Report: “Major Surprise” If Byron Leftwich Returns To Bucs
December 29th, 2022
Rumored to move on in 2023.
Forgive Joe for not bringing this intel sooner as Joe was just tipped off to it and it’s a week old.
It seems NFL insider and heavy metal headbanging Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post has been having beers with someone from the Bucs.
In a recent NFL notes column, he has several juicy tidbits on the Bucs. Joe will save the best for last.
* Former Bucs suit and right-hand man Jon Robinson, the former general manager of the Titans, is expected to return to the Bucs in some capacity, La Canfora cites from Robinson’s “peers” in the NFL. La Canfora notes that Robinson is well respected in NFL circles and this would be a nice addition to Licht’s staff. Another suitor for Robinson’s services would be the Packers as Robinson is also tight with Packers shot-caller Brian Gutekunst.
* Tom Brady will move on from the Bucs after this season.
* Bucs coach Todd Bowles, La Canfora believes, is safe and will return next season so long as the Bucs don’t collapse and miss the playoffs. If Bowles returns, La Canfora said expect staff changes.
(Joe believes this because Bowles has already said publicly more than once that he wanted to hire specific assistants last April but he was hired too late in the coaching cycle to make changes.)
* One of the staff changes for Bowles, per La Canfora, will be offensive coordinator. Failing Bucs offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich is not expected to be retained, La Canfora writes. This move will be made, in part, because of what La Canfora terms “Leftwich has resisted making major changes and didn’t really start to embrace more motion, shifting and early-down play-action” until the Bengals game. “It would be a major surprise if Leftwich was back next season.”
Leftwich should have been gone after the first Carolina game. But Bowles stuck with him. And, let’s be honest, barring Brady’s late-game magic against trash teams, the offense has been a total trainwreck.
Leftwich has overseen one of the worst offensive collapses in NFL history in his initial season without Bucco Bruce Arians looking over his shoulder. How can anyone reward those results by bringing him back?
December 29th, 2022 at 4:04 am
Hmmm, resisting changes… So this sounds like Bowles’s camp throwing Byron under the bus, big time. I have my doubts that it’s solely on Leftwich, I’m with “Angry” Joe in that its Bowles handcuffing Leftwich, but still on Leftwich to come up with something to work with.
December 29th, 2022 at 4:48 am
IMO, This offensive is a collaboration between Leftowich and Brady. It stalls
out all to frequently because the emphasis is on getting the ball out in around 2 seconds and not on providing Brady with better protection schemes to cover for our weaknesses on the O line. The last time we kept backs in to protect on blitzes
and chipping we scored 17 points in the first half. Max protect,whatever it takes to get the WR’s more involved in at least some intermediate passes early in games.
December 29th, 2022 at 5:46 am
I like the perspective and insightJoe. But this isn’t news. He should have been fired after the Carolina game. Each game that he was able to stay on and coach just shows how little ability Jason Licht has as a leader/influencer. He put together this roster and has watched it fail miserably. Yet he sits on his hands and doesn’t make a big move. Weak!
December 29th, 2022 at 5:48 am
Good, rather see Bowles gone too and I think we stand a chance of that as the Panthers are in a frenzy as they cannot wait to whoop up on our offense. we lose our last 2 games and thats it for Bowles and Leftwich and all the coaching staff, don’t let the door hit ya on the way out in fact get security to escort them out of one Buc place.
December 29th, 2022 at 6:42 am
Leftwich should read back of helmets and end zone,Inspire Change,
December 29th, 2022 at 6:49 am
Agree with Bob in Valrico. This offense is a TB and BL scheme. At this point in his career, No way Brady runs anything he’s not instrumental in developing.
December 29th, 2022 at 6:53 am
“Leftwich has resisted making major changes and didn’t really start to embrace more motion, shifting and early-down play-action” until the Bengals game.”
So he’s saying Leftwich isn’t doing what Bowles and Brady want? That doesn’t seem plausible.
December 29th, 2022 at 7:05 am
It doesn’t matter. This season has been ruined by incompetence from top to bottom. Den of Depression, here we come again.
December 29th, 2022 at 7:09 am
I just cannot think……. but to wonder if Brady is injured or Bowles is hanging Leftwich out to dry to save his job?????
I don’t think anyone in the NFL has seen such a collapse with the same coaches a year prior of a prolific offense.
Yes we have injuries…….but seeing no changes to your offense after an awful 1st quarter of football is simply mind boggling
December 29th, 2022 at 7:25 am
Folks….it doesn’t matter if BL is resisting changes or not…..Todd Bowles is responsible for the Bucs overall poor performance.
You’d have to be blind not to see his in-game failures. …..playing scared….non-aggressive offense…..
Attempting a 55 yard FG
Not letting Brady go for the win in Cleveland….
A fake punt in Buc territory with a big lead vs the Bengals.
Sure, BL needs to be launched…..but Bowles should hit the door with him.
Winning out and winning a home playoff game and I’d give him another year.
December 29th, 2022 at 7:25 am
It is very likely Brady is injured . He might even be getting some kind of treatment at halftime because his accuracy is pretty good late in games.
December 29th, 2022 at 7:32 am
Todd Blowes is the HEAD COACH. He has his thumb on everything including the offense. Now that this season has turned out to be a train wreck, Blowes will take no responsibility for his decisions and throw everybody under the bus to save his sorry ass. You think this year was bad, if he’s still here next year it’s going to be worse.
December 29th, 2022 at 7:36 am
Bowles is not a good head coach. The Bucs are delaying the inevitable if they keep him another season. Him, Brady, and Leftwich should all be gone.
December 29th, 2022 at 7:48 am
I think Brady stays. Picking everything up to start over at his age is a very risky move.
December 29th, 2022 at 7:51 am
Agree wit TBBucfan 100%
December 29th, 2022 at 8:00 am
If they keep this staff in any capacity it is criminal
Think this year was bad? Let Bowles have another run and we will be 5-12 next year against the softest schedule rotation in the 4 year cycles
He is clueless and his coordinators on offense and ST are the worst in the league
December 29th, 2022 at 8:06 am
Time to start fresh! At least I’ll be able to afford to go to a handful of games next year lol
December 29th, 2022 at 8:08 am
After Brady leaves, go get Derek Carr, draft an edge rusher with the 1st pick and a left tackle with the next. Drop some of the dead weight (Brate, Rudolph, Bernard). Hire Bill O’Brien from Alabama as the OC. We’re good for next season.
December 29th, 2022 at 8:09 am
Let us hope that Robinson replaces Licht, not joins his staff!
December 29th, 2022 at 8:16 am
In the business world there would have been firing coaches & not covering poor decision making
December 29th, 2022 at 8:32 am
I see no reason not to flush the Bowel movement even if the Bucs win a playoff game. Disappointing news overall, if true.
December 29th, 2022 at 9:33 am
Bowels is throwing Leftwich under the bus. He was probably already told it is going to happen with or without his approval, just like when Koetter was forced to fire Mike Smith for laziness and general ineptitude (just like Leftwich) and in fact Leftwich should have been launched after the Pitt and Carolina losses where his one dimenensional predictable play calling led to losses and 21 points in 2 games. Not adjusting the ****ing gameplan to expose other team’s weaknesses like Pitt having a bunch of practice squad guys in their secondary but still trying to pound the ****ing rock to no avail. Bowels should also be launched but the Glazers will probably let him stick around for another year and enter next season with a seat as hot as Matt Ruhle’s was so it will be interesting to see if the Bucs launch him mid season if he starts 1-5 next season.
December 29th, 2022 at 9:38 am
I absolutely think that Brady will be playing next season in Nola and Peyton returns to coaching the Saints. The Saints would be the favorite to win the NFC South. Makes a lot of sense.
December 29th, 2022 at 9:40 am
If bowles is back itll be only for 1 yr and in 2024 will be drafting in top 3 most likely
December 29th, 2022 at 9:45 am
* Bucs coach Todd Bowles, La Canfora believes, is safe and will return next season so long as the Bucs don’t collapse and miss the playoffs. If Bowles returns, La Canfora said expect staff changes.
——————————————————————————–
If this is true, then the Bucs are the biggest joke organization in North American pro team sports.
December 29th, 2022 at 9:47 am
Bucs could do worse than sucking Gus Malzon from UCF. He is run first, but uses play action a lot, and it makes for an almost dynamic system, most of the time.
Almost anyone would be an upgrade over Leftie.
December 29th, 2022 at 9:54 am
How can anyone believe after 2 seasons of 5000 yds passing and over forty TD’s believe Brady is in anyway or form enjoying this system. Does ANYONE see him collaborate with Bowles on the sidelines or mid game? Brady and Evan’s are both BS they have to play in this watered down O. This is 100% Bowles throwing the clueless BL under the bus. TBBF hit the nail on the head, look at the poor decisions he’s made. Boat@ laid it out for all of us to see. The O under BA and the comparison from Bowles Jets years and now Bucs season.
