Byron Leftwich Is Fired
January 19th, 2023
Joe salutes Byron Leftwich’s four years of Buccaneers service, though the 2022 season deserves a middle-finger salute.
Leftwich, the 43-year-old former Bucs quarterback, arrived with the Bucco Bruce Arians regime in 2019 and from Day 1 Arians said Leftwich was calling the plays and running the offensive ship every week. He was no puppet playcaller, Arians insisted for years.
In 2019, the Bucs offense hummed despite Jameis Winston’s interception obsession. Leftwich seemed to be growing into his role and the 2020 transition to Tom Brady was rather smooth, even if it started with Brady getting in hot water for visiting Leftwich in South Tampa during the COVID lockdown.
If there was any doubt Leftwich was fully in charge of the offense during the Arians years (and there was plenty), that evaporated this season when Arians retired in March.
Leftwich clearly called the shots and presided over a historic dropoff in production. The Bucs even flirted with having the worst single-season dropoff by an offense in modern NFL history.
In Monday’s playoff game, the Bucs managed just 14 points — only 4 1/2 below their season average. They averaged over 30 points per game in 2020 and 2021, and more than 28 points in 2019.
Brady said last month that he talks to Leftwich 100 times a day. Whatever they were talking about wasn’t working.
That’s why Leftwich has been fired.
Leftwich’s failures were all about adjustments (he didn’t adjust) and being horrible at scheming a running game. Even if head coach Todd Bowles gave Leftwich new parameters in which to operate the offense, Leftwich didn’t adjust to them and failed.
Injuries were not a legitimate excuse. The Bucs had their share but not enough to excuse Leftwich taking the offense into the toilet with Tom Brady starting every game with big-gun receivers and an offensive line that was at least average.
Leftwich earned his inevitable firing, which Joe has been documenting since the Bucs went to Pittsburgh and didn’t take advantage of the Steelers playing without T.J. Watt, Minkah Fitzpatrick and additional starters in their secondary. Then the Bucs’ followed that up a week later by posting three points — Three! — on the lowly Panthers.
Leftwich will now be forced to adjust — to a new job.
Joe thanks Leftwich for his service. His hand in the Bucs’ winning a Super Bowl can never be taken away.
January 19th, 2023 at 10:27 am
One down!
January 19th, 2023 at 10:29 am
Maybe the perma roster QB Flynn will get tapped!
January 19th, 2023 at 10:29 am
Bowles should be next. Who is going to come here to run the offence knowing Bowles may be gone after one more year?
January 19th, 2023 at 10:29 am
Tom Brady is next. Or just let him go to the Dolphins or Raiders. Done with that guy. Brady is the reason we lost
January 19th, 2023 at 10:30 am
Praise the lord!
January 19th, 2023 at 10:30 am
Maybe we hire Bill O’Brien as head coach now?
January 19th, 2023 at 10:31 am
Hopefully, we have one more to go!
January 19th, 2023 at 10:31 am
Toilet Bowles should be gone, too. Why waste another season on that clown?
January 19th, 2023 at 10:31 am
Now the big question is who will actually agree to be OC under Bowles with no answers at QB. No way TB12 returns. Trask and company do not excite anyone.
January 19th, 2023 at 10:33 am
Things are looking up!
January 19th, 2023 at 10:33 am
Fire Bowles and hire Dallas OC as Bucs HC
Kellen Moore
January 19th, 2023 at 10:33 am
I say offer Tom the chance to hand pick his coordinator if he returns.
Thanks for the service Byron. I hope he lands on his feet… Maybe he can find a team with a roster that will fit his style.
January 19th, 2023 at 10:33 am
I’m hearing that song in my head right now…
Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!!
Hallelujah!!!!
Hall-e-lu-jah!!!!!!!!!!!
Adios. Back to Marshall where you will be lucky to get the QB coaching gig.
Kick rocks you DOPE!!!!!
January 19th, 2023 at 10:34 am
Don’t stop now Glazers! Get all of them out of here
January 19th, 2023 at 10:35 am
There’s is always be a scapegoats’.
