The 2022 offseason started with Tom Brady announcing his retirement on the first day of February. However, when he reversed course 40 days later and chose to return for another season, Head Coach Bruce Arians took the opportunity to pass the torch to Todd Bowles. Bowles was elevated from defensive coordinator to head coach and the Buccaneers once again spent the offseason re-signing their own core players, including Chris Godwin, Ryan Jensen and Leonard Fournette. Brady would throw for another 4,694 yards and 25 touchdowns but the Bucs' ground game was the worst in the NFL and the Bucs scored nearly 200 points fewer than the year before. The season started out fine, with the Bucs winning three of their first four, including a second straight Week One prime-time victory against the Cowboys. A three-game losing streak followed, however, including a stunning 21-3 defeat in Carolina. Heading into Week 15, the Bucs were 6-8 but still very much alive in the playoff hunt due to a down year for the entire NFC South. A 19-16 overtime win on Christmas night in Arizona and a 30-24 win over the Panthers in Week 16 in which Mike Evans caught 10 passes for 207 yards and three touchdowns secured a second straight division title. The Buccaneers rested their starters for most of the regular season finale in Atlanta and finished 8-9 with a 30-17 loss. The team's third straight playoff run was a short one this time, as the visiting Cowboys dominated in a 31-14 decision, with Dak Prescott throwing four touchdown passes.
