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Panthers Activate G Robert Hunt From IR

By | at January 9, 2026 3:33 pm

The Panthers are big underdogs to the Rams in the wild-card round, having finished 8-9. But the home team will have a key offensive line presence available. Robert Hunt is coming off IR, where he has resided since a Week 2 injury.

Carolina announced Friday Hunt is now activated, and the high-priced guard will start against Los Angeles. A biceps tendon tear has kept Hunt out for nearly four months, but the Panthers will have their two guard starters — Hunt and Damien Lewis — ready for the franchise’s first playoff game in eight years.

[RELATED: Injured Reserve Return Tracker]

Hunt returned to practice on Christmas Eve but was given a ramp-up period despite the Panthers not being on firm playoff footing. The patience ultimately will be rewarded, and Hunt will have a chance to close out his season on a high note. The former Dolphins second-round pick is finishing out the second season of a five-year, $100MM contract.

The Panthers, who have four injury activations remaining, have used Austin Corbett as their other guard. Corbett has yoyoed between guard and center in Carolina. Cade Mays has become the Panthers’ primary center. Hunt, 29, started 16 games last season and had built considerable momentum during his final years in Miami.

ESPN’s run block win rate metric slotted Hunt second among all interior offensive linemen last season. The Panthers have deployed a middling run game this season, despite some quality earlier Rico Dowdle work. They rank 19th in rushing and 27th in scoring offense.

Carolina has been maddeningly inconsistent on offense in Bryce Young‘s third season; Young’s development (or lack thereof at the time) was the key driver for Hunt and Lewis to be given big-ticket FA contracts in 2024. The Panthers will not be expected to beat the Rams twice in one season — well, Vegas certainly doesn’t think this will happen — but they should have a better shot with a key offensive starter back.

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Titans Schedule Mike McDaniel HC Interview

By | at January 9, 2026 3:08 pm

Mike McDaniel is drawing extensive OC interest, but the recently fired Dolphins leader is not certain to fall past the HC level just yet. Browns interest in the four-year Dolphins coach has emerged, and the Titans will take it a step further by setting up an interview.

The Titans will meet with McDaniel about their HC job Wednesday, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports. McDaniel is generating “significant” interest, so it will be interesting to see how many HC interviews he books. This is McDaniel’s first scheduled HC interview since the firing.

Tennessee’s search is already wide-ranging, as the AFC South team has been without a full-time HC since October. McDaniel is the 10th former head coach to receive a Titans interview slip thus far. With other candidates in the mix as well, this search is starting to remind of the Jets’ exhausting 2025 process. GM Mike Borgonzi was part of that search as a candidate, and with full roster control now, the second-year Titans exec is operating similarly as he looks to make his first HC hire.

We heard before the Titans’ season ended the team would prioritize experience. The Titans missed on Brian Callahan, firing the former Bengals OC after just 23 games, but hit on Mike Vrabel. The latter did not have HC experience, either. The team gave Mike Mularkey a third HC opportunity previously; that came after retread Ken Whisenhunt did not make it out of a second season in the role. While first-timers are present on Tennessee’s interview docket, signs are pointing to a second- or third-chance HC being the pick.

Borgonzi has an extensive history with Matt Nagy, who has been a candidate since this process started. Nagy is a former play-caller who has settled back into a non-play-calling role in Kansas City. The two-time Chiefs OC and former Bears HC likely will be a finalist for this job given his ties to Borgonzi, but McDaniel called plays throughout his time in Miami.

That included two upper-crust offenses, despite the ex-49ers OC inheriting a quarterback the previous coaching staff could not unleash. Tua Tagovailoa led the NFL in yards per attempt in 2022, passing yards in 2023 and completion percentage in 2024. McDaniel played a central role in the former top-five pick taking off, though he later benched him weeks before his own dismissal. The Titans have their own holdover quarterback whose development represents the top organizational priority, as Cam Ward finished last in QBR as a rookie but will obviously go into the 2026 season as the starter.

McDaniel, 42, will likely receive multiple OC offers, per veteran insider Jordan Schultz. The Lions reached out hours after his Dolphins ouster. The Browns have lurked as an interested party since before season’s end. Considering Kevin Stefanski‘s background under Gary Kubiak, it would be quite interesting for the Browns to pivot to an ex-Kyle Shanahan disciple. But McDaniel has been on their radar for a bit. An interview should be expected. Despite the Dolphins briefly including McDaniel in their GM search only to fire him soon after, the two-time playoff qualifier looks set to land on his feet.

Here is how the Titans’ HC search looks as of Friday afternoon:

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Jason Garrett To Interview For Titans’ HC Position

By | at January 9, 2026 12:41 pm

JANUARY 9: Garrett’s interview will take place today, and veteran Titans reporter Paul Kuharsky adds it will be in person. Staffers currently unemployed are free to conduct virtual or in-person interviews with interested teams at any time. Depending on how today’s sit-down goes, it will be interesting to see if Garrett winds up earning another look with Tennessee.

JANUARY 6: Jason Garrett has made a somewhat surprising return to the NFL radar. The former Cowboys coach-turned-NBC analyst is on track to interview for the Titans’ HC job, ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano reports.

Virtually off the PFR pages since the 2021 season, Garrett last worked in the NFL as Giants OC from 2020-21. He is best known, of course, for a nine-plus-season run as the Cowboys’ HC. Certainly a polarizing figure in the NFL, Garrett represents the second ex-Cowboys HC to land on the Titans’ radar during this cycle. The team has been linked to Mike McCarthy as well.

Now 59, Garrett has served as a Football Night in America analyst (with occasional booth work in place of Cris Collinsworth) and a Notre Dame announcer. He was linked to the Duke and Stanford jobs earlier this decade but has been off the coaching radar since.

Viewed as a high-end coaching candidate once upon a time, Garrett succeeded in spurts and certainly was on a long leash under Jerry Jones. Regularly viewed as a coach who avoided the chopping block, Garrett did lead the Cowboys to three playoff berths during his time at the helm. This included divisional-round trips in each season, though the second of those involved a one-and-done as the NFC’s No. 1 seed. The Cowboys missed the playoffs in 2019, representing a disappointment as Dak Prescott played the season on his fourth-round contract after failed extension talks, and Jones finally cut the cord several days after the season.

Garrett went 85-67 as Cowboys HC, and while he did interview for the Chargers’ HC job in 2021, the former Dallas quarterback has been mostly out of the mix for a top sideline role since his 2020 firing. The Giants fired Garrett in November 2021. Daniel Jones did not show much progress under Garrett, who coached the Eli Manning successor in his second and third seasons.

Garrett did do well mentoring Tony Romo, and Prescott emerged quickly despite being a fourth-round pick. Garrett was not the Cowboys’ play-caller throughout this period, though, regularly operating as a CEO coach. This interview, however, surely will not go over well with a sizable sect of Titans fans. A number of candidates are in the mix for this position, as GM Mike Borgonzi is running his first coaching search.

34 comments Tennessee Titans

Ravens Request Interview With Joe Brady; Team Completes Klint Kubiak Interview

By | at January 9, 2026 11:58 am

The list of Ravens targets for their head coaching position has grown. Joe Brady is the latest name to emerge on that front.

[RELATED: HC Search Tracker]

Baltimore has submitted an interview request with the Bills‘ offensive coordinator, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Brady has previously been linked to the Giants, but this represents the first formal interview request in his case. With Buffalo set to play in the wild-card round, an interview cannot take place until next week.

Brady worked as an assistant with the Saints for two years before taking on the role of pass-game coordinator at LSU in 2019. His success in that capacity resulted in a return to the NFL coaching ranks and a new role along the way. Brady served as Matt Rhule‘s OC with the Panthers for two years.

Things did not go according to plan in Carolina, and prior to his own dismissal Rhule replaced Brady. The latter moved on to Buffalo, taking over as the team’s quarterbacks coach. Brady wound up replacing Ken Dorsey midway through the 2023 season, and he has overseen the Bills’ offense since then. Not for the first time in his career, though, the 36-year-old finds himself on the radar of HC-needy teams.

