Buccaneers Interview Falcons OC Zac Robinson; Bucs Interested In Ravens’ Todd Monken

Two days since firing offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard, the Buccaneers have discussed the position with multiple candidates. They held a virtual interview with Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, Greg Auman of FOX Sports reports. Along with Robinson, the Buccaneers have already spoken with former Titans head coach Brian Callahan.

The Falcons don’t have a head coach, which puts Robinson’s future with the organization in question, but it’s notable that they allowed him to interview elsewhere. The team previously blocked the Cowboys from interviewing defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich for the same role.

Falcons owner Arthur Blank has made it known that his preference is for Ulbrich to keep his job under the club’s next head coach. Although Robinson could join the NFC South rival Buccaneers, it doesn’t seem Blank is as attached to him as he is to Ulbrich.

An NFL quarterback from 2010-13, Robinson began his coaching career with Sean McVay‘s Rams in 2019. He spent his first season with the team as an assistant quarterbacks coach. That proved to be Jared Goff‘s last year as the Rams’ signal-caller. The Rams traded him to the Lions in a deal for Matthew Stafford during the ensuing offseason.

Robinson shifted to assistant wide receivers coach in 2020 before moving back to his assistant QBs coach role in 2021, a Super Bowl-winning campaign for the Rams. He then earned a promotion to pass game coordinator/QBs coach, responsibilities he held from 2022-23.

When former Rams assistant Raheem Morris took over as the Falcons’ head coach in 2024, he brought Robinson with him to Atlanta as his O-coordinator. Morris is now out after combining for a 16-18 record in two seasons. The 39-year-old Robinson could follow him out the door soon.

The Falcons’ Robinson-coached offense finished 23rd in points and yards in 2024, but it improved to 19th and 15th, respectively, in those categories this season. Robinson assisted in a first-team All-Pro season for running back Bijan Robinson and a second-team All-Pro campaign for tight end Kyle Pitts, but a knee injury cost No. 1 wide receiver Drake London five games. That didn’t help matters, and nor did lackluster play at quarterback.

Although the Falcons made major investments in both Kirk Cousins and Michael Penix Jr., neither has performed all that well in two years under Robinson. Since the firing of Morris, he and Robinson have drawn criticism for failing to make better use of Penix’s arm strength.

If Tampa Bay hires him, Robinson would inherit a better QB situation with Baker Mayfield, with whom he’d reunite. Robinson and Mayfield briefly worked together in LA when the latter was trying to revive his career in 2022. He’s now locked in as the Bucs’ starter.

Despite a disappointing season that ended without a playoff berth, the Buccaneers’ offense still features some strong pieces beyond Mayfield. However, wide receiver Mike Evans may retire or leave in free agency, and tight end Cade Otton is also without a contract for 2026.

Meanwhile, Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate Emeka Egbuka, Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan will return at wideout. So will tight running back Bucky Irving. After a terrific rookie year in 2024, Irving took a sizable step backward this season. It didn’t help that standout O-linemen Cody Mauch, Tristan Wirfs and Luke Goedeke missed significant time with injuries.

While Robinson may work with at least some of those players in 2026, the Buccaneers haven’t just eyed him and Callahan. They’ve also shown reported interest in former Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel and Rams passing game specialist Nate Scheelhaase. Ravens O-coordinator Todd Monken‘s name has also come up in connection to the Buccaneers. The Bucs will indeed have “big interest” in Monken if he doesn’t end up with a head coaching job, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. Monken interviewed for the Browns’ HC opening on Saturday.

Buccaneers Interview Brian Callahan For OC; Mike McDaniel On Radar

Nearly three months after his Titans firing, Brian Callahan has resurfaced on the coaching radar. The Buccaneers announced they have interviewed the veteran staffer for their offensive coordinator position.

The interview, which took place Friday, is the Bucs’ first since they fired Josh Grizzard after one season in the role. Callahan has six seasons as an NFL OC under his belt, but he is coming off a rough Titans stint that ended midway through his second season at the helm.

