The Buccaneers’ entire 2025 season was riding on Saturday’s matchup against the Panthers. And then it was riding entirely on the Falcons losing to the Saints on Sunday. Now it’s over, and the Buccaneers have officially been eliminated from winning the NFC South. The Carolina Panthers take the division crown.
The Bucs had lost four in a row, with consecutive losses to the Saints, Falcons, Panthers, and Dolphins, while the Panthers were fresh off a 27-10 whooping by the Seattle Seahawks. The Bucs hosted the matchup, and oddsmakers had them set as standard home favorites in Saturday’s NFC South clash. The Buccaneers won a close one, 16-14, to stay alive in the playoff hunt.
It was a win or go home situation, since the Bucs’ losing streak had them leveled up with the third-place, eliminated Atlanta Falcons at 7-9 heading into Week 18. For the Buccaneers to sew up that last division winner playoff spot in the NFC, not only did they need to beat the Panthers, but they needed the Falcons to lose to the Saints. Atlanta’s head coach Raheem Morris is fighting to keep his job, so the Falcons were playing to win, and pulled it off, just barely, 19-17.
Here are the updated NFC South standings and the NFC playoff picture now that the Buccaneers have been eliminated.
Updated NFC South standings
- Carolina Panthers 8-9
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers 8-9
- Atlanta Falcons 8-9
- New Orleans Saints 6-11
Updated NFC playoff picture
1. Seattle Seahawks 13-3 (clinched playoff berth)
2. Chicago Bears 11-4 (clinched NFC North)
3. Philadelphia Eagles 10-5 (clinched NFC East)
4. Carolina Panthers 8-9 (clinched NFC South)
5. San Francisco 49ers 11-4 (clinched playoff berth)
6. Los Angles Rams 11-4 (clinched playoff berth)
7. Green Bay Packers 9-6-1 (clinched Wild Card spot)
11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers *eliminated
– The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Carolina Panthers, 16-14, to improve to 8-9 on the season and regain a share of the NFC South lead. With a win by the New Orleans Saints over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, or a tie, the Buccaneers would earn their sixth straight playoff berth and claim their fifth straight division title. In doing so, the Buccaneers would become the first NFC team since the 1992–1996 Dallas Cowboys to win five straight division titles. The Buccaneers would also join the Buffalo Bills as the only teams in the NFL to make the playoffs in each of the past six seasons (2020–25).
– The Buccaneers have reached at least eight wins for the sixth consecutive season, which ties the longest-such streak in franchise history (1997–2002). Currently, only Pittsburgh (22 seasons), Baltimore (10), Buffalo (7) and Green Bay (7) have longer active streaks.
– The victory marked Tampa Bay’s sixth straight home win against the Panthers, their longest active home winning streak against any opponent. The six straight home wins is tied for their longest home winning streak against a single opponent in franchise history, joining a six-game stretch against Washington from 1994–2007 and a six-game stretch versus Minnesota from 1998–2008.
– Saturday’s win was Tampa Bay’s sixth straight game decided by four or fewer points, the second-longest streak in franchise history behind a seven-game run between the 2000 and 2001 seasons. It is the longest such streak within a single season in team history.
– The Buccaneers allowed just 19 rush yards on the day, their fewest in a single game since Week 4 of the 2021 season against the New England Patriots (-1). The 19 yards allowed is the ninth-fewest allowed in a single game in franchise history.
– Carolina averaged 1.36 yards per carry (14 carries for 19 yards) on Saturday, the seventh-worst average in their franchise history. Conversely, the 1.36 average allowed was Tampa Bay’s 12th-lowest mark allowed in a single game in Buccaneers franchise history. The 1.36 mark was the second-lowest allowed by any team in a single game this season, trailing only the 1.25 figure allowed by the Pittsburgh Steelers against the Detroit Lions in Week 16.
– The Buccaneers yielded just 16 first downs to Carolina on Saturday, their third-fewest allowed in a single game this season. Tampa Bay allowed the Panthers to gain just one rushing first down on the day, its fewest allowed in a game this season and fewest since Week 15 of the 2024 season against the Los Angeles Chargers.
– Tampa Bay limited Carolina to 1-of-8 (12.5%) on third down attempts on Saturday, with the one conversion allowed marking the fewest the Buccaneers have permitted in a game this season and the fewest since Week 15 of the 2024 season against the Los Angeles Chargers (zero). Similarly, the 12.5% conversion rate was Tampa Bay’s lowest success rate allowed in a game since that same Chargers game (0-for-6; 0%).
– LB Lavonte David finished with a team-high six tackles and one fumble recovery. In recording six tackles on the night, David tied Pro Football Hall of Famer Derrick Brooks for sixth place all-time in tackles recorded by StatsPass with 1,714. Per StatsPass records, David and Brooks are tied as Tampa Bay’s all-time leading tacklers.
– David’s fumble recovery was his 35th career takeaway, joining him with Pro Football Hall of Famers Ray Lewis and Brian Urlacher as the only players with 40+ sacks and 35+ takeaways since at least 1982. In his career, David has 21 career fumble recoveries, a franchise record, most among all active players, and second-most among all players since 1991 (Jason Taylor, 29).
– OLB Yaya Diaby added four tackles, including his team-leading 13th tackle for loss of the year. The 13 tackles for loss are tied (also, 2024) for his career high. Diaby is 1-of-7 players since 2008 with 12+ tackles for loss in each of their first three seasons (also, Lavonte David, Maxx Crosby, Aaron Donald, Khalil Mack, Micah Parsons and J.J. Watt).
