The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will look for their fifth coordinator in as many seasons.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are returning head coach Todd Bowles for 2026 but are making a lot of staff changes under him. The Bucs started hot in 2025, winning six of their first eight games and tracking to make a postseason run. Then, they lost seven of their last nine, finished 8-9, and were left out of the postseason thanks to tiebreakers. In those final weeks, quarterback Baker Mayfield only had two games in their final eight weeks where he threw multiple touchdowns. Tampa Bay ranked No. 21 in total offense and No. 20 in expected points.
A lot of that can be explained by injuries, but the offensive struggles permeated past that. As a result, ESPN reports that first-year offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard has been fired. But the Bucs didn’t stop there with their staff overhaul, additionally firing special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey, quarterbacks coach Thad Lewis, defensive line coach Charlie Strong and cornerbacks coach Kevin Ross. Senior offensive consultant Tom Moore also retired at 87 and safeties coach Nick Rapone retired at 69.
Here is the full story from Bucs Roundtable writer Billy Riccette on the team’s OC search and some candidates to keep an eye on.
Once the decision was made to keep Bowles, it was clear that changes were coming at some level, and Grizzard was the domino that would fall. He was promoted in 2025 to replace Liam Coen who was hired as head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars. He was previously the team’s passing game coordinator.