December 29th, 2022 at 10:13 am
NEfan Says:
December 29th, 2022 at 9:54 am
How can anyone believe after 2 seasons of 5000 yds passing and over forty TD’s believe Brady is in anyway or form enjoying this system. Does ANYONE see him collaborate with Bowles on the sidelines or mid game? Brady and Evan’s are both BS they have to play in this watered down O. This is 100% Bowles throwing the clueless BL under the bus. TBBF hit the nail on the head, look at the poor decisions he’s made. Boat@ laid it out for all of us to see. The O under BA and the comparison from Bowles Jets years and now Bucs season.
————————————————————————
Someone saying that Brady is the one that changed the Bucs’ offense and that the Bucs are running Brady’s offensive system, is a clear and obvious Brady hater. They are so blatantly obvious, although they probably wrongly think such ludicrous troll takes are cleverly disguised.
I mean for anyone to actually believe that Brady would purposely sabotage his own season and career, and possibly his own legacy, against himself, and to also increase his injury risk on top of it, would be just – it would be absolutely unreal for someone to actually believe something so incredibly absurd. Nah, they are blatantly obvious Brady hating trolls.
December 29th, 2022 at 10:20 am
And yet the posters on this site living in their swamp camps with their sister wives continue to hold their ground and back their almighty Toilet Bowls, maybe becuase they wished they owned one.
December 29th, 2022 at 10:24 am
This is what happens when you replace an aggressive coach in Arians with a passive coach in Bowles. Same players for the most part, same coaches for the most part. The only reason to have such a drastic change is due to 2 things.
1. Philosophical change.
2. O-line injuries.
December 29th, 2022 at 10:27 am
Licht was/is in a tough spot with Leftwich. We all know how much Bruce Arians wanted Leftwich to succeed and was hoping this season would spingboard Leftwich into a head coaching job. Firing him would likely kill any chances of that ever happening. And as a result, he’d probably lose a lifelong friend and confidante in Arians.
Let’s be real here, Arians got Licht a ring, and quite possibly career security in the NFL.
As much as we want to turn everyone in the NFL into robots and vulcans, there is an element — and always will be — of humanity in football.
December 29th, 2022 at 10:28 am
I agree with this assessment. If the Bucs win Sunday, Bowles will get another season. Leftwich is done unless there is a deep playoff run. Brady will either retire or go somewhere else.
If the Bucs lose the division, Bowles job is 50-50.
Regardless, it’s likely there will be changes on the offensive side of the ball.
December 29th, 2022 at 10:49 am
Just go out and win ….just win out and what will be will be! …. But hit them haters with the blink!!
December 29th, 2022 at 11:04 am
No Brady next season figured as much but oof thanks leftwich awesome job what a way to go out with a bang.
December 29th, 2022 at 11:16 am
Leftwich will be the scapegoat no doubt. It’s really Bowles to blame but Lefty is still pretty lousy. Gonna be a tough year in 2023 regardless.
December 29th, 2022 at 11:46 am
The fact that we are still talking about this bull 🐂 shi💩…
Is dismal…. Glazers are glazed over.
December 29th, 2022 at 12:10 pm
Bowels throws Leftworst under the bus –to save his own butt….
Whatever the reason was for BA “retiring” ; we owe BA the credit for recomending & pushing Bowles as his replacement..
Bowles will be HC for at least 2 more yrs ………
December 29th, 2022 at 12:13 pm
Bowles and Leftwich have destroyed the culture in 1 quick season…
December 29th, 2022 at 12:23 pm
People need to recognize this is the same Super Bowl coaching staff. It’s not so simple to just put together a bunch of good coaches and win and think you’re going to win next year, hopefully without Brady (will always love) and Byron (will always hate), we can find a very good OC to run the offense if they’re going half-and-half like they’ve done since 2019.
December 29th, 2022 at 12:49 pm
I think Leftwich is gone. I think this season probably ends this Sunday. I’m more interested in who will be next year’s QB. I hope not Carr.
December 29th, 2022 at 1:16 pm
“La Canfora believes”
Not a report. An opinion.
December 29th, 2022 at 1:39 pm
So joe please explain to me how it’s now just Byron’s fault? In a article you wrote you said it was bowels you handcuffed the offense cause by January players were tired so now its Bowles who is blaming lefty. I’m confused. In my opinion both of them should be let go. They both have had a hand it taking one of the better offenses in the league to worst.
December 29th, 2022 at 10:16 pm
Really kinda surprised no one has mentioned Leftwich did the same thing the year after BA left the Cardinals… In the same position… With arguably pretty good players… With an offense that did pretty good the year before
December 30th, 2022 at 11:10 am
I don’t know how much of the blame falls on Leftwich. After all he was there when they won the Superbowl. I think a lot has to do with Bowles, too. If Leftwich goes and Bowles stays then next will be very telling in regards to Bowles leadership. Fire Bowles. Start anew in 2023.