FLASHBACK: 'We don't look at color': Tampa Bay coach DESTROYS woke reporters pressing him about race

Footage of the head football coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers criticizing reporters in an October 2022 press conference for lecturing him about the importance of diversity and representation in the National Football League (NFL) instead of sticking to questions about football has resurfaced as new Patriots head coach Jarod Mayo is under fire for saying "I believe if you don’t see color you can’t see racism."

Coach Todd Bowles slammed the media for its hyper-focus on race and said once they stop "making a big deal" about it "everybody else will as well."

The comments came after a reporter had asked Bowles, who is black, about his relationship with Mike Tomlin, the black head football coach of the Pittsburg Steelers, and his thoughts regarding the addition of another black coach, Steve Wilks.

The sports reporter asked Bowles, "You and Mike Tomlin are two of the few black head coaches in the league. I wonder what you're relationship is like with them and your thoughts on Steve Wilks joining that fold."

Appearing to be annoyed by the question, Bowles responded to the reporter and said:

"We don't look at what color we are when we coach against each other. We just know each other. 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 being coaching against each other. I think it's normal."

"We coach ball," said Bowles. "We don't look at color."

Another reporter interjected and pressed Bowles further about the "importance" of "racial representation" in his field.

The reporter said to Bowles, "But you understand that representation matters too, right? And that way, you know, inspiring coaches or even football players, they see someone that looks like them...that has to mean something."

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach shut down that reporter's assertation and said: "Well, when you say 'you guys' and 'look like them' and 'grow up like them' means that we're oddballs to begin with."

"I think the minute you guys stop making a big deal about it, everybody else will as well," he said.

This comes as Jarod Mayo, the new head coach of the New England Patriots, declared in his introductory press conference, "I do see color, because I believe if you don’t see color you can’t see racism."