Total respect for his last two seasons, this one was really bad, but let’s not forget that TB12 had a big influence in the offense since BA departure.
He is not the only responsible, Bowles, Licht and TB12 are too.
January 19th, 2023 at 10:35 am
If they fired Leftwich does that mean Bowels is safe?
January 19th, 2023 at 10:37 am
If I see another worthless run up the middle for minus 3 yards I am going to puke all over my TV!!!!!
OMG – this has been the most frustrating offense to watch ever.
January 19th, 2023 at 10:38 am
Yeah. His hand was more like a flipper with a disfigured claw.
Good riddance to his arrogant stubbornness and cluelessness about reality.
Unfortunately we are saddled with Toad. Maybe he’ll consult Dungy and promote Clyde to run the offense.
January 19th, 2023 at 10:38 am
Great. That’s one . But he is not the only one that demolished this team in one year.
January 19th, 2023 at 10:38 am
Now get rid of the OL coaches, the WR coach and the Special Teams coach, then lose the DB coach, the LB coach and whoever is not coaching the DEs
January 19th, 2023 at 10:38 am
Thank god now get rid of Lovie Smith ahhhh meant Bowles
January 19th, 2023 at 10:39 am
FINALLY, what took the bucs so long to do this. Anyway, there is an opening in our pee wee football league for a concessionaire.
January 19th, 2023 at 10:39 am
One down two to go. Bowles and Licht need to be turfed too.
January 19th, 2023 at 10:39 am
On the bright side Byron, i am sure Lovie Smith is look for an OC wherever he ends up.
January 19th, 2023 at 10:39 am
I think it’s generous to suggest the offensive line was average.
January 19th, 2023 at 10:40 am
Bring back Monken, I hated to see him leave us a few years ago
January 19th, 2023 at 10:41 am
***Brady said last month that he talks to Leftwich 100 times a day. ***
Are there similar stories of Brady talking to Bowles?
Brady liked Leftwich
With Leftwich fired, if Bowles doesn’t follow him out the door, there is zero chance that Brady returns.
There is, however, (arguably) a 98% chance that we return to the ‘den of depression” for a long period of time.
January 19th, 2023 at 10:41 am
Now Brady got BA and BL fired. Next, Bowles But Bowles should be wise and stay away from Brady and build a real team
January 19th, 2023 at 10:41 am
Monken or O Brien would be pretty decent. Wonder if Kingsbury would make a pretty decent OC instead of being a head coach. Although I think I’d rather prefer Monken or O Brien. Bowles couldn’t even do anything with the Jets either & neither one of them can do anything with the talent they’ve got here so if they can’t do anything with the talent they’ve got here then I doubt they’d do much anywhere else.
January 19th, 2023 at 10:43 am
i was initially on the fire Leftwich train, but when I give it more thought, was he set up to fail, this offense was old and slow, the offensive line was a weak link. An immobile QB did not help, one who was getting rid of the ball so fast, receivers were barely getting out of the LOS. question remains, who led the offense when Jameis and Tom were putting up ridiculous numbers, Lenny was not good in any year, really outside of the playoffs in the Superbowl run. He still had Arians at his disposal. We have to improve our team speed and offensive line, if we want to see an improved offense, I do think BL was limited in what he could do with this 2022/23 team.
January 19th, 2023 at 10:43 am
Word is Leftwich had trouble leaving the building since he couldn’t walk straight up the middle to the front door.
January 19th, 2023 at 10:44 am
Tired, that’s usually the way these things go. They found their scapegoat and will now ignore all the other glaring issues with the coaching staff (HC, special teams, fitness) and front office (if you lose 3 starting o-linemen before the season, you need to bring in more than one replacement). Sucks for Byron, but even with injuries, there was no improvement on offense over the course of the season, so its an easy decision. Many other teams dealt with significant injuries and were still able to put together a decent offense.
January 19th, 2023 at 10:44 am
I’m sure Byron is a good guy. He sounds like a good guy. But this is not about Byron the good guy, this is about Byron the coordinator. You just don’t have it as an Offensive Coordinator,,, maybe you have a different calling in life, maybe a Clown or something.
January 19th, 2023 at 10:45 am
Sucks anytime someone gets fired even with its deserved but gotta admit I’m getting jiggy with it in my head hahaha.
January 19th, 2023 at 10:45 am
Thanks Lamarcus. He should build it like he wants. If he fails then you cut him loose. I’m ready for a new ST coach for sure.
January 19th, 2023 at 10:47 am
Pop the champaign bottles!!!!
Now pay Sean Peyton a Kings randsom on a one year deal to be our OC next year, yes even more than twice as much as the scaredy cat Todd Bowels
January 19th, 2023 at 10:47 am
ByeMoron.
January 19th, 2023 at 10:48 am
Joe – very interested in Arians’ reaction to this news, if there is any to drum up…
January 19th, 2023 at 10:48 am
I’ve been of the belief that Kellen Moore is going to be the next big thing. I doubt the glazers will take that chance, and are more likely to keep Bowles this year then fire him and hire a fired McCarthy next year
January 19th, 2023 at 10:49 am
Anyone that watched the coaches film (NFL+ Premium subscription) could see he’d either checked out or wasn’t getting through anymore. Brady played a bad game but there were a ton of scheme issues.
January 19th, 2023 at 10:50 am
AND THERE WAS MUCH REJOICING!
Yay!!!!
January 19th, 2023 at 10:50 am
Clean house!
January 19th, 2023 at 10:50 am
Next one, Fire Bowles !!!! Your defense sucks !!!
January 19th, 2023 at 10:52 am
The Bucs missed Arians on the sidelines and among the players during the week in a head coaching role. Most of all, the Bucs missed Arians’ red pen. It’s amazing to see how Leftwich went from head coaching candidate to being a disgraced, fired OC within 365 days.
I agree with your last sentence though. No matter what his real role was when Arians was head coach, he did good work and was key in helping the Bucs win a Super Bowl. For that I thank him.
January 19th, 2023 at 10:52 am
Glad for this.
Wishing Byron the best.
GO BUCS!!!
January 19th, 2023 at 10:54 am
Had to happen after the implosion of this offense. Bowles had plenty to do with this too but I’m sure he’s hoping Byron can be the scapegoat for this garbage season.
January 19th, 2023 at 10:54 am
Tom Brady actually still had a solid season without a running game..
Coach Flatbilled Mouth Breather got fired because HE SUCKS!!!!!!
Please stop showing your low IQ by blaming Brady for this goon getting FIRED!!!!!
January 19th, 2023 at 10:55 am
Good. Now fire the rest of the staff.
January 19th, 2023 at 10:57 am
Won’t a new OC want his own assistants? This could be the tip of the iceberg.
January 19th, 2023 at 10:57 am
It was an obvious and appropriate firing. Thankfully someone at OBP has their priorities straight.
I wish Mr. Leftwich well in his future endeavors. I heard he was a member of the public-speaking club, Toastmasters, and is now going on a speaking-engagement tour of all the Toastmaster clubs around this fine country.
January 19th, 2023 at 10:58 am
This termination was well earned. Tough to see Todd scapegoating to a 2nd year.
January 19th, 2023 at 10:58 am
Did Lefty turn down Jacksonville last year or did they reject him?
January 19th, 2023 at 10:58 am
What? How can this be?
Just kidding. Good riddance.
January 19th, 2023 at 10:58 am
According to the Times…6 other coaches were fired…4 offensive and 2 defensive..but didnt name them…Who else got canned?
January 19th, 2023 at 10:59 am
D-Rok, you be too funny.
January 19th, 2023 at 11:01 am
This is going to be one hell of a rabbit hole the Bucs are entering.
January 19th, 2023 at 11:02 am
rearranging deckchairs on the titanic
it means that bowels is staying for sure
4-13 next year
Licht and Bowels will be fired after next year.
January 19th, 2023 at 11:07 am
who’s the QB if brady leaves?? anyone? anyone? who’s the coach? who’s the OC? who’s the DC?? lot of questions remain unanswered.
January 19th, 2023 at 11:08 am
Alleluia!!
January 19th, 2023 at 11:08 am
Bowles picking his own staff? Mixed feelings on that
January 19th, 2023 at 11:09 am
There is NO way O’Brien works for Bowles, that’s a death sentence.
Lamucs can you say SB, plus 2 division titles one should have been another SB trip (thanks Bowels). Your expectations are pretty high.
January 19th, 2023 at 11:11 am
Anomaly
BINGO!
January 19th, 2023 at 11:13 am
My guess is the delay in firing Leftwich was talking to Brady and seeing if it would have any bearing on his returning, and perhaps get some insight on who he would like to see as OC.
January 19th, 2023 at 11:14 am
THANK YOU JESUS!
January 19th, 2023 at 11:15 am
They shot but missed the target. Toilet Bowl.
January 19th, 2023 at 11:16 am
Bye Ron. I am sure he is a good dude. But damn…if you can’t design a game around Brady, even skittish Brady…what CAN you do?
January 19th, 2023 at 11:16 am
Why did Jason allow the OC situation to persist?
Unless Brady is returning and OK with tweaks, which all that has happened so far.
It’s time for a complete overhaul
Remember Jason was on the hot seat until BA came out of retirement.
Yeah short term changes brought a Super Bowl Championship to Tampa but that has carried NO momentum to today.
Whole new front office with the exception of Greenberg the cap mad scientist
January 19th, 2023 at 11:17 am
Doesn’t matter if Bowles is still there. This team will be in competition for the #1 draft pick with him and no Brady.
January 19th, 2023 at 11:18 am
Ha…. I kept seeing on FB that we was fired the last 4 days…. each time I saw a post, I would come to JBF to verify if it was true… what a world we live in, where JBF is now considered the truth machine in a sea of social media rumors.
Thanks Joe for not posting stories on speculation about these events.
January 19th, 2023 at 11:30 am
Good start… FIRE BOWLES NOW!!!
January 19th, 2023 at 11:31 am
The Cowboy predictors are just like the Brady haters. Spout the same shilt every year for 20 years and you finally got one right. One 1. You guys hope nobody remembers all the times you got left with egg on your face. Toms got some eggs left so get ready to keep your 1-23 ratio in tact.
January 19th, 2023 at 11:40 am
1 down. 1 to go.
January 19th, 2023 at 11:40 am
Time to move on from Brady and start looking for a competitive QB.I’m sick of all the emphasis being on him the whole season.That should thin out the fan base substantially,and get back to real Buccaneers supporters.It’s been nice being part of a winning culture prior to this season,but his limitations because of his age and lack of physicality are handicapping the offense now.
January 19th, 2023 at 11:46 am
Sucking generally thins out the fan base.
January 19th, 2023 at 11:51 am
Bowlz is lame duck now. #CollaspeforCaleb is on!!!
I see you Team GLazer
January 19th, 2023 at 11:58 am
Title should have read
Click Bait
Come on guys you like the Bucs team this year …are better than this!
January 19th, 2023 at 11:58 am
NEfan
I watch my BUCS do better than a SB and 2 division titles in early 2000s without Brady. Wtf??
You are just a Bradylion and you are for Bradys best interest. I’m with BUCS best interest. Move on from Brady already. He sucks!!!
January 19th, 2023 at 11:59 am
Who would want to come here as OC with Bowles as HC?
January 19th, 2023 at 12:02 pm
Does this mean no more first down runs up the middle for negative 2 yards lol
January 19th, 2023 at 12:12 pm
One down 6 months too late. The next one will be 1-2 years late.
January 19th, 2023 at 12:18 pm
Finally!!! They could’ve done this in October and possibly save the season. I am all about stability in management, but there are obvious times when something needs to be shaken up.
Now make sure Tom knows he can have any OC he wants
January 19th, 2023 at 12:18 pm
Bowles does NOT deserve to stay….
Bucs won’t be attractive to anyone (fans; free agents; good coaches) until Bowles is replaced with a good quality offensive hC!
January 19th, 2023 at 12:27 pm
Ding Dong the witch is dead!!!
January 19th, 2023 at 12:27 pm
Not good unless Bowles gets fired next.
January 19th, 2023 at 12:29 pm
Lamucus, you said it 2000, 23 year ago dipshat. Guy walks in one season and hands your arse a SB. You should be kissing his arse because you’ll probably be dead before another comes.
January 19th, 2023 at 12:31 pm
We need this Media to start asking or answering the Question of
“WHY KEEP BOWLES”. what can anyone see in this guy ?????
Bucs come on treat your Fans Better No more of this !!!
January 19th, 2023 at 12:36 pm
What took so long ?
January 19th, 2023 at 12:44 pm
With Clyde Christenson retiring too, we should have a lot of changes in the offensive area, but I blame Todd a lot.
January 19th, 2023 at 12:46 pm
ANTONIO BROWN NEXT OC!😀
January 19th, 2023 at 12:47 pm
“Tom Brady actually still had a solid season without a running game”
No he didnt….the only thing you can point to are passing yards which meant nothing this year because the Bucs LED the league in pass attempt by a mile….most NFL QBS wouldve thrown for a ton of yards…..where were the points??
Good QBs dont lead bottom 5 offenses, simple as that.
January 19th, 2023 at 12:48 pm
NEfan
I don’t know what kind of fan you think I am…but I kiss no one A!! For a SB don’t benefit me or my family. Yes my favorite team wins a SB but don’t act like we get rings also. We don’t!! So Super bowls are meaningless to me. I seen and witness my BUCS win a SB in 2000s so I’m good for LIFE!! Any other fluff is just just fluff
I’m serious. Brady is not good anymore and next year he will be garbage. Cut him
January 19th, 2023 at 12:48 pm
When in doubt, blame the brother…smh
January 19th, 2023 at 1:05 pm
Lemarcus and the rest of the Brady trolls. Over the past 3 seasons Brady is top 5if not top 3 in all passing stats , more importantly 5 playoff wins a :Super Bowl where he scored 30 plus in 3 straight road games then the Super Bowl had another miraculous comeback before your nitwit coach put a safety on a the best WR in football. This year he took and old slow horribly coached roster as we can now confirm with all the firings. He won 8 games on a team with a histrionic bad running game , zero speed and a patch work online. U guys were the dregs of the Jesuit for 20 years , he made u relevant. Like I said most or the Brady trolls are fans of other teams he has caused years of sleepless nights. U Bucs fans wanting him either hated him grin the start or have borderline football IQ’s Either way decades of irrelevance are coming back.
January 19th, 2023 at 1:13 pm
One diversity hire down, one to go.
January 19th, 2023 at 1:16 pm
Bad sign when you fire your offensive coordinator and then almost all the offensive staff. If you remember december 2021 Carolina fired Joe Brady OC then 5 games into the 2022 season Matt Rhule got the axe. Why wait just dump Bowles now.
January 19th, 2023 at 1:18 pm
Lamarcus: for your own sake and everyone else here, please stop posting. You are a complete dolt. Rings are meaningless? Tell that to the fans of the Lions, Bills, Vikings, Browns, Cardinals, Panthers, Chargers, Titans, Texans, Jags, Falcons, Bengals, and anyone else I may have missed.
And we are not bringing your boy Winston back, Daltons backup lol. Brady’s worst season here was better than any Winston has ever had. He’s never come close to sniffing even a 2-1 td to int ratio. Check yo sheet!
January 19th, 2023 at 1:21 pm
Excellent point Allbuc
January 19th, 2023 at 1:22 pm
Now can Todd Blowes now instead of next year. Bring in young offensive head coach and start the rebuild now
January 19th, 2023 at 1:35 pm
Took long enough….stupid arses!
