Falcons QB Pays Buccaneers Huge Compliment originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Todd Bowles has been the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers since 2022. In that time, he’s gone 27-24. Those numbers don’t jump off the page for anyone, but the success he’s shown with three straight division titles is impressive.
Bowles’ specialty is defense, and he has served as the team’s defensive coordinator since 2019, with a Super Bowl championship under his belt.
As a defensive coordinator, he’s well-respected around the league, and that includes Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins.
Cousins has played against the Buccaneers four times with Bowles as defensive coordinator and head coach, and has posted a 2-2 record, including both wins last season, as the Falcons swept the Bucs.
On a recent episode of Netflix’s Quarterback, Cousins discussed his affection for Bowles.
“I heard Jon Gruden say on his YouTube channel, ‘I’d rather go to the dentist to get a filling than play Todd Bowles on a short week.’ And I thought that was a good summary. The pressure’s so much, and he does it from a variety of looks that on a short week, you just don’t have a lot of time to talk about it and cover it, to go back and look at what you’re gonna end up facing,” Cousins said.
Cousins is no longer the starting quarterback in Atlanta after being relegated to backup last season to rookie Michael Penix Jr.
But if he remains with the team for next season amid trade rumors, he’ll be involved in gameplanning and tutoring Penix against the Bucs.
Related: Bucs Announce Massive Setback with All-Pro Surgery
Related: Best Baker Mayfield Prop Bet for Buccaneers 2025 Season Revealed
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 9, 2025, where it first appeared.