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.
Grizz was a Scapegoat!!!
His offense was pretty good, the Buc offensive line was offensive this past season, it was offensive!!!!!
The Glazer Family really ought to come out and fully explain their decision of keeping one Todd Bowles!!! He isn’t even fit to be a parking lot attendant at Raymond James Stadium! He would snarl traffic before each home game and long after the game was over, the traffic would finally return to normal sometime on Wednesday after home game, he is that bad!
The guy who was defensive coordinator when they went to two super bowls and won one, then was head coach for three straight division winners, including two straight after losing the greatest quarterback of all time, isn’t even fit to be a parking lot attendant. Sure, that seems measured.
TB12 had one of the most stacked teams won that SB and the Bucs play in the one of the weakest divisions in football. This is the fifth OC in five years as the article states. Bowles should have been fired. 100% scapegoat move here
Two of those OCs were such great hires that they got HC jobs. That’s not a demerit on Bowles.
and I wonder if you asked Bucs fans who they would rather have between Bowles, Canales, or Coen what the answer would be
Except that you lost them because you had Bowles as your HC instead of giving it to them.
*I* did not lose anything. I am not the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Sure, not a demerit, but an EXPULSION!!!
Bowles is a tomato can!
This is the NFL and it stands for Not For Long! with the kind of coaching that Bowles did this year!
The offense was atrocious. Very vanilla and conservative.
You can blame injuries but they were 6-2 without Evans, Godwin, and McMillan for most of that.
They were closer to full strength(as much as anyone that late) and still couldn’t get it done.
I think Bowles should be gone as well, but the offense was absolutely a problem.
Offense was pretty good? wTF were you watching?
WTF.???? was I watching, the Tampa Bay Seattle Game
38-35!!!!!!
So one game early in the season? You should have checked the rest of the season out. It was not good.
Why fire this guy and Thad Lewis over Bowles the bucs are so unserious as a franchise
Because the offense declined despite having good weapons. They didn’t fire Bowles because there is really no good options out there. Harbaugh can only coach 1 team and it was not going to be Tampa. Might as well hang on to him and wait until next years cycle. Bowles also was given extension the owners are not going to eat that money for him to not coach.
That has to be the lamest take ever conceived. Down 2 OGs all season, both OTs missed time, #3 WR out for 14 weeks, #1 and #2 WR missed significant time and starting RB missed 2 months…Grizzard is a scapegoat. Cheap and stupid owners relying on Bruce Arians input to save his guy….it’s a tank for Arch Manning season. Glazers are chasing the Manning name.
Except they won those games when guys were out. They started losing when guys came back. Mike is the only stretch they really had some losses. From the Saints game on they were mostly healthy and loss. They didn’t even lose shootouts which would have saved Grizz.
They just re-signed him to a new contract. Otherwise, he probably would be gone. Also, the offense is the strength of the team. Their defensive picks the last few years leave a lot to be desired. If anything let him find another OC. The last two were great hires. They lazily promoted this time, and it blew up on them like how it’s blown up on the Eagles when they’ve done that. Best probably to go looking for fresh faces with fresh ideas when the previous OC moves on like the last two. At worst, he might find his replacement after next year.
Expected Grizz to be gone, I think the ST coach needs to go too and they need to hire a DC. Anyone coming in must know it is a 1 year thing, I can see them maybe getting Kliff for 1 yr which is all he is ever good for.
Not gonna happen. Baker hates Kliff Kingsbury from his year at Texas Tech.
I figure since he left him they couldn’t be on good terms. They will get someone experienced though.
Defensive overhaul, especially through the draft
Ironically, this is the biggest problem with this team. Licht has neglected the defense since their Super Bowl run. i don’t know if he doesn’t know what to draft without Arians guiding his hand or what, but it has not been good. Bowles also needs to go back to calling the defense. This same thing happened when he was in NY where he tried to take a hands off approach, and the defenses didn’t resemble how excellent they were under him as a DC.
Gotta fire some staff if you keep the underperforming Head Coach, as otherwise you can’t generate the necessary ticket sales.
Let’s be real ticket sales are not a factor. Even when they had Brady they didn’t have a strong home field. Florida isn’t a place for great pro fanbases.
Sports teams sell ‘hope’ every offseason. There’s not much chance of selling hope if you bring everyone back on a 8-9 team.
I’d hate to see where some of you work. If they decided to keep him, and it’s probably money related since he just got a new contract last summer, somebody needs to go from these underachieving seasons. Status quo is what losers do. Also, Grizzard was not good at his job. Probably wasn’t ready for that responsibility quite yet.
Josh Grizzard and the Lizard Wizard
The offensive strategies of the Dolphins’ OC resulted in him quietly being referred to as: Chicken Grizzard and Turkey Grizzard.
don”t think Brady is coming out of ownership to save the Bucs again .. next year could be even worse
They just fired ST coach too.