– CB Jacob Parrish contributed three tackles, one pass defensed and one interception. The interception marked his second of the year, joining Week 11 at Buffalo.
– S Antoine Winfield Jr. recorded three tackles and one pass defensed. The pass defensed marked his eighth of the year, which are his second-most in a single season of his career.
– CB Benjamin Morrison logged two tackles and his first career fumble recovery, smothering the loose ball on the final play of the game.
– In his first game back from injury, DL Calijah Kancey produced one quarterback hit. He’s 1-of-12 interior defensive linemen since the start of the 2023 season to average over one quarterback hit per game.
– The Buccaneers ran for 140 yards across 42 carries, posting a new season-high in rushing attempts in a single game. The 140-yard performance was Tampa Bay’s 11th 100-yard rushing performance this season, tied for the eighth-most such games of any team this year.
– On the season, the Buccaneers ran for 1,947 yards, the eighth-most in a single season in club history. Their 4.13 yards per carry average is the ninth-best mark in team history.
– Tampa Bay posted a season-best 37:25–22:35 time of possession margin.
– QB Baker Mayfield completed 16-of-22 passes (72.7%) for 203 yards and one touchdown with one interception to produce a 97.3 passer rating. He added four carries for 31 rushing yards on the night. With his 31 rushing yards,Mayfield increased his season total to a career-high 382 rushing yards.
– TE Cade Otton finished as Tampa Bay’s leading receiver on Saturday, bringing in seven receptions for 94 yards and one touchdown. The touchdown grab marked his first of the season, and with it he surpassed Ron Hall (10) for ninth, and tied Calvin Magee and Alex Smith (11) for the seventh-most receiving touchdowns among tight ends in franchise history. Otton’s 94 receiving yards on the day marked a new season-high, and was the second-highest output in a single game in his career, trailing only Week 7 of the 2024 season vs. Baltimore (100).
– WR Mike Evans brought in two catches for 34 yards. In doing so, he surpassed Jason Witten (13,046) for the 21st-most receiving yards in NFL history.
– K Chase McLaughlin went 3-for-4 on field goal tries on the day, 29, 36 and 48 yards out. It marked McLaughlin’s fifth game this season with three-or-more made field goal attempts. With his 10 total kicking points on the night, McLaughlin surpassed Ryan Succop (384) for the eighth-most points scored in franchise history.
(Courtesy of the Buccaneers Communications Department.)
While the conclusion of the 2025 season for the Buccaneers has largely brought dread and an extreme focus on the coaching staff, the 50th football campaign in Tampa history did yield some bright spots.
Generally speaking, the 2025 NFL Draft class churned out a lot more positive nuggets than negative ones for the Bucs, and we should hopefully see them build on a team core that’s still plenty talented. Let’s review the rookies.
First Round: WR Emeka Egbuka
What felt like a luxury pick at the time in April quickly became a master stroke from GM Jason Licht come in September, when the team found itself without Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, AND Jalen McMillan due to injury. The then 22-year-old, the 19th overall pick in the draft, unexpectedly ascended into the role of WR1, which he handled better than anyone could’ve expected.
He won Offensive Rookie of Month for September after a torrid start that featured 18 catches for 282 yards and 4 touchdowns in his first four games — a start rivaled in history only by Ja’Marr Chase, Calvin Ridley, and Roy Williams.
EMEKA EGBUKA ONE-HANDED CATCH OVER SAUCE GARDNER OMG
(Via @nfl)
pic.twitter.com/ScOmpaBXwT
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 21, 2025
He wasn’t without struggles, as he experienced a midseason slump when opposing defenses started keying in on him. He also seemed to struggle with confidence, recording 9 drops per Pro Football Reference. And while part of this has to do with Baker Mayfield’s regression and the offense’s overall stagnation down the stretch, Egbuka posted a poor overall catch rate of just 49.6% (63 catches on 127 targets).
So overall, quite bit of good with some bad, but certainly acceptable given everything that was happening around him. Tampa should feel good about the future moving forward with Egbuka and McMillan.
Grade: B+
Second Round: CB Benjamin Morrison
The Bucs attacked their putrid secondary issues from 2024 with gusto, making the first of back-to-back cornerback picks at 53rd overall with Notre Dame’s Benjamin Morrison.
Morrison put up plenty of excellent tape with the Fighting Irish, but he did have some injury history going into the league, which even prevented him from participating in most of the pre-draft process before a last-minute private workout for the Bucs.
Unfortunately, the injury bug didn’t just nip Morrison in 2025 — it nearly devoured him. Playing in just 10 games (3 starts), Morrison ended up on the injury report with hamstring issues at least 4 different times between training camp and the final week of the season. Add in occasionally rotating with Jamel Dean, and it never felt like Morrison could ever establish a proper rhythm on the field.
As such, Morrison struggled to the tune of 3 touchdowns and a 112.2 passer rating allowed on just 38 targets (22 catches), and he missed 6 tackles as well. It sure seemed like his struggles affected him beyond the injuries, as Todd Bowles admitted he was a healthy scratch for the second Atlanta Falcons game.
The 21-year-old showed some enticing flashes too, so it wasn’t a complete disaster, but he’ll definitely be hoping for a much smoother campaign in 2026.
Grade: D
Third Round: CB Jacob Parrish
The chaser of Tampa’s double dip, Parrish proved to be the team’s best rookie and easily a top 5 player on the entire defense.
