Todd Bowles is not generally one to wear his heart on his sleeve, or anywhere else for that matter.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach is known for his calm demeanor and stoicism, which he has maintained on the sidelines of the NFL for more than a decade. It is rare to see him get upset in any way.
On Wednesday, he changed tack. Asked at a press conference about his feelings about Sunday’s season opener against the Washington Commanders, Bowles let it slide.
“It’s exciting,” Bowles exclaimed, clapping his hands on the podium.
He and the Bucs press corps burst out laughing, everyone getting the joke.
“That’s a meme, coach,” an off-camera reporter responded as Bowles continued to laugh.
Bowles then continued with his answer.
“You always have butterflies in your stomach when you go there,” he continued. “I mean, it’s Opening Day in the NFL.”
There was still laughter, both from Bowles and the media present.
It was a rare moment of public emotional candor from the Bucs coach, indicative of the buzz that accompanies the start of a new season for all 32 NFL teams, the media that follows them and their fans. There are few moments more hopeful for teams in the NFL than the moments leading up to Opening Day.
While unusual, Wednesday wasn’t the first time we’ve seen Bowles let loose. He let out a similar scream during a press conference in 2017 when he was head coach of the New York Jets.
The occasion that day? Reporters ran out of questions to ask him.
