Report: Bucs QB Coach Thad Lewis Interviews For OC Job In Houston
January 29th, 2025
Bucs QB coach Thad Lewis.
So which in-house offensive coordinator candidate do the Bucs want to replace Liam Coen, if any?
Well, at least one is garnering a lot of interest.
NFL Network reported that Buccaneers quarterbacks coach Thad Lewis interviewed for the Texans’ vacantoffensive coordinator job and has had many offers from teams to interview.
Lewis, after a long career as a backup NFL quarterback, was a Bucs intern in 2020 after working for Chip Kelly at UCLA. Bucco Bruce Arians became smitten and hired Lewis as an offensive assistant in 2021.
He was Baker Mayfield’s quarterback coach in 2023 and 2024.
A Duke graduate, Lewis must have been performing well in Tampa otherwise Mayfield and former Bucs playcaller Liam Coen wouldn’t have agreed to keep him for last season. And Joe knows the Bucs want a seamless transition at coordinator, so Lewis and fellow Bucs offensive assistant Josh Grizzard are names to watch.
January 29th, 2025 at 7:58 am
So, we like him for QB coach, but not OC? I can see why he’s looking, new guy might not want him
January 29th, 2025 at 8:20 am
I don’t blame him, especially if he gets passed up again for the OC job here
January 29th, 2025 at 8:21 am
Still think it makes more sense promoting one of our own. I had wondered about Lewis ability since he’s been stuck as QB coach, and has been passed over twice by the Bucs. Now I’m thinking maybe it’s not him it’s the Bucs. At any rate good luck pursuing your dreams. Best you get away from Todd’s defense. You’ll be a more successful oc if you do.
January 29th, 2025 at 8:31 am
Rooney rule in full effect. That’s part of the reason why the product of the NFL sucks and viewership is down.
Another reason they had to have T-Swift in the Superbowl.
I bet the refs bank accounts were healthy after the Bills debacle.
January 29th, 2025 at 8:35 am
Jason Licht keeps hitting from within but looking outside the organization for coordinators. Good luck I hope you can get out of this endless cycle of uselessness that is Bowles coaching staff
January 29th, 2025 at 8:35 am
@Ballhawk… Dont forget they are classified as “entertainment” like the WWE 🙂
January 29th, 2025 at 8:35 am
Chris Long is a big fan of Thad. Not that means much to the Bucs. Green light is one of the best shows out there IMO.
January 29th, 2025 at 8:38 am
I have been saying for some time that we should interview him before any of the other in house candidates. He’s been with team in some capacity since Arians. He had to have learned something between Arians and Liam. And he would still have Tom Moore in his hip. Him leaving could be a mistake. No to mention relationship with Baker as his QB coach.
January 29th, 2025 at 8:42 am
Ring up Kliff Klingenberry. hE may jump at the chance to coach Evans and Mayfield again. He can put Manziel on the practice squad.
January 29th, 2025 at 8:48 am
BALLAHWK75 what’s wrong with the Rooney rule you racist.
January 29th, 2025 at 8:52 am
problem with one of our own is that they probably have the same we do what we do mentality as bowles instead of a mcvay guy that spends countless hours in preparation
January 29th, 2025 at 9:04 am
Kliff Kingsberry is already an OC.
January 29th, 2025 at 9:06 am
If he has a solid understanding and knows the fundamentals of how and why coens offense was so effective last year I would say he is the best candidate for the job I have seen. We need to carry over as much of the offense from last year we can. Does he have any play calling experience at any level?
January 29th, 2025 at 9:06 am
Make him OC. He knows the plays and playbook. Keep it simple.
January 29th, 2025 at 9:08 am
Duke grad, has played the position, and has been grafted from Chip Kelly’s, Bruce Arians’, Canalas’, and Coen/McVay’s branches?! As Joe mentioned on the latest Ira Kauffman pod, Arians gushed about him, and clearly Mayfield has been on-board with him as the QB coach for the last two years.
I trust the Licht/Bowles/Mayfield partnership in selecting someone for OC—and you have to know that after the Coen fiasco, they know better than to passively let their guy go interview elsewhere—but man I would hate to see Thad leave the building.
January 29th, 2025 at 9:08 am
One of our own makes sense as a natural progression unless our OC’s were not preparing them. Coming from Pete Carroll and McVay, those guys are teachers, like the Dungy tree, bringing in teachers to prepare the next guy. Lewis has had Tom Moore, Brady, Mayfield, Cannales, Coen, and of course BA (I forgot about Leftwich). He should have been collecting info for such a time as this
January 29th, 2025 at 9:19 am
Griz would be a good candidate to move up to OC within our organization
January 29th, 2025 at 9:21 am
@Ballhawk
The Rooney rule was made for no reason except to piss people off? I’m sure players like Warren moon and Doug Williams don’t think it’s effective enough. Fans shouldn’t bring up that role you will always seems ignorant so stay in your lane if you didn’t play in the nfl
January 29th, 2025 at 9:40 am
I don’t know anything about this guy (except that he clearly hasn’t done Baker any harm), but if there’s a solid internal candidate who already knows the offense and the players, I’d send him to the top of the list.
January 29th, 2025 at 9:48 am
The Rooney Rule itself is inherently racist. By acknowledging that certain owners or general managers may not hire someone based on the color of their skin, the rule reinforces racial distinctions. Anyone who denies this is essentially ignoring the fact that racism exists in many forms. Racism isn’t limited to any one race—anyone can be racist, regardless of their skin color. When hiring or firing decisions are based on skin color rather than an individual’s qualifications or ability to do the job, it is, in effect, a form of racism.
