Bucs HC Todd Bowles Hears A Lot Of Smack Talk… From His Kicker?

Bucs head coach Todd Bowles may be calm, cool and collected when he’s on the sideline on Sundays. But it’s no secret that he can be a bit of a trash talker on the practice field, as players both past and present have often spoken about the side of their head coach that isn’t as visible the majority of the time.

So, with Bowles talking some smack to his players on the field, he’s bound to get some right back, isn’t he? During an appearance on Monday’s Pewter Report Podcast, he was asked which Bucs players talk back to him the most. He first listed some of the usual suspects, but then he revealed a shocking bit of information about someone he hears a lot from.

“Will Gholston, when he was here, he did a heck of a job talking back to me,” Bowles said. “[Jamel] Dean always talks back, but Lavonte [David] will get a few zingers in there here and there. He gets some in. At the same time, Vita [Vea] is a very sarcastic player, so he gets shots in. Yaya [Diaby] will stay away from me. He gets it. He knows, he just nods and says, ‘Yes, Coach.’ Because any other answer, he’s probably gonna get it 10 times worse. And Tristan [Wirfs], Tristan off the field when we run by each other in the hallway, he gets a couple shots in here and there.

“Of all people, Chase [McLaughlin], the kicker of all people, the relationship we have… He goes from dad jokes to taking a few shots at me here and there, so we have a pretty good time. I think I got him last, so I think I’ve got one coming from him.”

Considering Bowles was the Bucs defensive coordinator from 2019-2021 before taking on the head coaching job in 2022, it’s no surprise that he hears it from some of the veterans on defense. He’s been working directly with a lot of those guys for going on seven years now. Even guys like Tristan Wirfs, who Bowles has now been around for five years, makes sense.

But the kicker? The kicker who has only been here for two seasons? That one came out of left field, didn’t it?

It’s another interesting peek behind the curtain at who Todd Bowles is to his players. That’s the Bowles that Buccaneer players have fought for week in and week out over the last three years, even after midseason slumps that might’ve sent other teams spiraling.

And it also goes to show you what making 59 of your 63 field goal attempts over the last two years can afford you, too.

Todd Bowles Reveals The Bucs Feud You Might Not Know About

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield and HC Todd Bowles – Photo by: USA Today

As Todd Bowles continued to rattle off some of the players who talk the most trash back to him, it seemed like he would soon mention quarterback Baker Mayfield at any moment. After all, Mayfield is a notorious trash talker.

But the Mayfield mention never came.

So, later in the interview, Pewter Report asked Bowles about the absence of Mayfield from his answer. And his response revealed an ongoing feud inside One Buc Place that you might not know about.

“My relationship with Baker is outstanding. We talk, but Baker has an ongoing feud with [outside linebackers coach] Larry Foote,” Bowles said. “Foote makes me look like a preschooler as far as talking smack to players. Baker is the same way. There’s a lot of back and forth in camp going on and in practice going on. Larry Foote is the ringleader, he is the Don King of this building, and he’s gonna talk until the cows come home. Baker does not have time for me because Foote occupies 100% of his time.”

Bucs co-defensive coordinator and OLBs coach Larry Foote – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

So, it’s Foote who Mayfield focuses all of his smack talk on. Add that to the list of things to watch for during training camp later this summer.

Watch Todd Bowles On The Pewter Report Podcast

You can catch our full interview with Bucs head coach Todd Bowles from Monday’s Pewter Report Podcast here: