Conservatives celebrate Bucs coach Todd Bowles comments smacking down ESPN reporter's race question

Tampa Bay head coach Todd Bowles dismisses an ESPN reporter's question about race, suggesting there's too much focus on the issue.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles was praised by conservatives after scolding the media for "making a big deal" about race when a White reporter from ESPN pressed him about diversity. 

"The minute you guys stop making a big deal about it, everybody else will as well," Bowles said. 

Bowles, who is Black, was took question from the press on Wednesday ahead of the Buccaneers upcoming game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Instead of asking about football, one reporter pointed out that the Steelers also have a Black coach.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles was praised after scolding the media for "making a big deal" about race. ( (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara))

BUCS’ TODD BOWLES ON COACHING AGAINST MIKE TOMLIN: 'WE COACH BALL. WE DON'T LOOK AT COLOR'

"You and Mike Tomlin are the few Black head coaches in the league, I wonder what your relationship is like with him and your thoughts on Steve Wilks joining that," a reporter asked, Wilks, who was recently named the interim head coach for the Carolina Panthers to become the fourth current Black NFL head coach. 

Bowles said he has a very good relationship with Tomlin but they don’t "look at what color we are" when their teams face off.

"I have a lot of very good White friends that coach in this league as well, and I don’t think it’s a big deal. As far as us coaching against each other, I think it’s normal. Wilks got an opportunity to do a good job, hopefully he does it, and we coach ball. We don’t look at color," Bowles said. 

Head coach Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers coaches his team against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown