Manna From Football Heaven Just Fell
January 24th, 2025
49ers coach Kyle Shanahan with his offensive coaching pupil Bobby Slowik.
Joe was researching for known assisants working with quality offensive play-calling head coaches like Sean McVay, Kyle Shanahan, Matt LaFleur and Kevin O’Connell. Sadly, none of these guys have experience as a playcaller.
And then…
Just like that, Adam Schefter of BSPN reported the shocking news that Houston coach DeMeco Ryans just ran offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik.
Slowik, 37, is now Exhibit-A why Liam Coen is coach of the Jags. You cannot pass up a chance to be a head coach because you never know when the next chance comes.
Slowik was on everyone’s hot list last year as a potential head coach while he molded the Texans with rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud into an explosive offense.
(Remember the Bucs-Texans shootout in 2023?)
Now, with the Bucs with raw, open nerves from just losing their gifted offensive coordinator Coen, Slowik is a free agent.
Joe could not fly this guy Slowik in quick enough. He’s a former Shanahan disciple and Joe knows Coen and Slowik are from the same Shanahan tree (Coen by way of Sean McVay).
Outside of Lincoln Riley, Slowik might be the perfect replacement. Slowik is an experienced playcaller and look what he did with all the injuries to the Texans’ wide receivers.
Joe would be very, very, very, very happy if Slowik ended up as the Bucs’ offensive coordinator.
January 24th, 2025 at 2:10 pm
Explain why we’d want a guy whose team scored over 130 points FEWER than the Bucs did this year?
January 24th, 2025 at 2:11 pm
Yes to this
January 24th, 2025 at 2:11 pm
Explain to Joe why you expect offenses to light up scoreboards when starters get hurt.
January 24th, 2025 at 2:12 pm
I hope we get him
January 24th, 2025 at 2:12 pm
Working with Baker Mayfield, Mike Evans, Bucky Irving, and others will certainly attract coaching candidates to the Bucs.
January 24th, 2025 at 2:14 pm
“Explain to Joe why you expect offenses to light up scoreboards when starters get hurt.”
Joe — love you man, but he scored 5 points more the year before.
377 and 372 points in two years. That’s 22 PPG and roughly a touchdown worse than Coen’s offense.
That isn’t gonna cut it in the modern NFL unless the Bucs turn into a defensive juggernaut (I laughed typing this).
January 24th, 2025 at 2:16 pm
Explain why we’d want a guy whose team scored over 130 points FEWER than the Bucs did this year?
Look @ the OL differences
January 24th, 2025 at 2:17 pm
Joe seems to recall (vividly) people jizzing themselves about what an advanced offensive coach this guy was developing a rookie quarterback and being atop many head coaching lists (he turned them down to stay at Houston).
So 12 months later this guy is the new Byron Leftwich? Sorry, Joe’s not buying it.
January 24th, 2025 at 2:18 pm
Exactly.
(Find a way to keep Kevin Carberry.)
January 24th, 2025 at 2:20 pm
The Texans dealt with a lot of injuries to the offense last year, that’s why they scored 130 points less than the Bucs did! The Buccaneers 100% need to get this man right now!!!
January 24th, 2025 at 2:21 pm
Mr. 28-27 needs to be fired now.
Best way to cure what ills us is to head in a new direction.
No one truly believes Bowles can coach a team to the Superbowl.
Why waste time on a fruitless effort.
Coaching does actually matter and there are two Superbowl winning coaches out there looking for work.
Bowles can fetch coffee and doughnuts.
January 24th, 2025 at 2:21 pm
Keep the same offense. Grizzard, Carberry, Peetz is from that tree. Keep the same offense keep the same language. The players know it, it works. Coen always didn’t call it perfect lets be honest. We settled for a tie against Wash, because of some crap play calling, and couldn’t score the TD. We fumbled on the three depending on a rookie end around, shear genius, pay the man 50 million. The baby has been thrown out, keep the bath water, any baby can play in it.
January 24th, 2025 at 2:22 pm
ALso look at the RB#1, Bucky Irving. I watched a few Texans games and Stoud had no protection, when he ran, he was running for his life. That line stunk.
January 24th, 2025 at 2:22 pm
Again guys the Bucs are Matthew McConaughy cruising through a room full of hot ladies. This is totally unlike Todd’s first OC search when the Bucs were Jonah Hill!
