‘We Coach Ball, We Don’t Look At Color’: Todd Bowles Shuts Down Reporter Framing Friendship With Tomlin Around Race

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles shut down reporters on Thursday when they asked about his relationship with Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin.

The Buccaneers and Steelers will play each other this Sunday. When Bowles met with the media about his opponent, he was asked about his relationship with Tomlin because they are both Black.

“I have a very good relationship with Tomlin,” Bowles said. “We don’t look at what color we are when we coached against each other. We just know each other.”

Bowles talked about his relationship with other coaches in the league and it does not matter to him what their skin color is, and is happy for Carolina Panthers interim head coach Steve Wilks, who took over after the Panthers fired head coach Matt Rhule.

“I have a lot of very good white friends that coach in this league as well,” Bowles added. “As far as us coaching against each other, I think it’s normal. Wilks got the opportunity to do a good job, hopefully he does it. And we coach ball, we don’t look at color.”

One reporter asked the question about young Black coaches who aspire to be a head coach in the NFL one day and they turn to look at, “you guys,” that it should mean something to a guy like Bowles.

“When you say you see ‘you guys’ and look like them and grow up like them that means we’re odd balls to begin with,” Bowles continued. “I think the minute you guys stop making a big deal about it everybody else will as well.”

Watch above via David Schiele.

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