Callahan went 4-19 as Titans HC, with the hire reflecting poorly on Amy Adams Strunk seeing as she fired Mike Vrabel — rather than trading his rights — in order to get a jump on the 2024 coaching market. Vrabel is one of the favorites for Coach of the Year honors after going 14-3 with the Patriots. Callahan’s status changed when the Titans fired the GM who hired him (Ran Carthon), elevating Chad Brinker to president of football operations and hiring Mike Borgonzi as GM. Six games into his second season, he was out.

The Titans had struggled during Will Levis‘ disappointing second season as the starter, and they were not showing many signs of life to start the Cam Ward era. Tennessee ranked 31st in scoring offense through six games this season; Mike McCoy‘s interim HC stint only brought the team up to 30th, however. Still, Callahan has been off the radar since the Titans bailed on him early.

A non-play-calling OC for six seasons in Cincinnati, Callahan had helped develop Joe Burrow into a superstar. The Bengals made back-to-back AFC championship game appearances, but Zac Taylor did not see either of his coordinators hired as a head coach until 2024. Callahan, 41, has no history with Todd Bowles or Jason Licht.

While the Bucs have interviewed Callahan, ESPN’s Jeff Darlington notes they are one of the teams eyeing Mike McDaniel for an OC post. McDaniel is a name to keep an eye on for the Bucs, per Darlington, though other teams are believed to be interested in the recently fired Dolphins leader for an OC role. The Titans, however, have scheduled a meeting with McDaniel to discuss the job Callahan recently held. The Browns are also believed to be considering McDaniel for their HC position, though no interview has been scheduled yet.

The prospect of McDaniel staying in Florida would be interesting, as would him agreeing to sign up for a team with a head coach on the hot seat. Then again, the Bucs have promoted from within to fill their HC job twice in the past decade, elevating Dirk Koetter and then Bowles in that span. Working with Baker Mayfield and an array of skill-position talent would naturally be appealing as well, but the McDaniel market is crowded presently.

Buccaneers Fire OC Josh Grizzard

As expected, the Buccaneers will have another new offensive coordinator for the 2026 season. Josh Grizzard is out after one season, as first reported by Tom Pelissero, Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network.

Head coach Todd Bowles will remain in place for a fifth season at the helm of Tampa Bay. Changes at the OC spot were recently named as something to watch for, though. Today’s news confirms the Bucs will have a fifth new offensive coordinator in as many years. Quarterbacks coach Thad Lewis is also being let go, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler adds. He had been in place for each of Baker Mayfield‘s three Bucs seasons.

For much of last year’s hiring cycle, it appeared as though Liam Coen would stay with the Buccaneers. He ultimately landed the Jaguars’ head coaching gig, however, which created another OC vacancy in Tampa Bay. Grizzard was promoted to the role, having spent the 2024 campaign as the team’s pass-game coordinator. Expectations were high based on the familiarity in Grizzard’s case, but especially late in the season things did not go as planned for Tampa Bay.

After a 6-2 start, the Buccaneers were unable to maintain their lead in the standings upon returning from their bye week. The team wound up 8-9 and on the wrong side of a three-way tiebreaker to determine top spot in the NFC South. Questions about Bowles’ job security were raised down the stretch, but the Bucs have opted for stability at the HC spot. His attention will now turn to the latest edition of his annual offensive coordinator searches.

Grizzard’s unit ranked 18th in the NFL in scoring and 21st in total offense. Injuries up front and at the skill positions were a common theme throughout the season, but improved consistency will be sought out by his replacement. Grizzard, 35, began his coaching career at the college ranks in 2012. His first NFL stint came with the Dolphins and lasted seven years. A two-year run in Tampa Bay followed, but he now joins the list of ex-OCs on the open market.

Per Rapoport, a trio of names are worth watching with respect to potential Grizzard replacements: Rams passing game specialist Nate Scheelhaase, Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken and Falcons OC Zac Robinson. Scheelhaase interviewed with Tampa Bay for the position last year, whereas Monken served as the team’s offensive coordinator from 2016-18. His status in Baltimore is uncertain at the moment as the Ravens seek out their John Harbaugh replacement.