The electric 21-year-old athlete out of Kansas State easily seized the starting nickel role out of training camp and never looked back. Adding into that, Parrish logged a good number of snaps at outside corner as well due to injuries to Jamel Dean, Zyon McCollum, and Benjamin Morrison.
Not only that, but Parrish stayed durable himself by leading all NFL rookies in coverage snaps (474) — 345 in the slot, 81 outside, and 48 in other alignments. He allowed just 2 touchdowns and an 89.9 passer rating on 77 targets (55 receptions) while logging 2 interceptions, 7 passes defensed, 2 sacks, and a fumble recovery. A top-25 rated corner by Pro Football Focus in overall grade (69.3), Parrish proved exceptional in run defense too with a missed tackle rate of only 9.5% (76 total tackles) while recording 7 tackles for loss (easily the best among rookie corners).
Given his fast learning curve and exceptional physical tools, Parrish is primed to be Tampa’s next best nickel corner.
Grade: A+
Fourth Round: EDGE David Walker
Walker crushed the competition at FCS Central Arkansas for several years that the NFL needed to take notice. His 31 sacks and 63 tackles for loss in 38 career games there were eye-popping, and despite his unconventional, sawed-off frame (just 6-foot-1 with 31 7/8” arms), the Bucs deemed his sheer explosiveness and pass rushing talent were worth gambling on with their first pick of Day 3.
Unfortunately, we never got to see Walker in action as he tore his ACL in training camp before ever taking a single snap. As someone who presumably would’ve seen some good run as the team’s fourth pass rusher, his absence definitely put a damper on the team’s pass-rushing plan.
With any luck, his redshirt rookie year will lead to a more promising future in 2026 when he hopefully makes his real debut.
Grade: N/A
Fifth Round: DL Elijah Roberts
The FBS leader in quarterback pressures in his final two seasons at SMU, Roberts produced plenty for the Mustangs but faced questions about his role at the next level — too stiff to play on the edge, possibly not physical enough to be a base end.
The Bucs took the tweener gamble in the fifth round, and it honestly worked out as well as anyone could’ve hoped. After former first-rounder Calijah Kancey suffered yet another serious injury after only 2 weeks, Roberts essentially stepped into a starter role through the rest of the year (17 games, 9 starts), playing nearly 50% of the team’s defensive snaps (507).
On 312 designated pass rushing snaps, Roberts tallied a pressure rate of 7.3%, which ranked 7th among all rookie defensive linemen (edge rushers/outside linebackers excluded). His pressures (23) and hurries (19) both ranked second behind only Mason Graham, who went top 5 overall to the Browns. Not too bad, huh?
For a fifth-round pick, the Bucs found a rotational mainstay at minimum and a possible rock-solid starter outside the top 100 picks. He’s got more developing to do, as you’d like to see those hurries and pressures translated into more than just 2 sacks, but the early returns have been very good nonetheless.
Grade: A
Seventh Round: WR Tez Johnson
While he’s a massive size outlier, the diminutive product out of Oregon carried the swagger and confidence of someone who knew his on-field talent would earn him a role on an NFL roster.
Johnson (5-foot-10, 165 pounds) proved correct, as he took advantage of those aforementioned receiver injuries to create some impact plays for the Bucs’ offense. Playing 47% of snaps on offense (16 games, 8 starts), Johnson logged 28 catches for 322 yards and 5 touchdowns.
He still managed to remain active and make a couple splash plays even after the Bucs had their full assortment of weapons back, which bodes well for his involvement moving forward. He’ll never be a primary, high-volume target, and there were a few too many mental errors in Year 1 that need to be cleaned up, but his electrifying open-field movement ability and contrasting skill set compared to his teammates make him a valuable WR5.
You could do a lot worse for a dart-throw 7th rounder.
Grade: B
Overall, if you’re averaging out the whole class based on those grades, you’re looking at an cumulative grade of…
A-
What say you, Bucs Nation? Do you find that grade (and the accompanying player evaluations) fair? Discuss in the comments below!
Per the Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud, Todd Bowles confirmed in a text message that he will be returning as head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2026.
The topic of Bowles’s employment has been a hot topic since the final month of the season began and only heated up from there, as the Bucs lost 4 out of their last 5 games and 7 out of their last 9. An epic collapse from their conference-best 5-1 start, the Bucs looked stagnant on offense under first-time playcaller Josh Grizzard, while the defense struggled immensely down the stretch and finished 20th in points allowed per game.
Questions about effort, scheme flexibility, practice habits, and in-game decisions have heavily obscured Bowles’s outlook, who has an overall record of 35-33 in the regular season and 1-3 in the playoffs. Tampa Bay did win three straight division titles under his guidance, but in 4 years the team has experienced at least one extended losing streak each season.
It’s been reported by Stroud and others, such as ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, that Bowles will remain under the condition he significantly alter his coaching staff. What those changes will be, however, are unconfirmed currently.
It’s assumed Grizzard is in danger of being a one-and-done, as the offense severely fell off from 2024’s record-setting numbers and did not improve even as it got healthier down the stretch. Despite that, the 35-year-old showed some flashes of getting it but also a concerning amount of stubbornness, and it doesn’t seem like patience will be afforded to a young guy learning on the fly.
