Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles graduates nearly 40 years after leaving college

Todd Bowles needed to skip Buccaneers mini camp Saturday. But the rookies probably didn’t mind his absence. After all, college graduations are big life events, particularly when it takes decades to earn the degree.

The Tampa Bay head coach, who will be 60 this fall, walked with the rest of the class of 2023 Saturday at Mount St. Mary’s University in Emmitsburg, Maryland. He left school 37 years ago to sign as an undrafted free agent with the then Washington Redskins.

The Bucs social media team shared a video of Todd Bowles, in his cap and gown, walking onstage to pick up his degree. As the crowd cheered, he smiled and shook the hand of the dean.

“Congrats on graduating, coach!,” the Bucs tweeted. “Todd Bowles made a promise to his mother when he entered the league that he would complete his degree, and today that promise was fulfilled.”