JJoe can float ALL of these candidates because despite LC doing what’s best for he and his family. And imagine this, LC’s father coached him in high school and his grandfather played college football at Boston College.
Again if we can get past our hurt fee fees this is a happy story. LC is now the culimination of 3 generations of football people. Imagine how his father a coach and his grandfather a D 1 college player think about their boy LIAM becoming
AN NFL HEAD COACH. This dream of Liams’ also fulfilled some fantasies of previous generations of Coens. Just tap into their joy.
I promise it’s going to be OK!
January 24th, 2025 at 2:24 pm
He never had the line or talent to work with in Houston, so bring him in Licht, he would very likely keep Bucs offense topshelf (at least for one year before he becomes another team’s HC).
January 24th, 2025 at 2:27 pm
I think quality OCs think twice before chaining themselves to s lame duck HC or one that so few fans want to keep around!
January 24th, 2025 at 2:28 pm
Bucs should swing for the fences now.
How does bringing in a Super Bowl winning former 2X head coach who worked directly with Joe Montana, Brett Farve and Aaron Rodgers sound?
Maybe Mike McCarthy would be glad to take that $5M the Glazers offered Coen and be the Bucs OC for at least one year. Doubt he will get a better offer if he wants to coach this year.
January 24th, 2025 at 2:28 pm
I’m sorry, but falling out of the same tree as Coen is not a positive to me at this time. And are we to assume that releasing Slowik was a blunder by the Texans?
Finally, hot offensive coordinators don’t seem to be such a rare commodity. As with head coaches, there are only 32 jobs available in the world.
January 24th, 2025 at 2:31 pm
If he’s that good, why did DeMeco give him the axe?
January 24th, 2025 at 2:35 pm
Its Bobby, not Mike…
January 24th, 2025 at 2:36 pm
Pickgrin
As usual you come up with some great ideas. You already provided the caveat, McCarthy does a good job with the Bucs OC and we’ll be looking for OC #4.
Personally I’m OK with that. Just win baby! I think you’re spot on McCarthy is probably the best candidate available and I can tolerate him as a rental.
Overall the Bucs have been an incredibly stable organization by NFL standards.
Turnover in OC”s is not going to kill the Bucs especially with Baker at QB. He’s been there done that a BUNCH!
January 24th, 2025 at 2:38 pm
Ain’t gonna happen, he won’t take a massive pay cut.
January 24th, 2025 at 2:38 pm
THAD LEWIS!!!!!!!!!
if the bucs/glazers were smart, they’d hire THAD LEWIS now so we can put this mess behind us and move forward….
Thad Lewis has been with baker for 2years…not dave or liam….it was thad…
GO BUCS!!!!!
January 24th, 2025 at 2:40 pm
Aqualung Says:
January 24th, 2025 at 2:31 pm
If he’s that good, why did DeMeco give him the axe?
****************************************
BINGO!!!!!!
starters got hurt and the OC never made adjustments or got creative
GO BUCS!!!!!
January 24th, 2025 at 2:40 pm
Hummm, I don’t know about this. The Texans games I saw this year, which notable wasn’t a ton, the offense looked clunky. Not just the QB play or lack of WRs, but the actual game calling. But, as you pointed out, perhaps it was affected by injuries, or maybe I just saw some of the bad games.
What made Coen so great was that he wasn’t predictable, and ran out of a lot of formations, and in season made a bunch of adjustments to the offense to account for injuries.
Not in any way discounting this guy, and if Bowles hired him, based on Bowles picks lately I wouldn’t at all be worried about him. But I do hope Bowles takes his time like he did the last two years – and I don’t care if it’s a no-name or no-experience guy, just get the right guy who is willing to make adjustments and not be predictable.
January 24th, 2025 at 2:41 pm
Any team with a HC(DC) that wins will be losing their OC every year. Sucks, but not unexpected.
January 24th, 2025 at 2:43 pm
No denying, Jason, Todd (and Baker) did a great job with hiring Cown, not bad with Canales. If Slowik is their guy, cool with me.
What I’m most disturbed about is this will take valuable time away from the essential Defensive Coordinator search.
January 24th, 2025 at 2:43 pm
First, it’s Bobby Slowik, not Mike Slowik.
Second, 100% agree with the Bucs pursuing him.
2024 Texans had 16 guys on IR. Including their WR1, WR3, FOUR TEs, and two RT. OL was bad this year and Stroud got sacked 52 times as a result.
If they don’t get him, then my vote would be to elevate Grizzard.
January 24th, 2025 at 2:44 pm
He was terrible last year with the Texans. No thanks.
January 24th, 2025 at 2:45 pm
I don’t watch Texans so don’t know his body of work. I did not like what I saw second half of chiefs game. Yes had injuries, but he abandoned the run too early imo even before they fell behind. He also seemed intent on long developing routes that were getting his qb killed and didn’t seem to adjust after..no screens, not dump off options etc.
January 24th, 2025 at 2:47 pm
— Joe
I think you have a typo here:
…that Houston coach DeMeco Ryans just ran offensive coordinator Mike Slowik.
(just ran)
Do you mean “just fired”?
January 24th, 2025 at 2:48 pm
That’s what the slang “run” means.
January 24th, 2025 at 2:48 pm
I heard the Bucs are going back to Left Sandwich.
January 24th, 2025 at 2:53 pm
Well go figure.
January 24th, 2025 at 3:08 pm
We are resilient. Our coach could find another good OC and someone will find us another Spytek.
I still wish some unruly fans would egg Coen’s house.
January 24th, 2025 at 3:12 pm
The journey begins anew. Happy the previous drama is over. No time for licking wounds they have to continue to move forward. Bucs fans have been down this road before.
January 24th, 2025 at 3:17 pm
Joe, etc., as I recall the Bucs dealt with a lot of injuries as well in Goedeke, Evans, Godwin, and even Irving missed a game or 2 and was banged up although all credit to him. Don’t much like Coen right now, but he overcame them. Idk that Slowik has shown that. Even when healthy they didn’t light ppl up, other than the Bucs and our D has shown major cracks over the last two years. Granted, our offense has more skill across the board than the Texans imo. I almost prefer a internal hire than external even though no one has called plays before. At least they should know the system and we’d have some continuity in terminology etc.
January 24th, 2025 at 3:19 pm
EnigmaFan Says:
2024 Texans had 16 guys on IR. Including their WR1, WR3, FOUR TEs, and two RT. OL was bad this year and Stroud got sacked 52 times as a result.
———-
The Bucs this year lost multiple games of their WR1, WR2, WR3, WR4, WR5, RT, LT, TE1.
Again, not knocking the guy, but Coen dealt with a ton of injuries as well – and what I thought he did amazingly well, was each time make adjustments to work around those injuries.
The biggest, by far, was having to start that garbage tackle Sucke, who couldn’t hold a block at all and was getting Baker killed. It did take a couple of games to full do it, but he changed the Bucs gameplan to a short, quick passing game to get the ball out as fast as possible. Then, once Sucke was thankfully bench after Luke got back, Coen didn’t just say – now we run my old offense, he just stuck with what was working. Then when Godwin, Evans and McMillan go down, he changes the passing offense to feature Otton.
I don’t know what this guy did in Texas with all the injuries, if he made big adjustments to scheme around them or not, but it’s very concerning to see a guy who is young, who was a hot young coach last year, getting the boot this year. That’s a huge fall off that would need to be explained, and if it was just injuries, the Texans aren’t getting rid of him. But I could certainly be wrong as I don’t know that franchise, and maybe they’re that short sighted.
But again, Bowles has hit homeruns with two unknowns by taking his time and finding the right guy, not the big name, so I hope he goes through that whole process once again and doesn’t try to take a short cut to grab someone quickly.
January 24th, 2025 at 3:20 pm
Whatever the Bucs are gonna do I hope it’s soon, there’s a lot of teams looking for OCs unless of course the Bucs have a diamond in the rough like they did with Coen. As for Lincoln Riley, that’s not gonna happen. From what I read, Riley has a 10 year $110 million dollar contract with USC
January 24th, 2025 at 3:36 pm
I think agents are probably ringing Todd Bowles phone off the hook!
It’s a GREAT opportunity and more than one qualified guy will be available. So it’s down to Todd and Jason’s confidence in the next guy having some continuty with the Offense.