The Ravens moved on from John Harbaugh earlier this week, creating the team’s first head coaching vacancy since 2008. Candidates with a background on offense and defense have been connected to the opening, to no surprise. Brady is among the comparatively few staffers set to be in demand with a history of calling plays on offense.

Meanwhile, the Ravens announced on Friday that they have completed an interview with Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak. The former Vikings and Saints offensive coordinator has enjoyed a strong debut season in Seattle, one in which he has worked alongside former Ravens assistant Mike Macdonald. Todd Monken has called plays in Baltimore during each of the past three seasons, but a new head coach with a background such as Brady or Kubiak would likely handle those responsibilities in 2026.

Here is an updated look at the Ravens’ ongoing search:

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Russell Wilson Suffered Hamstring Tear, Wants To Play In 2026

By | at January 9, 2026 11:10 am

JANUARY 9: Doubling down on his intention of playing next season, Wilson recently revealed (via ESPN’s Jordan Raanan) he changed agents. The former Super Bowl winner will now be represented by David Mulugheta as he prepares for an expected change of scenery.

JANUARY 5: Russell Wilson is nearing the end of a decorated career, albeit one that has trended steeply downward over the past few seasons. The 14-year veteran, however, has no intention of retiring after this season.

The demoted Giants quarterback confirmed (via Newsday’s Tom Rock) he will seek to play a 15th season. It would certainly appear the Giants will not be interested in giving him that opportunity. Jameis Winston is signed for one more season, being set to retain his role as Jaxson Dart‘s backup. Wilson also shared a bit of pertinent information regarding his Giants season.

Although the Giants benched Wilson after Week 3, he indicated he suffered a hamstring tear before his high-octane Week 2 performance in Dallas. Wilson said the injury occurred on the final play of the last practice that week.

“I know what I’m capable of. I think I showed that in Dallas, and I want to be able to do that again,” Wilson said. “I played that [Week 2] game, you know, I tore my hamstring on Friday in practice — the last play of practice. And I had a grade two [tear]. I couldn’t tell anybody. I had to go and play on it just because I knew the circumstance, I had to play on it, no matter what.”

Wilson said he went to the Dallas Mavericks’ facility for rehab purposes but indicated he did not inform the Giants of his injury. It is worth wondering how he meandered into the Mavericks’ facility without anyone from the Giants knowing, but Wilson went to X to say the Giants did not know about his injury before the Cowboys game. The Giants presumably will not be too happy to learn of Wilson’s secret injury. Wilson did not appear on the Giants’ injury report before Week 2 or Week 3.

Wilson went on to throw for a career-high 450 yards in that overtime loss. He finished with three touchdown passes and completed more than 73% of his throws. A much worse outing against the Chiefs in Week 3 began the Dart era, however, and Wilson was relegated to afterthought status after Winston leapfrogged him on the depth chart.

The Giants will likely be subject to an NFL investigation on this, per Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, who adds a source informed him this belated confession will not make a team especially eager to add Wilson for 2026. Boos rained down when Wilson replaced an injured Dart in Week 6 at MetLife Stadium, but he is a year removed from guiding the Steelers to the playoffs. Wilson, however, was not deemed a Steelers priority to re-sign last year. He waited behind Aaron Rodgers in Pittsburgh’s queue before signing a one-year, $10.5MM Giants deal.

That became a bridge contract, as the Giants traded up for Dart in Round 1. Wilson, 37, is unlikely to command that in 2026. He has been benched in two of the past three seasons, though the Broncos’ decision late in the 2023 season appeared more contract-related, and some among the Steelers wanted to keep him on the bench for Justin Fields after the older QB finished rehabbing his calf injury. Wilson, who played hurt in 2022 as well, adding this hamstring issue to his medical history will only complicate his case at another gig.

