NFL head coach graduates from college aged 59 to fulfil promise to late mother
Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles has finally graduated from college with a degree, after a request from his late mother.
Bowles has issued a reminder that it's never too late to accomplish anything, after completing his degree 37 years after leaving Temple University. On Saturday, Bowles received his Bachelor of Science degree in youth and community development after attending the graduation class.
The second day of the Buccaneers' rookie camp was missed by Bowles as he attended the ceremony, finally enjoying his big day after nearly four decades. Bowles promised his mother that he'd complete the degree before she passed away in 2009, and the head coach kept his word.
Bowles is entering his second season as Buccaneers head coach after Bruce Arians stepped down from the position, and 2023 will be his first season as a graduate. Bowles never finished the end of his studies as he left to join the formerly known Washington Redskins in 1986 as an undrafted free agent.
The former safety won the Super Bowl back in 1987, and spent seven seasons in the NFL before later turning towards coaching. But even after retiring Bowles put off completing his degree, but his mindset changed when mother Joan requested before she died that he one day would go on to finish the process.
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"My mother never said anything, she just went with it and she let me go ahead and live my life," Bowles said while he addressed the graduating class on Saturday. "She passed in 2009 and the only thing she asked me was to make sure I got my degree.
"I stuck with it and here I am at 59. You're never too old to stop learning. You stop learning and you get old. You get old when you stop learning. So I say to you, Class of 2023 -- the future is yours, take it, grab it, run with it, be excited -- be excited - every now and then come back and thank your parents.
"This is an amazing, amazing thing for me to be in a class with you. I'm more nervous now than I ever was speaking in front of a locker room at halftime."
Bowles has won the Super Bowl as player, executive and coach, although he's yet to inspire much success in the head coach role. His job will be a lot tougher after Tom Brady retired from the NFL, but there are positives to draw from as last season was his second best as a head coach.
2022 was also the first time that Bowles had been head coach during the postseason, and even though the Buccaneers were outclassed by the Cowboys, it'll make for valuable experience. Bowles is now into the second season of his five-year deal, and the real test starts now.
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