Special teams should also see significant turnover, as Thomas McGaughey oversaw one of the league’s worst units. Between kick blocks, inconsistent returns, and coverage busts, the team always seemed to be plugging holes while others sprung elsewhere. It got so bad on kickoffs that the team simply opted to send the ball through the endzone at the end of the year — which, with new kickoff rules, automatically starts opponents at their 35 yard line.
Finally, defensive assistants will likely see some turnover as well. The defense continued its years-long struggle with coverage busts and ineffective pass rush. On the latter point, the Bucs failed to record at least 40 or more sacks for the first time in Bowles’s seven-year tenure in Tampa (as either a coordinator or head coach).
This decision will indisputably rile a fan base that’s been vocal about the team’s relative failure to maximize a talented roster or take better advantage of a weak division. There’s no doubt about it though that this will be Bowles’s last chance to show he’s capable of elevating this team to the next level of contender.
The Buccaneers have fired offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard after just one season, per multiple reports.
The change comes on the heels of the Bucs confirming Todd Bowles’s return as head coach for the 2026 season despite the team’s disappointing 8-9 finish. The Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud initially reported his retention and added that significant staff changes were coming, of which this move marks the first domino to fall.
Grizzard, 35, was highly regarded in several circles and reportedly maintained an important role on the offense when Liam Coen led the team to franchise-best offensive output in 2024. When the Jacksonville Jaguars hired Coen, the Bucs opted to promote Grizzard for continuity’s sake.
Unfortunately, Grizzard couldn’t come close enough to replicated the top-5 offense seen in 2o24, as the Bucs fell off in basically every major metric, most notable in points per game (22.4, 18th in the league) and red zone efficiency. The team’s offensive Expected Points per Play (EPA) dropped from +0.118 to -0.011, success rate went from 48.9% to 42.1%, and red zone touchdown rate went from 66.7% to 52.8%.
Grizzard isn’t solely to blame, as the team dealt with a rash of injuries to every position group. Baker Mayfield seemed to be much more banged up then he let on, Bucky Irving missed a huge chunk of the year, the receiver corps was decimated, tight end Cade Otton missed multiple games, and the offensive line was down to third-string guards most of the year.
Those are very real challenges for a first-time playcaller, but unfortunately the biggest knock Grizzard likely couldn’t overcome was the team failing to improve in the final stretch despite being healthier than at any other point in the year. In the final 5 games, in which they went 1-4, the team averaged a paltry 20 ppg — 22nd in the league. With a full arsenal of Irving, Rachaad White, Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Jalen McMillan, and Emeka Egbuka, that’s simply hard to explain away.
With Bowles on a scorching hot seat to win again in 2026, this change should surprise no one as they will now start the process of hiring a fifth offensive coordinator in five years.
The NFL Network insiders Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport both immediately called attention to Todd Monken and Nathan Scheelhaase as top candidates in the search. Monken, who turns 60 this year, has plenty of familiarity with the Buccaneers organization, having served as OC from 2016-18 and interviewing again for the position in 2023 before accepting the same position with the Ravens.
Scheelhaase, who turns 36 this year, is the opposite end of the spectrum. A rising star under the vaunted Sean McVay coaching tree, which also gave the Bucs Coen, is likely to be a first-time NFL playcaller this year. Holding the vaunted role of pass game specialist and play designer for the Rams, which Coen also did, Scheelhaase did serve as offensive coordinator and playcaller for the Iowa State Cyclones prior to joining the Rams. He interviewed for the Bucs’ OC position last year, so that could be inside track when he’s allowed to interview next week.
The Bucs will likely look to resolve their search quick, as the last two searches took less than 2 weeks. More news on staff changes to come.
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Buccaneers fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Heading into the offseason, we want to know how you’re feeling after watching the team so far this year. Every week of the season we will ask fans if they are confident the team is headed in the right direction and more of the most pressing questions facing the coming game. Let us know what you think!
The Buccaneers find themselves in a bit of unfamiliar territory here as they have missed the playoffs for the first time since the 2019-2020 season. A disappointing finish leaves them at 8-9 for the season and sitting at home instead of playing postseason football. With that, it is clear that this team needs a lot of work in order to get back on track. It’s not impossible, but it also will be difficult to fill every hole in one offseason. However, Tampa Bay can certainly make sure they cover some of their bases at important positions. Let’s take a look at some of their top needs for this upcoming offseason.
EDGE Rusher
Tampa Bay finished the 2025 season tied for 18th in the NFL in sacks with a total of 37. It is their lowest sack total as a team since 2017 when they had just 22 total sacks. The Bucs had 16 different players show up on the stat sheet with a sack this season. The issue? Tampa Bay’s edge rushers only contributed 14 sacks for the entire season. Yaya Diaby led the team with seven total sacks so that means that Diaby was responsible for half of the edge group’s production and that is simply not good enough.
Diaby is a solid player, but he is likely better suited as a number two or even number three pass rusher than he is a top option. The Haason Reddick signing did not work out the way the Bucs envisioned when they signed him last offseason, David Walker went down with a season ending injury in the preseason and Chris Braswell did not develop the way the team had hoped. Whether it is through free agency, trade or the draft they need to look for an upgrade at edge rusher. Reddick likely won’t be back, so you are likely looking at Diaby, Anthony Nelson, Braswell and Walker being the current room in 2026. That won’t get the job done against good offenses. I’d expect Tampa Bay to be involved with many different pass rushing options this offseason.
