Todd Bowles is likely satisfied with how the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have played during the 2025 NFL season so far. They came away with another victory in Week 8 and now own an impressive 6-2 record this year.
One thing the head coach is not content with is how the refs officiated their game against the New Orleans Saints this week. He explained why and expressed his frustration with the situation.
Todd Bowles On The Officiating From The Buccaneers’ Game
The Buccaneers earned a runaway victory against the Saints in Week 8 by a 23-3 final score, but it didn’t come without an officiating controversy. Bowles admitted his frustration over a play that was called back after Antoine Winfield Jr. returned a fumble for a defensive touchdown. He did so during a postgame press conference.
“I’m still pissed off over some of it. That’s tough sledding. He did a hell of a job today getting the ball out, and we’ve got to do something. We’ll discuss that with the league and go from there … He said it was an erroneous whistle. As soon as he hit him, he stripped him, so I got no answers for that,” Bowles explained.
Todd Bowles said they were told it was an “erroneous whistle,” adding, “As soon as he hit him, he stripped him. I got no answers for that.” He said of Antoine Winfield Jr: “He had a hell of a day. I’m still pissed off over some of it…We gotta do something. We’ll discuss that… pic.twitter.com/OGdEJI5RmO
— JennaLaineESPN (@JennaLaineESPN) October 26, 2025
The head coach is referring to a play that occurred in the second quarter when Winfield seemingly stripped Saints wide receiver Rashid Shaheed and returned the fumble for a touchdown. The play was ultimately called back, and while the Buccaneers were awarded the fumble recovery, the touchdown was taken off the board.
This came as a result of one of the officials whistling the play dead before Winfield’s scoring return of the forced turnover. Bowles is admittedly angry with the call, as well as the explanation he received from the referees, which he says was an “erroneous whistle.”
According to the NFL’s official rules, if a play is blown dead by any referee, nothing that happens afterwards can be counted. This situation is also unable to be challenged because players are instructed to stop competing when the whistle blows.
Bowles insisted that he would be speaking with the NFL about this specific play, which had robbed his team of what should have been a touchdown if it weren’t for an apparent accidental whistle.
