Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles graduates from college 37 years later
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles received his bachelor’s degree Saturday, 37 years after dropping out of college to pursue a career in professional football.
According to a release from the Buccaneers, Bowles received his bachelor’s degree in youth and community development from Mount St. Mary’s University, a small, private Catholic school in Maryland.
“I am extremely grateful to the faculty and administration at Mount St. Mary’s for helping me accomplish what seemed like a daunting task at the beginning of this journey,” said Bowles. “Whenever I had questions or needed help along the way, I always felt supported and that played a big part in my successful completion of the program.”
Bowles began college 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 faculty said the coach stopped by the school’s athletic management program to give a presentation and meet with students.
Bowles also met with Baltimore middle school students as part of the university’s College Experience camp and shared stories from his career.
“I’ve also worked extensively with children through my various community projects, and it was important to me to show them that they could achieve anything they set out to do,” Bowles said of his decision to pursue college.
The coach said he decided to continue his education to fulfill a 37-year promise to his mother and to be a role model for the children in his family.
“Getting my degree was something I always wanted to do because I made a promise to my mom when I played in the NFL and I wanted to keep that promise,” Bowles said. “Over the years of becoming a father, it became something I wanted to do to set a good example for my sons as they go on in their education.”
Professors said that although Bowles left school over three decades ago, he was busy with his studies and brought his leadership and coaching experience to the classroom.
“Todd’s success in football, both on the field as a player and on the touchline as a coach, is not at all surprising given his work ethic and attention to detail,” said Timothy Wolfe, Ph.D., the director and associate professor of Human Services at Mount St Mary’s. “The same qualities were also evident in his tasks.”
While the university has two dozen Division I athletic teams, a press release from Mount St. Mary’s noted that, ironically, the school does not have a football team.
