise run to the playoffs last season by winning the NFL's worst division by a country mile in the NFC South and then taking out the spiraling Philadelphia Eagles in the wild card round of the playoffs at home.
The Buccaneers then played a very competitive game against the Detroit Lions on the road in the next round before ultimately falling just short and failing to reach what would have been a shocking NFC Championship Game appearance.
The team surprised many in the offseason by retaining free agent wide receiver star Mike Evans when many assumed that he would bolt for greener pastures. Mayfield also showed enough in his lone season at the helm in Tampa Bay to convince the Buccaneers brass that he is the guy for them moving forward.
Elsewhere in the NFC South, the Atlanta Falcons essentially revamped their entire roster this offseason by signing Kirk Cousins, Matthew Judon, and Justin Simmons, in addition to drafting quarterback Michael Penix Jr., and most pundits have them as the favorites to take home the NFC South division crown this year.
However, the Buccaneers are still sure to be a competitive team and will have a very winnable game to open up the season on Sunday vs the Washington Commanders.