If you’ve followed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the last few years under head coach Todd Bowles, you inherently understand that accountability isn’t high on the list of franchise priorities.
Bowles likes to blame others for his mistakes and isn’t scared to do so publicly.
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox predicts the worst-case scenario for the Buccaneers in 2026 could be a 2nd consecutive year of offensive regression under new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson.
Robinson, who spent the last few years as the offensive coordinator of the Atlanta Falcons, comes with plenty of red flags and joins a franchise that’s become its own, special kind of red flag after going 8-9 in 2025 and missing the playoffs for the 1st time since 2019.
“The Buccaneers fired offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard after just one season, replacing him with former Falcons OC Zac Robinson,” Knox wrote. “There are things to like about Robinson, including his experience — albeit brief — with Baker Mayfield as the Rams quarterbacks coach and pass-game coordinator. However, there are also reasons for concern. Atlanta had a loaded skill group this past season, but ranked just 14th in total offense. While the Bucs have some very good offensive players, they don’t boast a truly elite talent like Bijan Robinson or Drake London.”
Part of the fallout from last year’s disaster was Bowles firing of offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard after 1 season — a convenient scapegoat because Bowles also serves as the defensive coordinator and can’t exactly fire himself.
Also, if the argument for Robinson is that he had previous experience working with Mayfield, so did Grizzard, who worked with him for an entire season as Tampa Bay’s pass game coordinator in 2024.
Grizzard’s New Job With Super Bowl Contender
It didn’t take long for Grizzard to find a new job with a Super Bowl contender — he was hired as the quarterbacks coach for the Philadelphia Eagles in January, where he’ll work directly with Super Bowl LIX MVP Jalen Hurts.
“More help in Philadelphia: Eagles are hiring former Buccaneers offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard as their pass game coordinator, per sources,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter wrote on his official X account on Friday. “Grizzard now will join new Eagles offensive coordinator Sean Mannion to lead Philadelphia’s offense.”
The Eagles fired their offensive coordinator, Kevin Patullo, following an embarrassing home loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Wild Card Round.
“Congrats to Josh Grizzard, the Bucs former offensive coordinator who was a bit of a scapegoat for the 8-9 season,” Tampa Bay Times NFL reporter Rick Stroud wrote on his official X account. “He gets a fresh start with the Eagles as the pass game coordinator.”
Grizzard Went From Head Coach Candidate to Fired
Grizzard started off the 2025 season as one of the more buzzed-about assistant coaches in the NFL — to the point he was even being mentioned as a possible head coaching candidate following a 5-1 start to the regular season.
Injuries and Grizzard’s inability to retool the offense with what was available were just 1 factor in Tampa Bay losing 7 of its last 9 games and missing the playoffs, but ultimately led to him being fired. Fair or not.
Tampa Bay’s previous 2 offensive coordinators each turned their 1 season with the Buccaneers and Mayfield into head coaching jobs — Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales following the 2023 season and Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen following the 2024 season.
Bucs Warned Offense Could ‘Stall’ Under New Coordinator