Robinson is still in place with the Falcons at the moment, but a new head coach-general manager tandem is yet to be hired. Once that takes place, it would come as little surprise if a reset at the coordinator spots were to follow. That would leave Robinson among the coordinators on the lookout for a new opportunity. In any case, Grizzard’s attention will now turn to his coaching prospects as the 2026 landscape takes shape.

Buccaneers Fire ST Coordinator Thomas McGaughey; Tom Moore Retires

The Buccaneers have already moved on from offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard as well as quarterbacks coach Thad Lewis. More changes are taking place on the team’s staff.

Tampa Bay has fired special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey, as first reported by Tom Pelissero, Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. This news marks an end to his two-year run with the Buccaneers. Issues on special teams presented a consistent challenge in 2025.

Head coach Todd Bowles elected not to make a change during the campaign, but shortly after the end of the season he has chosen to move forward with a replacement. McGaughey, 52, has been a special teams coach at the NFL level as far back as 2002, and he has served as a ST coordinator with five different teams. He had a six-year run with the Giants prior to joining the Bucs, but this brief Tampa Bay tenure falls more in line with McGaughey’s Jets, 49ers and Panthers stints in terms of length.

Not long after the Grizzard dismissal, ESPN’s Jenna Laine noted that discussions taking place Thursday were likely to result in more staff changes. That has certainly proven true. Several other departures have since become known, including the retirement of senior offensive consultant Tom Moore (h/t Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times). Moore’s NFL career ends at the age of 87 after decades spent on the sidelines.

Moore’s first college coaching gig came in 1961, and he began his NFL tenure in 1977. An offensive coordinator at multiple stops along the way, he held multiple titles such as a position coach and offensive consultant as well. Moore worked closely alongside Bruce Arians in Arizona and followed him to Tampa Bay in 2019. The four-time Super Bowl champion remained there through the end of this past season.

As Stroud notes, the Buccaneers have also fired defensive line coach Charlie Strong along with defensive backs coach Kevin Ross. Tampa Bay ranked 20th in points allowed in 2025, so at least some changes on that side of the ball were always expected. Meanwhile, safeties coach Nick Rapone is joining Moore in retirement at the age of 69. Another former Arians assistant, he had been in place with the Bucs since 2019. Regardless of if other moves wind up being made, a number of new faces will be in place on Bowles’ 2026 staff.

Buccaneers To Retain HC Todd Bowles; New OC In Play

Although the Buccaneers won their Week 18 game over the Panthers, the Falcons’ four-game win streak ultimately did them in. Carolina advanced to the wild-card round due to the NFC South’s three-way tiebreaker at 8-9, leaving Tampa Bay out of the bracket for the first time since Jameis Winston‘s 2019 finale.

Reports ahead of the Bucs’ Week 18 game tabbed Todd Bowles as more likely to stay, despite the team’s collapse, and the veteran HC confirmed as much to the Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud. Bowles will be back for a fifth season as Bucs HC. Staff changes, however, are coming.

Bowles, 62, confirmed there will be changes. The prospect of the Bucs having yet another new offensive coordinator is in play, with ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler indicating the team has kicked around the idea of pairing Bowles with a new OC hire and potentially changes on the defensive side.

Josh Grizzard was believed to be on the hot seat closing out his first season as the team’s offensive play-caller. The defensive changes could include a coordinator, but as it stands, that job is vacant. Bowles calls the Bucs’ defensive plays, and the former Super Bowl-winning DC is still highly regarded there.

Bowles signed a through-2028 extension this past offseason, and the prospect of firing a coach with three years left on a contract was believed to factor into the team’s decision. The Bucs slunk from 6-2 to 7-9, failing to win another NFC South title despite the division underwhelming yet again. But Bowles is poised to have at least one more chance. This will make him the first Bucs HC to coach a fifth season since Jon Gruden‘s seven-year tenure.

The Bucs have continued to pour resources into retaining their core, regularly extending and re-signing starters while relying little on outside acquisitions. That strategy limited the Colts for a while, and the team ultimately deviated. The Bucs have enjoyed more success in that area, in part because the Saints-Falcons-Panthers trio has struggled for most of this decade, and Bowles won a playoff game as HC when the Bucs ousted the Eagles in the 2023 wild-card round. But the team has stagnated since, leading to speculation about the HC’s future.