Wilson did play better in 2023 than he did under Nathaniel Hackett in 2022, and he finished an abbreviated 2024 season — albeit one that included a season-closing five-game Steelers losing streak — with 16 touchdown passes and five interceptions. He is undoubtedly still talented enough to be a backup and took on a mentor role for Dart this season. Conflicting reports surfaced about the Bengals’ interest following Joe Burrow‘s injury. Will another team sign up for Wilson as a bridge option, or is he squarely on the QB2 level now?

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Titans Submit HC Interview Requests For Jesse Minter, Chris Shula

By | at January 9, 2026 10:26 am

The Titans‘ list of interview targets regarding their head coaching vacancy has continued to grow. Two of the top defensive candidates in this year’s cycle have received a slip from Tennessee.

The team has issued an interview request with Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter along with Rams DC Chris Shula, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. In both cases, Tennessee loomed as one of the teams mentioned as a potential suitor during the early portion of the hiring cycle. Today’s update thus comes as little surprise.

Minter is currently preparing for the Chargers’ wild-card game against the Patriots. Likewise, the Rams will play the Panthers during the opening round of the playoffs. By rule, neither staffer is allowed to conduct an interview until next week. All first-round interviews (which will be virtual) must be completed before the start of the divisional round.

A defensive coordinator with various college programs, Minter’s first NFL opportunity came with the Ravens in 2017. After a four-year run in Baltimore, he returned to the college ranks. Minter, 42, spent a pair of years as Michigan’s defensive coordinator under Jim Harbaugh, then jointly departed two years ago to join the Chargers. Los Angeles has posted a top-10 finish in points allowed during both of Minter’s seasons in his current role.

Shula has also spent the past two seasons handling an NFL coordinator role for the first time. Don Shula‘s grandson has been with the Rams dating back to Sean McVay‘s arrival in 2017, however. Shula has worked his way through the ranks on Los Angeles’ staff, serving as a position coach and defensive pass-game coordinator prior to taking on the DC gig. The 39-year-old is younger than most candidates in this year’s pool, but he is a name to watch as the next McVay assistant with a strong chance of landing a head coaching gig. Shula has also been linked to the Giants, but this represents his first interview request.

As the Titans continue to seek out their full-time Brian Callahan replacement, here is an updated look at their search:

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Browns Arrange HC Interviews With Dan Pitcher, Aden Durde

By | at January 9, 2026 8:59 am

Earlier this week, Bengals offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher and Seahawks defensive coordinator Aden Durde each received a head coaching interview request from the Browns. Both have accepted.

Per a team announcement, interviews with both Pitcher and Durde will take place today. As required by NFL rules, they will be conducted virtually. These will mark the first two interviews of outside candidates for the position, after Tommy Rees and Jim Schwartz both interviewed for the chance to replace Kevin Stefanski.

To date, Pitcher has only been connected to the Browns’ HC opening. The 38-year-old entered the NFL as a scout with the Colts, but his coaching tenure has consisted entirely of work with the Bengals. Pitcher joined Cincinnati in 2016, and over time he worked his way up to quarterbacks coach. When Brian Callahan departed in 2024 to become the Titans’ head coach, Pitcher replaced him as the Bengals’ offensive coordinator.

Head coach Zac Taylor remained Cincinnati’s play-caller after Pitcher’s promotion. That is likely to continue into 2026, and Taylor does not intend to make any major staff changes this offseason. Pitcher will look into at least one head coaching opportunity during this year’s cycle, though.

Durde, 46, has seen his stock rise over the course of his time as an NFL coach. A former Cowboys and Falcons intern, he drew strong reviews for his work as a position coach during later stints in Atlanta and Dallas. That resulted in Durde’s first coordinator opportunity in 2024. Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald has called plays on defense for Seattle, but Durde has served as a key staffer for the unit. In 2025, the NFC’s top seed ranked No. 1 in scoring defense. That has landed Durde at least one interview, but more could follow in the near future.

