Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles was absent from the team’s rookie minicamp Saturday, but he had as good a reason as he will ever have.
Todd Bowles, head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, received his bachelor’s degree on Saturday, 37 years after dropping out to pursue a career in professional football.
Bowles graduated with a B.S. in youth and community development from Mount St. Mary’s University, a small, private Catholic school in Maryland, according to a release from the Buccaneers.
“I am extremely appreciative of the faculty and the administration at Mount St. Mary’s for helping me navigate through what seemed like a daunting task when I started this journey,”
Bowles said
“When I had questions, or needed some guidance along the way, I always felt supported and that played a large role in my ability to successfully complete the program.”
Bowles began pursuing his degree in the summer of 2020, just months before the Bucs won the Super Bowl. He completed most of his courses online, but Mount St. Mary’s faculty said the coach stopped by the school’s sports management program to give a lecture and meet with students.
Bowles also met with Baltimore middle schoolers as part of the university’s College Experience Camp, sharing stories from his career.
“I have also worked pretty extensively with children through my various community projects, and I felt it was important to show them they can achieve whatever they set their mind to,” Bowles said about his choice to pursue a degree.
The coach said he chose to further his education to fulfill a 37-year promise to his mother and to set an example for the children in his family.
“Completing my degree was something I had always wanted to do over the years because it was something I had promised my mother when I went to play in the NFL, and I wanted to follow through on that promise,” Bowles said.
“Over the years, as I became a father, it became something I wanted to do in order to set a proper example for my sons as they continue on their educational paths.”
Professors said that despite leaving school over three decades ago, Bowles was engaged with his studies and brought his leadership skills and coaching experience to the classroom.