Tampa Bay has employed a different OC in each of Bowles’ first four seasons. They fired Byron Leftwich after the 2022 season, and both Dave Canales and Liam Coen booked head coaching jobs on the back of strong Baker Mayfield seasons. Tampa Bay opted for continuity rather than an outside hire this past offseason, promoting Grizzard to the OC role. The team started strong but ran into a host of injuries. The Bucs played much of the season without wideouts Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan. Bucky Irving also missed a chunk of his second season.

Offensive line issues also hounded the team, with Stroud adding ownership factored these into the decision to retain Bowles. These limitations clearly affected the offense, but the Bucs also lost late-season contests with their optimal skill-position corps available. That will turn up the heat on Grizzard.

The Bucs regressed from third to 21st in total offense from 2024 to ’25 and fourth to 18th in scoring. Grizzard being fired after an injury-plagued season would represent a tough beat, but with Bowles’ seat warming, he may need to make a move to better ensure improvement. A similar offensive cast should return in 2026, though Evans is again out of contract. As is Cade Otton. That could bring challenges for the next Bucs OC or if Grizzard manages to stay on, though the team regularly has shown the ability to re-sign pending FAs.

Bowles has not employed a true DC during his tenure, having moved from that role to his HC position midway through the 2022 offseason. The Bucs, though, did rank 20th in points allowed this season. The team lost four straight to opponents with losing records, bottoming out with a Week 15 loss to the Falcons. If nothing else, Fowler adds defensive staff additions — potentially south of the coordinator level — are being considered.

Staving off firing rumors in the past, Bowles will probably be on one of the league’s hottest seats entering the 2026 season. The defensive-minded leader will be tasked with elevating the Bucs past their place as a second-tier NFC contender, where they have resided since Tom Brady‘s unretirement.

Browns Notes: Schwartz, Stefanski, QB Situation

The Browns’ first decision of the offseason was to fire head coach Kevin Stefanski. The next step will be finding his replacement.

Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz is an internal candidate, according to Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal, which is no surprise given his success over the last three years. Owner Jimmy Haslam refused to confirm that Schwartz is a candidate on Monday (via Tony Grossi of The Land on Demand), but admitted he wanted to retain his veteran DC.

The Browns defense has consistently been the team’s stronger side of the ball since Schwartz came aboard in 2023. They ranked first in total defense in his debut season and fourth in 2025; between was a down year that was impacted by a turnover-prone offense. Schwartz’s defenses have never ranked higher than 13th in points allowed, though that can again be partially attributed to the offense consistently losing the field position battle. But his familiarity with the current roster – which is primarily built on defensive cornerstones – is a major factor in his favor.

The Browns’ quarterback situation is, as always, a key part of their long-term planning that goes hand-in-hand with their decision on a new head coach. Despite some potential flashed by Shedeur Sanders this season, Cleveland still seems to be intent on nabbing a top quarterback prospects in one of the next two drafts. That would normally lean a team towards hiring an offensive coordinator for the top job. However, this hiring cycle is considered a weak one for potential offensive-minded head coaches who could groom a young QB.

Cleveland may therefore be better served by promoting Schwartz and adding an up-and-coming offensive assistants to work with the next quarterback. However, Haslam also indicated that he is ultimately open to a head coach with a background on either side of the ball. Their last four hires were offensive-minded coaches, but their lack of success in that stretch could inspire them to break the pattern.