Here is an updated look at where Cleveland’s HC search stands:

  • Aden Durde, defensive coordinator (Seahawks): To interview 1/9
  • John Harbaugh, former head coach (Ravens): Rumored mutual interest
  • Mike McDaniel, former head coach (Dolphins): Rumored candidate
  • Todd Monken, offensive coordinator (Ravens): Interview requested
  • Dan Pitcher, offensive coordinator (Bengals): To interview 1/9
  • Tommy Rees, offensive coordinator (Browns): Interviewed 1/8
  • Jim Schwartz, defensive coordinator (Browns): Interviewed 1/8
1 comment Cincinnati Bengals Cleveland Browns Seattle Seahawks

Dolphins Fire HC Mike McDaniel

By | at January 8, 2026 10:59 pm

The uncertainty surrounding Mike McDaniel‘s status has ended. Miami has elected to move in a new direction with respect to the head coaching spot.

McDaniel has been fired, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. This ends his four-year run leading the team and creates an eighth head coaching vacancy around the league. Signs pointed toward McDaniel staying in the days following the regular season, but that will not be the case. McDaniel was caught off guard by this decision, per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.

[RELATED: Fallout From McDaniel Firing; Latest On John Harbaugh]

“After careful evaluation and extensive discussions since the season ended, I have made the decision that our organization is in need of comprehensive change,” a statement from owner Stephen Ross reads in part. “I informed Mike McDaniel this morning that he has been relieved of his duties as head coach.”

Through the second half of the season, it remained unclear if McDaniel would be retained for 2026. The 42-year-old was safe after the mid-season dismissal of general manager Chris Grier, something which suggested a strong finish to the campaign would allow him another year at the helm. Miami did improve to an extent late, albeit to wind up with a record of 7-10. That made 2025 the second straight season with a losing record under McDaniel, whose overall mark with Miami was 35-33.

McDaniel had a say in the early portion of Miami’s GM search, although it recently became clear he would not be present for interviews. Still, his lingering presence through the Dolphins’ decision to narrow their list of general manager targets suggested McDaniel would be safe. Candidates to replace Grier naturally received questions about working alongside the ex-49ers staffer but also the possibility of a different coach being brought in. With a shortlist of GM targets now in place, the latter route will be taken.

The timing of this move is certainly interesting. The 2026 cycle is set to be dominated by the presence of John Harbaugh, whose 18-year Ravens run came to an end on Tuesday. Multiple reports have pointed to teams contemplating a pursuit of the Super Bowl winner by firing a coach they otherwise would have kept. It remains to be seen if the Dolphins fit that description, as conflicting updates emerged yesterday with respect to Miami’s interest in Harbaugh. The team has not yet reached out to Harbaugh’s agent, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports. Meanwhile, Schefter’s colleague Jeff Darlington notes McDaniel’s firing would have taken place with or without Harbaugh on the market.

An NFL coach dating back to 2005, McDaniel spent time in Denver, Houston, Washington, Cleveland and Atlanta early in his career. He worked under Kyle Shanahan with the Falcons for two seasons before following him to San Francisco in 2017. Over the course of a five-year run with the 49ers, McDaniel generated a reputation as one of the league’s top young offensive minds.

His first head coaching gig came with the Dolphins, and McDaniel saw early success in the role. Miami reached the postseason in each of his first two years at the helm, bowing out in the wild-card round both times. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was not available for the first of those two playoff losses, but when healthy his best performances have come under McDaniel. With that said, 2025 marked a downturn in production from under center, and Tagovailoa was benched late in the season.

A change at the quarterback spot could be coming relatively soon, with Tagovailoa open to a change of scenery. A decision on that front will need to be made by the new general manager in tandem, presumably, with McDaniel’s replacement. In the meantime, McDaniel will become one of the top offensive minds on the market. Interest in a second HC gig could emerge, but failing that there should be a number of offensive coordinator opportunities over the coming days and weeks.

The Dolphins have not won a playoff game since 2000. Ending the NFL’s longest drought in that regard will of course be a central goal for the team’s new decision-makers. As one of only two teams in need of both a general manager and head coach, Miami will be one to watch closely in the near future.