Thus, requiring teams to interview a minority candidate, regardless of their qualifications, could be seen as discriminatory against individuals who are not part of a minority group. It should not matter what color someone is, but rather who they are and how qualified they are for the position. PERIOD!!!
January 29th, 2025 at 9:48 am
They had years to hire him and didn’t, doubt they do now.
January 29th, 2025 at 10:03 am
If you don’t ever promote your own you will never build any loyalty. Give the dude a chance, this group of offense needs to stay together and make another run.
January 29th, 2025 at 10:23 am
I like the idea of maintaining some continuity going into next season.
Baker has already learned 5 new offences the past 4 seasons… It would be nice if Thad Lewis could step up and build on the playbook that has already been established and successful.
Plus – Thad has had experience under 3 solid OCs since he has been in Tampa. Hopefully he could use that experience and actually add to the offensive playbook from last season.
Go Bucs!
January 29th, 2025 at 11:31 am
About 24 hours late on this news
January 29th, 2025 at 11:34 am
maybe the bucs aren’t too high on thad…and they’re looking for a chad…
i’m being serious now
January 29th, 2025 at 12:13 pm
I like the continuity play also, Griz or Thad. I wonder if Coen was able to grade them and report to Bowles before he left. Not that their opinions are that valuable, but Canales and Leftwich would have graded Thad. Media opinions or our opinions are just speculation.
January 29th, 2025 at 12:19 pm
This OC hire isn’t as important as getting players. It’s important but our FO and coaches need to be at the Senior Bowl evaluating football players. In conditions where you can tell a little bit about what types of guys they are and how much they love the game. Thad Lewis looks good and I’m sure GM, HC, and QB all like him. Get past this malaise and hire him. And get out there and find us some linebackers that are as fast as they are high character!
January 29th, 2025 at 12:22 pm
Still can’t get over how beyond cringe worthy that Coen
“du-valll” sounds lol.
With that lead noise I’d sure hate to be a rat b@#$%^& fan
January 29th, 2025 at 12:59 pm
Josh and Ballhawk make very compelling arguments but unfortunately this forum much like the entirety of the nfl is too woke. By simply agreeing with your comments I will be labeled a r**ist. Because of Todd’s pigment we aren’t justified in our criticism. Funny world we live in. In 2007 the San Diego Chargers fired Marty Shottinheimer after a 14-2 season because he lost in the playoffs… Fast forward to today… Mike Tomlin hasn’t won a playoff game in a decade. White privilege… Yeah baby
January 29th, 2025 at 1:08 pm
Beeej Says
“So, we like him for QB coach, but not OC?”
Huge difference between the two.
January 29th, 2025 at 1:10 pm
It doesn’t matter where the Bucs get their next OC…it just matters that he does his job well.
Emotion should play no role in this.
January 29th, 2025 at 2:26 pm
Looks like its hard to work for Bowles after 2022 season lost 6 assistant coaches, after 2023 season lost 5 assistant coaches, now 2024 season we are 2 and counting thats 13 assistants in Bowles 3 years and I am sure there will be a couple of more. If thats not a pattern I don’t know what is.
January 29th, 2025 at 3:06 pm
Take it away Thaddeus
January 29th, 2025 at 5:32 pm
Yes, BucBen1961 you are a racist 🙂
January 29th, 2025 at 7:44 pm
Josh, acknowledging racism doesn’t “reinforce racial distinctions” any more than acknowledging a cancer diagnosis reinforces cancer. If racism in hiring is still an issue in the NFL (which I can’t speak to), then the league has a choice between turning a blind eye and knowingly permitting discrimination, seriously punishing the perpetrators, or offsetting it by policies like the Rooney Rule. If you tolerating racist discrimination in hiring, just say so. Don’t try to dress it up with specious arguments.
January 29th, 2025 at 7:52 pm
FWIW, I prefer rigorously enforcing civil rights laws and severely punishing violators over using offsets like affirmative action. For some reason, though, people who worry about the evils of affirmative action don’t seem to share my opinion. Go figure, huh? lol
January 29th, 2025 at 11:07 pm
We got a lot of offensive talent. And a great QB.
No need to promote from within just to do it. That’s how we got Raheem.
Best available period.
January 29th, 2025 at 11:41 pm
I’ve literally been saying to hire Thad Lewis even before Coen left—nice try, though, dude. As I mentioned, from a purely factual perspective, any policy that makes race a factor in decision-making can be seen as racist, even if the intent is to correct systemic inequities. For example, the Rooney Rule. Am I saying it’s a bad thing or unnecessary? Not necessarily. What I’m saying is, when will we as a society move past this and truly follow MLK’s vision of judging a person by the content of their character, not the color of their skin? And this rule be unnecessary????
January 30th, 2025 at 12:17 am
However we got Raheem, we don’t need to repeat that mistake. That said, Thad Lewis seems like a worthy candidate. It has nothing to do with Raheehaw.
January 30th, 2025 at 11:46 am
The Cheese is more expensive elsewhere. Bucs pay cheap.
January 30th, 2025 at 1:30 pm
Josh, it sounds like I misunderstood the intent of the line I was responding to in your earlier post. I don’t disagree with anything in your latest comment.
January 30th, 2025 at 4:53 pm
I have read most of the post. The subject is our next OC. We all want to hire a good one and keep things looking up for our team. These post solidify why and how sports can bring people together.
Many are correct. Either promote Lewis or fire him. You are not doing him any favors and his resume is more consistent than Coen’s, so I think the Bucs need to let him go, or promote him.
In regards to us, let’s try to remember we are on the same team and allow others to share without feeling this may not be able safe space to voice their views.