Here is the latest out of Cleveland:

  • Even if they hire a defensive head coach, the Browns will be focusing on improving their offense this offseason. General manager Andrew Berry promised “significant investment” in the unit, per Grossi, with a first-round quarterback no doubt on the table. Cleveland may also need to replace multiple offensive linemen this offseason and could stand to improve their wide receiver corps.
  • Deshaun Watson is expected to be on the roster in 2026, Berry said on Monday (via Grossi). He is still completing his rehab from dual Achilles tears suffered last season. This follows a report indicating the same, with Watson’s onerous contract requiring an untenable dead money number to shed.
  • The Browns will still wait on any potential quarterback moves until they hire a new coach. From there, though, his first priority will likely be figuring out the team’s 2026 starter.
  • Stefanski has no intention of taking time away from football and has immediately thrown his hat in the ring for other head-coaching opportunities, per The Athletic’s Dianna Russini. He is already expected to interview with the Giants, Titans, and Falcons. He will not, however, take a lesser job with the Buccaneers and reunite with Baker Mayfield, per FOX Sports’ Greg Auman.
  • Longtime Browns guard Wyatt Teller is set to hit free agency for the first time in his career. The eight-year veteran does not know if his agent has discussed a new deal with the team, according to Easterling. If Cleveland is pursuing another rebuild, they may opt to move on from the 31-year-old lineman in favor of younger players.
  • Though rookie tight end Harold Fannin emerged as an impact pass-catching this season, the Browns are still interested in retaining pending free agent David Njoku. He wants to stay in Cleveland, too, per ESPN’s Dan Graziano, but coaching staff changes could change the calculus for either side.

RB Rachaad White Expects To Depart Buccaneers

Rachaad White seems to think he’ll be playing elsewhere in 2026. The impending free agent running back posted a farewell message to the Buccaneers on Instagram, per Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times.

A former third-round pick, White once seemed like he was going to lead the Buccaneers RBs room for years to come. He played alongside Tom Brady as a rookie and finished with 771 yards from scrimmage, and he took his production to another level in the Baker Mayfield-led offense in 2023. White finished his sophomore campaign with 1,539 yards from scrimmage and nine touchdowns.

However, the Buccaneers added Bucky Irving in the fourth round of the 2024 draft, and the Oregon product ended up emerging as the lead option by the end of that season. Irving’s rookie campaign saw him finish with more than 1,500 yards from scrimmage and eight touchdowns, while White finished with 1,006 offensive yards and nine scores. Irving ended up missing a chunk of games this season, but White had one of the least productive showings of his career, finishing with 4.6 yards per touch.

Sean Tucker is set to hit restricted free agency, leaving Irving as the only definitive Buccaneers RB to return in 2026. Considering the organization’s ability to juggle multiple players at the position in recent years, the Buccaneers probably wouldn’t completely shut the door on re-signing White. However, the veteran seemed to indicate in his social media post that he’ll be playing for a new squad in 2026.

Considering White’s success as a starter and his pass-catching ability, he shouldn’t lack for suitors as a free agent. He’ll be joining a relatively strong free agent class that includes the likes of Breece Hall, Kenneth Walker, Travis Etienne, and Javonte Williams.

NFL Reserve/Futures Deals: 1/5/26

We’ve got our first batch of reserve/futures contracts to pass along. These moves allow organizations to retain (routinely) young, practice squad players. Here are the latest transactions:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

  • OT Gerad Christian-Lichtenhan, WR Cornelius Johnson, DT David Olajiga, DB Amani Oruwariye, G Jared Penning, DB Marquise Robinson, LB Kaimon Rucker, FB Lucas Scott

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints

  • CB Dalys Beanum, CB Beanie Bishop, WR Elijah Cooks, S Elliott Davison, DT Coziah Izzard, OT Easton Kilty, CB Jayden Price, OT Barry Wesley

New York Giants

New York Jets

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/5/26

Today’s minor moves:

Cincinnati Bengals

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Los Angeles Rams

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Each of the players who were extended today received deals that last through the 2026 campaign. These contracts differ from reserve/futures contracts, which don’t count towards the team’s active list until after the Super Bowl.

The Bengals were especially active with these extensions today, handing out deals to a handful of players who could be in line for larger roles next season. Journeyman Joe Giles-Harris got into a career-high 10 games for Cincinnati this season, compiling 27 tackles while serving as a key special teamer. Shaka Heyward (16 tackles) and PJ Jules (18 tackles) saw similar roles for the 2025 Bengals. Mitchell Tinsley got some run on the Cincy offense this season, hauling in eight catches for 116 yards in 17 games.

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