IMHO Baker has earned a seat at the hiring table. He should get to interview any potential OC’s as well to make sure they’re compatible. Baker has not only proven himself the past two years he has shown over his career that he can adapt to many different OC’s. Perhaps this time he should get an OC that’s he’s comfortable with from day 1. Just sayin’.
January 24th, 2025 at 3:48 pm
I think the Bucs need to hire someone who can and will learn the current offensive playbook. There’s no reason a good OC can’t do that, then slowly implement the changes he wants. It makes zero sense to go through yet another 1/2 season of learning the offense.
January 24th, 2025 at 4:01 pm
stpetebucsfan Says:
IMHO Baker has earned a seat at the hiring table.
————-
It would be interesting to know how involved he was with Coen getting the job. If he had a big say in it, then sure, he should get a say since that worked out so well.
I would also say Baker is in a much stronger position this year, as opposed to last year, to have a say. This year, he’s coming off a very good season, by far the best of his career, and that certainly earns him a say in things.
But having a say, just means voicing an opinion. Bowles did a fantastic job these last two OC hires, so I wouldn’t want that process getting upset. But it doesn’t hurt to know the QB’s opinion, if he has one.
January 24th, 2025 at 4:02 pm
Yep. They had THEIR GUY. And, they lost HIM. He was THE ONE. And, they allowed HIM to leave. Before, THEN scrambling around in an all out PANIC and ‘trying’ to offer HIM what HE had wanted all along… And, what THEY should’ve offered HIM in the first place. THEY let ‘the one’ they REALLY WANTED get away! And, THEY KNEW-IT. Now, they have to try saving face with not only the public and local fan base, but also, with Todd Bowles. Just a HORRIBLE look all around. But, that’s what you get for being WEAK and ‘trying’ to have your cake AND eat-it, too!!!! Instead of being BOLD and making the move that YOU really wanted make and made the most sense from the beginning. They completely dropped the ball with this one, & it will most definitely, come back and BITE THEM hard. And, then they will be forced to forever, live with this regret.
January 24th, 2025 at 4:12 pm
With Bowles defense we need to put up 30 plus points a game.
January 24th, 2025 at 4:18 pm
On the bright side, at least Coen didn’t go to the Saints.
January 24th, 2025 at 4:48 pm
Bucs 2025 Offensive Coordinator Jon Gruden?? I think it would be an awesome collaboration Jon Gruden as OC of Baker Mayfield led offense with Todd Bowles still as HC. Sounds like a combination that take the Bucs far next season!!
January 24th, 2025 at 4:51 pm
The problem would be that if he succeeds again with our offense, he would be a 1 year and done ….. again. We would be in the same spot next year.
January 24th, 2025 at 5:15 pm
THIS is a remarkable story. There has to be something more here.
My god, what a hair-trigger this league has become. Texans, with a new coach make 2 straight playoff appearances. This guy forgoes offers to run it back with Houston, they lost in the divisional round against the defending champs, and you fire your OC? There’s got to be more. I agree with JBF, bring this guy in. He’d have a field day with our weapons.
January 24th, 2025 at 5:40 pm
Rod – LOL at calling people whiners. You’re out here having a temper tantrum posting over and over because people won’t agree with you. You troll Baker fans with the dumbest comments, yeah, Baker sure must suck if he keeps getting guys promoted, Einstein.
You answered your own question, he holds all the cards, the only reason he did this was to leverage the Bucs to get more out of Jax. And then you blame the Bucs for his lack of integrity? Are you really that clueless?
I use to think you made some good points but you’re clearly desperate looking for action on a Friday night.
January 24th, 2025 at 5:55 pm
Everybody hates Todd.
January 24th, 2025 at 6:49 pm
That could be a great fit.
For those trashing the idea because of points score (MATT) he was dealing with a rookie QB one year, injuries this year, and they do NOT have the OLINE, RB, or QB that the Bucs have. (YES, Bucky and Baker are better than Mixon and CJ)
January 24th, 2025 at 7:21 pm
You don’t speak for everybody dumba$$. You and a handful of bigots hate Todd, that’s all. Seems like more cause you guys won’t STFU about how much you hate him no matter what the rest of us are trying to “discuss”. Damn…smh
January 24th, 2025 at 7:22 pm
Rod
We better be careful. Are agreeing too much? Thanks. I’m sure we both have plenty of time to take the gloves off again. LMAO