January 19th, 2023 at 1:56 pm
I laugh so hard at every person who says brady sucks and has to go. Hes the reason yall made the playoffs 3 years in a row. The coaching suck, the big name players arent motivated for shhhh except godwin, wirfs and winfield. Growing up a ravens fan, now thats motivation. Watching ray lewis, suggs and reed every week and playing against a tom brady led pats team knowing you could get creamed because you know tom wants it sooo damn bas and bill does hos job making the rest of the team want it that bad.
Thats the problem, not tom brady. Yall r stupid
January 19th, 2023 at 1:57 pm
Lamarcus, what? Really?
The Bucs 2 Lombardi Trophies were both acquired mercenary style, first trading for Gruden to not waste a historically championship defense by scoring enough points, and then signing Brady to not waste a historically excellent offense by scoring 30+ and not turning it over like a 10 cent hooker in a Tijuana ghetto.
You are entitled to your opinion. Most people including Bucs fans old and new, think your opinions suck. So, when someone has dug themselves a deep hole, they usually stop digging. In your case, you’ll just ask for a bigger shovel.
January 19th, 2023 at 2:31 pm
Maybe the first smart move by the Bowles cleaner, now he needs to become a HC and find another DC.
January 19th, 2023 at 3:30 pm
right GF
January 19th, 2023 at 3:54 pm
Next season will suck regardless.
January 19th, 2023 at 4:19 pm
Well, it’s about 6 months overdo, but freaking so happy they finally wised up and got rid of this worthless joke of an OC.
This idiot had Brady, Evans, Godwin, Julio and Gage and couldn’t put together a winning offense. Shameful. It was so obvious the hurry-up pass attack offense was effective but Leftwitch and Bowles barely ever used it. Shameful. Can’t even recall how many times I screamed at my TV when the Bucs ran Leftwitch’s infamous up-the-gut play for no yardage. What an idiot.
Now pray they get rid of Bowles and Licht next. The two other idiots responsible for the Bucs losing season. I’m still fuming they didn’t go after Tretter and keep Suh. Getting those two might have changed the entire season.
January 19th, 2023 at 5:33 pm
c’est la vie
January 19th, 2023 at 6:37 pm
Brady shares in a lot of the blame. Ball on the 5 trailing by 6 and he throws an interception. We never recovered. but that was lefteich fault right.?
January 19th, 2023 at 7:44 pm
Ok Says:
January 19th, 2023 at 1:05 pm
Lemarcus and the rest of the Brady trolls. Over the past 3 seasons Brady is top 5if not top 3 in all passing stats , more importantly 5 playoff wins a :Super Bowl where he scored 30 plus in 3 straight road games then the Super Bowl had another miraculous comeback before your nitwit coach put a safety on a the best WR in football. This year he took and old slow horribly coached roster as we can now confirm with all the firings. He won 8 games on a team with a histrionic bad running game , zero speed and a patch work online. U guys were the dregs of the Jesuit for 20 years , he made u relevant. Like I said most or the Brady trolls are fans of other teams he has caused years of sleepless nights. U Bucs fans wanting him either hated him grin the start or have borderline football IQ’s Either way decades of irrelevance are coming back.
Fax
January 19th, 2023 at 11:11 pm
Though I just read this thread had been modified to read “Bowles Also Fired” but then I realized I’m having a transferrance experience. Never mind. Carry on, wayward sons.
January 20th, 2023 at 1:19 am
Everybody should watch the YouTube video of “Buccaneers Observer” regarding the Leftwich firing. Very good analysis.
January 20th, 2023 at 8:11 am
Wish coach Leftwich well on his next job.
January 20th, 2023 at 10:13 pm
Lamarcus, good to hear you are happy for life after theBucs won SB 2003. Now you do not care anymore because everything that comes after that nirvana-inducing triumph is just “fluff”. Yet, here you are, continuously posting sh1t about Brady without sounding that happy. You are very passionately advocating to boot him in the superior interest of… a team that you just proclaimed you can’t care less if it wins of loses…. It seems as if you might have inadvertently inhaled all that fluff, making you sound just the average Brady hater and not a Bucs fan