Inside Linebacker
Some people will argue that inside linebacker is the team’s biggest need this offseason and for good reason. Long time Buccaneer great Lavonte David is about to turn 36 and it seems that retirement is pretty likely at this point. The SirVocea Dennis experiment did not work at all and at times became a liability on the field and none of their depth options really worked out. This is probably the one room on the entire team that might need a complete overhaul. Dennis is still on a rookie contract and can serve as cheap depth so you likely aren’t moving on from him, but the rest of the room may look a lot different in 2026.
Needing two, maybe three quality linebackers in one offseason might prove to be a tall task, but that shouldn’t stop them from trying. Linebacker has been an issue for this team for a few years now and the Bucs have tried to develop their own guys with K.J. Britt and Dennis and neither one worked out. It’s time to invest some serious resources for outside help. I wouldn’t be shocked if they targeted a top linebacker in free agency and also looked to draft one fairly early. That may seem like a lot of resources to dump into one spot, but that may be what is required to turn this room around.
Offensive Line Depth
When healthy, Tampa Bay’s offensive line is one of the top units in the NFL. The key words there are “when healthy” which is not something they had the luxury of in 2025. The Bucs intended starting five of Tristan Wirfs, Ben Bredeson, Graham Barton, Cody Mauch and Luke Goedeke played ZERO games together this past season. Wirfs, Bredeson and Goedeke all dealt with injuries throughout the year and Mauch suffered a season ending injury in week two. For the final few games of the season, games that Tampa Bay needed to win, they had to start Dan Feeney and Mike Jordan at the guard spots. Neither of those guys were on the Bucs original roster to start the season and they both struggled at times.
Robert Hainsey departed the Bucs to join Liam Coen in Jacksonville, and the team also allowed Justin Skule to depart for Minnesota. They replaced Skule with veteran Charlie Heck, who was fine but had his down moments as well and the team even resorted to starting undrafted free agent Ben Chukwuma at left tackle when Tristan Wirfs was hurt. The depth along this offensive line cost them last year and it is something that needs to be fixed this offseason. They can hope for better health for the unit but ultimately, they need to make sure they are better suited to handle injuries in 2026.
It is a big offseason for Tampa Bay. There are more needs than just these three, but these ones feel like spots they must find upgrades back if they want to find themselves back in the playoffs in 2026. Failure to do so may result in even bigger changes next offseason so the time is ticking to get it right over the next couple of months.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been actively interviewing candidates for their crucial offensive coordinator vacancy, with former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel emerging as the headline name.
McDaniel, known for his innovative offensive schemes and previous success running high-powered units under Kyle Shanahan’s tutelage and as Miami’s OC and head coach, completed an in-person interview Friday with the Bucs for their open offensive coordinator position.
His experience as both a play-caller and leader makes him an enticing fit to revitalize Tampa Bay’s offense after the firing of Josh Grizzard following the 2025 season.
Alongside McDaniel, Tampa Bay has interviewed several other offensive coordinator candidates, including Todd Monken, who is following John Harbaugh to New York, Mike Kafka, the Giants’ interim head coach, and David Shaw, the Detroit Lions’ passing game coordinator with decades of coaching experience.
Tampa Bay seeks a dynamic play-caller who can get the most out of Baker Mayfield and Tampa’s run game and wide receiving corps. With McDaniel still in demand around the league, his meeting with the Bucs stands out as the premier candidate interview of the cycle.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced today that the team has hired Danny Smith as its Special Teams Coordinator. Smith brings more than three decades of NFL coaching experience to Tampa Bay, including 29 as a special teams coordinator.
“Danny is one of the most respected and highly regarded special teams coaches in our league,” said Head Coach Todd Bowles. “He is an extraordinary teacher and has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to all areas of special teams. I am confident that he will get the most out of our players and take our special teams unit to the next level.”
Smith joins the Buccaneers following his 13 years as special teams coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers under Mike Tomlin. He brings 31 seasons of NFL experience with stints leading special teams units for the Philadelphia Eagles (1995-98, where he also served as defensive backs coach), the Buffalo Bills (2001-03) and the now-Washington Commanders (2004-2012). In addition, Smith spent two seasons as the Detroit Lions’ tight ends coach (1999-2000).
Smith’s units were among the league’s best in blocked kicks during his time in Pittsburgh, ranking tied for eighth since 2013, with 21. Over the past nine seasons, the Steelers are tied for the league lead with 17 blocked kicks. Under Smith’s tutelage, Miles Killebrew earned consecutive Pro Bowl trips as a special teamer from 2023-24 and leads all active players in career blocked punts (four). Conversely, the Steelers are 1-of-2 teams to not allow a blocked punt over the past nine seasons. Since 2013, Pittsburgh surrendered only 12 total blocked kicks of its own, which are tied for the fourth-fewest during that span.
In 2025, Smith’s kickoff unit limited opposing teams to the fifth-worst starting field position following kickoffs (their own 29.0-yard line), while having the second-lowest touchback rate in the league (8.2%).
Smith has also developed a number of wide receivers into key special teams performers, including Antonio Brown, who became the first player ever to record 1,000 yards receiving and 1,000 yards returning in the same season when he did so in 2013, earning a Pro Bowl selection. In 2019, Smith mentored Diontae Johnson to a league-best 12.4 yards per punt return during his rookie campaign. This past season, Ben Skowronek finished fourth in the NFL in special teams tackles (21) on his way to a Pro Bowl selection.