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Bills, Packers On Radar For John Harbaugh?

By | at January 8, 2026 10:58 pm

When six non-Ravens HC openings existed, a report indicated seven teams reached out to John Harbaugh within minutes of his firing. Seven non-Baltimore openings are now present, with the Dolphins firing Mike McDaniel today. Another report, however, indicated as many as nine teams had contacted Harbaugh before the Miami development.

A Wednesday report indicated a push from a team playing in the wild-card round is a rumor floating out there, and Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio pinpoints two potentially interested clubs. The Bills and Packers are viewed by some around the league as teams to monitor with regards to lurking Harbaugh suitors.

Some other teams playing in the first round should not be completely disqualified from Harbaugh pursuits in the event of one-and-done playoff journeys, but Florio mentions Buffalo and Green Bay as the two being discussed the most. The Bills have employed Sean McDermott since 2017, and he has guided them to eight playoff berths. Matt LaFleur was a 2019 hire; he has missed the playoffs only one time since coming over from Tennessee.

LaFleur, though, may not be completely safe. The seventh-year Packers HC may need to win his first-round game to feel “completely” safe, per Fox Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano, citing a feeling around the NFL on this situation. LaFleur is under contract through 2026, via the extension he signed in July 2022. New Packers president Ed Policy came out against lame-duck HCs, meaning a decision will need to be made on an extension before the 2026 season — and likely much earlier. Neither LaFleur nor GM Brian Gutekunst were extended before this season.

Green Bay successfully transitioned from Aaron Rodgers to Jordan Love under LaFleur. While Love has not flashed MVP-level form like Rodgers did by his third season at the controls, the successor has accounted himself well. Love finished third in QBR this season, finishing with 23 touchdown passes and six interceptions while averaging 7.7 yards per attempt. This came as the Packers played much of the season without Christian Watson, Jayden Reed and Tucker Kraft. The fast-emerging tight end’s unavailability has hurt the team’s passing attack, and the Packers’ defense has been without Micah Parsons since Week 15. LaFleur’s bunch sunk to 9-7-1, though the team did not play starters in Week 18.

The Pack booked three straight playoff byes from 2019-21 under LaFleur, venturing to two NFC championship games in that span. LaFleur’s decision to kick a field goal down eight in the final minutes of an NFC title game loss to the Buccaneers backfired, and his team went one-and-done as the No. 1 seed a year later. Although the Packers upset the No. 2-seeded Cowboys in Love’s first playoff game and then pushed the No. 1-seeded 49ers a week later, they lost to the Eagles in Round 1 last year. Though, the Eagles stampeding through the playoffs to a Super Bowl title did not make that loss look too bad.

The Bills are in a somewhat similar situation. LaFleur actually has as many conference championship game appearances as McDermott, despite the latter leading Josh Allen-led rosters for eight of his nine seasons. The Bills lost divisional-round games in three straight years before edging the Ravens to reach the AFC championship game last season.

Buffalo’s defense has regularly underwhelmed in marquee games against Kansas City, despite the AFC East powerhouse dominating that series in the regular season, and Allen (25:4 playoff TD:INT ratio) faces the prospect of turning 30 next year without a Super Bowl berth on his resume.

Harbaugh, 63, would seemingly be a fit for both teams due to neither being in rebuilding mode. The same cannot be said for a handful of the current lot of HC-needy teams. He will not take any interviews until next week, with Florio pointing to that timetable as matching up with the potential openings that could emerge after this weekend’s games. Harbaugh’s looming presence adds intrigue to the Packers and Bills’ opening-round contests.

As for the latest team to create a coaching vacancy, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero and the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson note the Dolphins have not reached out to Harbaugh yet. It would stand to reason that it is only a matter of time before that happens, however. But the Bills and/or the Packers entering this race could throw a wrench into other, less successful teams’ HC plans.

72 comments Buffalo Bills Green Bay Packers Miami Dolphins

Buccaneers Fire OC Josh Grizzard

By | at January 8, 2026 10:57 pm

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.

31 comments Newsstand Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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