Bucs Coordinator Listed As Potential Head Coaching Candidate

Every year there are changes to coaching staffs around the league, especially at head coach. NFL teams search high and low to find the next big thing. For the previous two seasons, the Bucs had a desirable coaching staff given their success, but even after struggling to a 5-5 record this season, they might have a coordinator who is running his own team next season.

Tom Pelissero of the NFL network came up with a list of candidates to next become a head coach and Bucs offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich was on it. Here’s what Pelissero had to say about Tampa Bay’s offensive coordinator.

Buccaneers OC Byron Leftwich, 42: Leftwich got a long look as a head coaching candidate last year, interviewing with the Jaguars and Bears and getting a request from the Saints. The 10-year NFL quarterback was a backup in Pittsburgh under then-offensive coordinator Bruce Arians, who hired Leftwich as QB coach in Arizona in 2017 and brought him along to Tampa two years later to serve as OC. The Bucs’ offense hasn’t been as prolific this season, but it shouldn’t be forgotten how dangerous the attack was in Leftwich’s first three seasons, which included Tampa’s run to a Super Bowl LV victory once Tom Brady came aboard.

Stock Dropping For Leftwich Amid Bucs’ Struggles

Leftwich has come under a lot of scrutiny for Tampa Bay underperforming on offense this season. The Bucs went from averaging 30 points for a long time last season to currently averaging 18.3 points per game this year. Some of the reasons that Leftwich has come under fire is due to predictable play calling, a lack of creativity and making poor decisions on first down calls and in pivotal, situational moments. His responses to said criticism hasn’t done him many favors either.

Bucs OC Byron Leftwich – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

As Pelissero points out, Leftwich did meet with some teams last season and nearly became the next head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Leftwich still has many of his core players available, but with no Ryan Jensen, Ali Marpet, Antonio Brown or Rob Gronkowski available, was it the players that catapulted Leftwich to look so good over the last two seasons or does Leftwich deserve the credit for getting the most out of his players? Looking at the issues this season, you may have your answer. There’s no question his stock to get a head coaching job took a hit through the Bucs’ first 10 games.

More Bucs Coaches To Watch:

Pelissero also compiled a long list of assistant coaches to keep an eye on in future seasons. There were two Bucs coaches that got mentioned, which were co-defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach, Larry Foote, and assistant wide receivers coach Thaddeus Lewis.

We’ll see how the rest of the season goes in Tampa Bay. They are coming out of the bye week with a two-game winning streak and a bit of momentum after defeating the Seahawks, who lead their division. But if the Bucs regress and the same issues continue for this team, changes might be made, and not because coordinators and assistants are getting elevated gigs somewhere else.