During his time in Pittsburgh, Smith coached kicker Chris Boswell to a pair of Pro Bowl selections and an Associated Press first-team All-Pro honor. In their 11 years together (2015-25), Boswell ranked second in the NFL in field goals made (299), second in field goal percentage from 50+ yards (82.5%, which trailed only current Buccaneers kicker Chase McLaughlin’s 84.3% during that span) and fourth in overall field goal percentage (87.7%, min. 200 attempts). Over Smith’s full tenure in Pittsburgh dating back to 2013, the Steelers enjoyed the league’s second-highest field goal percentage (88.0%), ranked fourth in total field goals made (388), and tied for fifth in the NFL with 18 game-winning field goals.
A Pittsburgh native, he attended Central Catholic High School, where he later coached from 1977-78, helping mentor future Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino. Smith went on to play defensive back at Edinboro State from 1972-76 and later served as a graduate assistant for the Fighting Scots. He was inducted into the Edinboro University Athletics Hall of Fame in 2007. He and his wife, Elaine, have three children: Erin, Courtney and Jason.
(Courtesy of the Buccaneers Communications Department.)
The Buccaneers moved quickly to secure their next offensive coordinator Wednesday night, tabbing former Atlanta Falcons OC Zac Robinson after a second interview in-person.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the deal Thursday morning.
The Bucs forewent seeing through another second interview with former Titans head coach Brian Callahan, as Todd Bowles and Co. seemed to come away impressed with a now-former division rival. The options began to dry up hastily, with perceived No. 1 option Mike McDaniel opting to join the Los Angeles Chargers and Todd Monken in ideal position for either the Giants offensive coordinator spot or even a head coaching role.
So the team opted against another first-time hire (like Cincinnati’s Dan Pitcher) and landed on experience with Robinson, who concluded a tumultuous two-year tenure with the Falcons. It both compares and contrasts in some key ways to the team’s last three coordinator hirings: Dave Canales, Liam Coen, and Josh Grizzard.
Generally, the McVay tree continues to ingrain roots in Tampa, as Robinson served as an assistant with the Rams in multiple capacities before the Falcons hired him under Raheem Morris. This matches up with Coen, who was on staff in L.A. with Robinson, and slightly so with Canales, who worked a good deal with former Rams staffer Shane Waldron in Seattle. Coen and Robinson also hold the key distinction of coaching Baker Mayfield during his brief, but important, career renaissance with L.A.
Where it differs is that Robinson now has actual NFL playcalling experience, which neither Canales, Grizzard nor Coen did — the latter did call plays in college for Kentucky.
Here’s the problem though: Robinson was not great for Atlanta.
Despite having an above-average offense line, an elite running back in Bijan Robinson, and a top-15 receiver in Drake London, the Falcons consistently ranked amongst the league’s worst in several metrics.
Last season, the Falcons ranked 23rd in points per game (20.8), 19th in total passing, 24th in passing touchdowns, 8th in overall rushing, and 11th in overall rushing touchdowns. With a peek under the hood of advanced metrics, it doesn’t paint a much prettier picture. Atlanta ranked 24th in total Expected Points Added (EPA) and EPA per play, with the passing EPA per play sitting just below average (18th overall) and rushing EPA per play (24th) in the bottom third.
So you might look at Bijan Robinson’s tremendous success and decent traditional rushing numbers overall and see some positives, but what the deeper analytics are saying is that the Falcons excelled at gaining yards and generating impact plays in low-leverage situations.
The passing game understandably withstood some major hurdles, with first-round QB Michael Penix Jr. struggling in limited action and then tearing his ACL, and Kirk Cousins then came in and did not perform particularly well either. London and other starting receiver Darnell Mooney also endured multi-game absences due to injuries.
Those excuses sound familiar?
The Falcons also performed horribly on third downs. With a conversion rate of just 33.8%, they ranked 30th out of 32 teams — ahead of only the Tennessee Titans and Minnesota Vikings. They struggled in basically every aspect, from short down in distance (-11.97 EPA on third downs between 1-3 yards) to third and long (-33.77 EPA on third downs 8+ yards).
The Bucs under Grizzard, who got plenty of flak for his third-down calls, performed much better in several key every areas than the Falcons did. What this tells is that Bowles thinks Robinson will have a much better chance of coaxing out the best in his offense with access to Tampa’s array of tools.
What have been some of the Falcons’ best offensive performances over the last two years? Against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Bowles’s defense.
The team’s best offensive output all year came in Week 15, the heartbreaking 29-28 affair that punctuated Tampa’s tailspin. Kirk Cousins went for 373 yards and three touchdowns, all to Kyle Pitts, the latter of whom can thank the Bucs for basically handing him second-team All-Pro this year. Their total EPA and EPA per play both easily cleared any other game they played.
And of course, many of us likely remember the 2024 Thursday Night Football matchup that ended in a 36-30 overtime defeat — the very one that saw Cousins throw for 509 yards and 4 touchdowns and their offense record 550 yards total.
So yeah, it sure feels like Bowles got taken out back behind the woodshed by Robinson, as is often the case when he faces McVay / Shanahan adjacent offenses, and saw bigger potential than statistics against the rest of the league proper would actually evidence. Logistically, Robinson showed very little to indicate he deserves a second chance at playcalling so soon, and it’s hard to generate much enthusiasm with this in mind.
Bowles’s lame duck status surely had a lot to do with this resolution, as his tenuous job standing simply is not going to be appealing to top-end names, just as it was three years ago. Maybe the Bucs turn it around and prove doubters wrong, but it’s hard to look at this marriage with current facts and see the potential for a top-tier football team in 2026.
MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 28: Chris Godwin Jr. #14 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown during the first quarter of an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium on December 28, 2025 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
As the Buccaneers face potentially their biggest offseason in recent years, given 2025’s tumultuous ending, they’ll need to evaluate their pending free agent class.
While the list isn’t as long as some recent years, there will still be some major decisions on the road ahead — especially when considering outside free agents might get stronger consideration than in years past.
Here is the complete list of free agents for the Buccaneers, all statuses included:
Unrestricted Free Agents
- WR Mike Evans
- WR Sterling Shepard
- LB Lavonte David
- LB Deion Jones
- CB Jamel Dean
- CB Kindle Vildor
- RB Rachaad White
- TE Cade Otton
- TE Ko Kieft
- DL Logan Hall
- DL Greg Gaines
- EDGE Haason Reddick
- QB Teddy Bridgewater
- OL Charlie Heck
- OL Dan Feeney
- OL Mike Jordan
Restricted Free Agents
- RB Sean Tucker
- S Christian Izien
- EDGE Markees Watts
- LS Evan Deckers (exclusive rights)
Club Option
- P Riley Dixon
Let’s take a look at how the team might lean when it comes to keeping or letting go of these players.
Lean Staying
Evans, David, Otton, Gaines, Tucker, Izien, Watts, Deckers
There’s been some recent rumblings from outsider sources with limited credibility that Evans wants to leave the Bucs in 2026. The Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud firmly shut down any talk of that, as there’s been no indication Evans has even had those discussions with his agent or the team.
While it’s not impossible, of course, Evans is a future Hall of Famer who has spent his entire 11-year career with the Buccaneers. He’s the best offensive player in team history by a vast margin, and his entire family is well-ingrained in the community. Entering his age-33 season, he’s battled injury the last two seasons but has shown he still has gas in the tank. Given all we know about him as a player and person, it feels more likely than not he will want to finish on much better terms if possible with the only team he’s known.
David confirmed with Kay Adams last week that, if he’s returning for Year 15, it will be in Red & Pewter without any doubt. The franchise legend, who just turned 36, has clearly slowed down to no surprise, but if he feels he can still play and the team wants him, they’ll find a role for him.
Cade Otton is the definition of a reliable contributor who fills his role with limited flash. In 63 games (58 starts), Otton has produced a respectable 207 catches for 2,018 yards and 11 TDs. He’s a willing and adequate blocker, and he has filled in several times over the last two years as a primary receiver when injuries afflicted the primary weapons. Unless he wants to leave, he’ll likely have a place in Tampa on a modest deal.
Gaines is unspectacular nose tackle depth but the team seems to like him and he’s very cheap so it seems unlikely he will leave.
It seems likely the restricted free agents will stick around. Tucker is poised for a bigger role and he’s proven to have big-play ability from time to time, while Izien and Watts are core backups and special teamers. Izien in particular provides considerable flexibility as a nickel or safety. Deckers is the long snapper and those tend to have pretty long tenures around the league, doesn’t seem like he’s given them any strong reason to move on.
Lean Leaving
Dean, White, Reddick, Bridgewater, Vildor, Jones, Heck, Feeney, Jordan
After having a career season on the heels of a paycut, it doesn’t seem likely Dean will stick around entering his age-30 season. As great as he was, Dean is still often-injured (missed three games) and it’s very risky to pay big money to a corner in his 30s. Plus, the Buccaneers drafted his replacement in Benjamin Morrison just last year. Dean’s contributions will always be appreciated, but it might be the end.
White has made painfully obvious in recent weeks via social media posts and interviews that he is not coming back so there’s not much to be said. He’s a reliable runner, pass catcher, and protector who deserves an expanded role elsewhere.
Reddick, the team’s crown jewel of the 2025 free agent class, got severely hampered by knee and ankle injuries but even then struggled to make the impact the team envisioned (2.5 sacks total in 13 games). The one-year prove-it deal did not work out, so he’ll need to find somewhere else to continue his career.
Bridgewater seems to be taking his career on a year-by-year basis, though the Bucs seemed to have very little faith in him to do much actual quarterbacking based on they kept trotting a brutalized Baker Mayfield out onto the field week after week. The team would do well to seek an upgrade here.
Vildor was valuable depth but he might seek out opportunities to start like he has done in the past.
Jones, Feeney, Heck, and Jordan are replacement-level players who should be upgraded upon whenever possible.
50/50
Hall, Dixon
Hall, the team’s top pick from 2022, has not turned into a top-level contributor but showed some growth in 2025. Entering his age-26 season, Hall might still have a future, so the Bucs may want to keep him around a while longer to see if there’s more meat on the bone. That said, he might want to get a fresh start elsewhere.
The team has a club option on Dixon’s contract for 2026, so that will be one of the bigger evaluation points. He’s due a $3 million cap hit, which isn’t nothing, and there was a bad taste on the entire special teams unit minus Chase McLaughlin and Kameron Johnson. Dixon honestly wasn’t bad most of the year, but the team could probably seek an upgrade if they wanted.
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 02: The Vince Lombardi Trophy is framed by the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots helmets during Super Bowl LX Opening Night at San Jose McEnery Convention Center on February 02, 2026 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Buccaneers fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
With the Super Bowl just days away, it’s time to get everyone on the record. Who will win Super Bowl LX? Let us know if it will be the Seattle Seahawks or New England Patriots. We will have results later this week and can compare how Buccaneers fans feel about the game compared to the rest of the league. Cast your vote now before the survey closes!
TAMPA, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 7: Head coach Todd Bowles of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers stands on the sidelines prior to an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints at Raymond James Stadium on December 7, 2025 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks are good football teams. The two ball clubs that are playing in this season’s are complete teams with offensive, defensive, and special teams success.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers don’t have any of that, at least not consistently anyway.
The Bucs finished the season falling short of the playoffs and short of another division title. With lots of injuries and plenty of miscues that made for many head-scratching moments, it served the team right to not earn a playoff spot much less play like a Super Bowl contender. And oddsmakers don’t believe they will be in next season’s Super Bowl.
According to our friends over at FanDuel, the Bucs are + 5000 to win the Super Bowl in 2027. For some context, the Falcons have the same odds, the Panthers +15000, and the Saints are at +17500. So the NFC South is not highly regarded.
The Seahawks are at the top of the list at +750.
It was an odd season for Tampa Bay. We didn’t really know what the team was about, nor what their identity was. We’ll see if next season brings some good fortunes, but who knows.
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 02:The Vince Lombardi Trophy is framed by the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots helmets during Super Bowl LX Opening Night at San Jose McEnery Convention Center on February 02, 2026 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
No, the Buccaneers are obviously not in this season’s Super Bowl. But two very good teams are.
Quarterback Drake Maye and the New England Patriots are set to take on quarterback Sam Darnold and the Seattle Seahawks in San Francisco to decide who will hoist the Lombardi trophy.
Who you got, Bucs fans?
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CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - DECEMBER 21: Mike Evans #13 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers catches a touchdown against Mike Jackson #2 of the Carolina Panthers in the first quarter of a game at Bank of America Stadium on December 21, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In the world of all things Tampa Bay Buccaneers, few things loom as large as Mike Evans. The Buccaneers all-time leader in all things offense is a free agent this offseason. Naturally, the large majority of Bucs’ fandom has cascaded into panic that their favorite Tampa Bay legend may be departing for greener pastures.
Does another year of Todd Bowles really appeal to Evans? Is Baker Mayfield the quarterback he wants tossing him passes? How important is it to Evans to finish where he started?
With these questions ever-pacing through the minds of Tampa Bay fans, every bit of Mike Evans news is oxygen to a flame. Today, Rick Stroud tossed a hefty log on that fire confirming Mike Evans will indeed play in 2026.
News of Mike Evans playing in 2026 isn’t exactly breaking— Evans had never publicly said anything to the contrary. The second portion of the tweet is slightly more newsworthy and disheartening for those hoping see Mike Evans go the Lavonte David route or turn himself into Tampa Bay’s Larry Fitzgerald.
“The Bucs would be in play.”
What does this mean for Tampa Bay? Not much has changed. The Buccaneers are and have been loyal to Mike Evans. Evans has returned that loyalty, but it hasn’t been all chocolates and roses. Two years ago, the two sides performed a very similar song and dance— Rumors of Evans leaving Tampa for a new organization that could be suited to make a championship run or for his hometown Houston Texans flurried like a northeastern snowstorm. The dialogue dragged out, but ultimately Jason Licht did what needed to be done and secured two more seasons of Mike Evans in red and pewter. That two-year contract saw Mike Evans insert his name next to Jerry Rice in the annals of NFL history with a Buccaneers’ logo on his helmet.
This offseason, Jason Licht will have a similar mission objective. Obviously, Mike Evans leaving the Buccaneers is not the desired outcome, but achieving that conclusion is anything but a guarantee. Evans has made it clear, through his negotiations in 2024 and narratives surrounding the start of this offseason, while he may want to return to Tampa, he knows his worth and the Buccaneers will need to meet that value in order to keep him around.
Once again, Jason Licht, the ball is bouncing in your court.
Nov 28, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs linebacker CJ Allen (3) in action against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the fourth quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images
The Bucs fell short of the postseason in 2025 and they’ll be looking to get right back to the big dance next year. To do that, they must find how they can replicate the formula that consistently got them there in each of the previous five seasons.
One option is for them to get their defense back in championship shape. In 2025, they ranked 19th in total defense and 20th in points allowed per game. In 2024, they were ranked fifth and sixth, respectively. That’s quite the shift in just one season.
In a new mock draft from NFL.com’s Genaro Filice, the analyst has the Bucs taking Georgia inside linebacker CJ Allen with the 15th-overall pick, a prospect many believe is a plug-and-play leader for a NFL defense.
“With Lavonte David pondering retirement, Todd Bowles has to be thinking about finding a new defensive nerve center,” says Filice. “Allen’s scouting report screams GREEN-DOT DEFENDER. A starter for the last two-plus seasons on Georgia’s loaded roster, the linebacker fully bloomed in 2025, earning first-team All-America honors from the Associated Press. Everyone raves about his football IQ and leadership skills, but some question his ability in coverage. The combine workout looms large.”
The 6’1, 235-pounder had a career-high 88 tackles in 2025 to go with eight tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. He also added four pass breakups, a forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries en route to being named a First-Team AlL-SEC selection and a Consensus All-American.
For those who haven’t seen a lot of Allen, the tape from the Florida game in the video above is definitely something you should take the time to watch.
But let’s talk about it. Would you be all-in on this pick of Allen in the first round? Yay or nay? If not, why? Let us know all of your thoughts in the comments below!
