Chris Godwin: It Wasn’t Just The OCs Who Won Games
March 13th, 2025
Don’t forget about Bucs players.
If the Bucs offense has another top-five finish after the 2025 season, would it surprise you if Josh Grizzard is a head coach somewhere else this time in 2026? Joe wouldn’t be surprised at all.
The last two playcallers were one-and-done. Dave Canales and Liam Coen landed head coaching jobs after their only season as a Bucs offensive coordinator.
Granted, Chris Godwin said, that shows the Bucs knows what it is doing but he added when he appeared on NFL Network on Tuesday, don’t forget the role players had in Canales and Coen getting sweet gigs.
“I think the guys that we’ve had come through here have [had] enough success to go ahead and get head coaching jobs, right?” Godwin began. “I think it says that that the people that are doing the hiring here are picking the right guys.
“But also, the talent that we have in the locker room, [it shows] that we’re performing at a level that makes people want to come and hire your guys.”
It seemed from listening to Godwin that he and the rest of the Bucs offense want to go out this year and prove it wasn’t just coaches who guided the Bucs to more NFC South crowns. It was the players, too.
Yes, Godwin is motivated to win another Super Bowl. He added that nugget.
March 13th, 2025 at 8:09 am
The players make the coach.
March 13th, 2025 at 8:10 am
Duh.. all fans (including the Joes) put way too much credit AND blame on coaching
March 13th, 2025 at 8:14 am
We “fans” of our Buccaneer team just can not wait to send off another successful OC to the HC ranks as soon as is possible… Can we at least allow the new OC in Tampa to actually, you know do OC things before the “local” rag sends him to another team as their new HC????
I believe that soon, the NFL will make it a minimum of two seasons before a “new OC/DC can jump to another team. I also have faith that Licht will not be burned again like he has been the past two seasons… Yes, by all means, I do want young OC/DC to get an HC opportunity, just not after 1 season here in another NFL town…
GO!!!!!GIZARD!!!!!
GO!!!!!BUCS!!!!!
March 13th, 2025 at 8:15 am
This Offense is all set. We are ready for our Super Bowl run this year. Got the stud Pass Rusher we need. Get a LB and a secondary piece or two between the rest of FA and the draft and this time has no holes. Go Bucs!!
March 13th, 2025 at 8:40 am
I was saying this even after Canales left. You can have the best Offensive Coordinator in the league, but without the QB and skill position players, it’s hard to win in the NFL.
March 13th, 2025 at 8:41 am
Its always more about the Jimmys and Joes than who is whiteboarding the Xs and Os.
March 13th, 2025 at 8:44 am
Truth be Told … ‘This Offense is all set. We are ready for our Super Bowl run this year.’
Bucs had a Top-Tier (Top-8) offense but a 2nd-Tier (Top-16) defense. Like you said, our offense is good enough, but our Bucs’ defense has to improve … substantially … if we’re gonna make a play for the Super Bowl.
Re-signing LVD & Gaines was a step in the right direction. Signing Reddick will also make a difference. We’ve got a good core, but we still need to fix the holes we’ve got at ILB & CB, plus add depth everywhere we can (and especially upfront). Give us 1 more beastly DT/NT to rotate in with Vea plus another quality Edge and we’ll be a Top-Tier defense quickly.
March 13th, 2025 at 8:46 am
Agree with CG14 but the O line needs to get better at pass protection. There was criticism by some that the BUCS didn’t throw long last year very often. The reason was obvious. Mayfield rarely was given enough time to look deep. The offense won’t be complete until pass protection is improved dramatically.
March 13th, 2025 at 8:54 am
BucnJim … The Panthers’ offense improved significantly last season under Canales. They scored 341 points last year, after having only scored 236 the year before. That 105 point improvement allowed them to move from #31 offense to the #23 offense. Aahh yes, the advantages of having an offensive-minded HC.
Interestingly, the Panthers’ defense took a little tumble last year though. They gave up 534 points (to rank as the #32 defense) last season, an increase of 118 more Points Allowed over the 416 points they surrendered in 2023. Interestingly, their Pass Defense, which ranked #4 in 2023 in terms of Passing Yards Allowed, fell all the way to a #32 ranking in Passing Yards Allowed. Aahh yes, the advantages of having an offensive-minded HC.
March 13th, 2025 at 9:08 am
Nobody seems to want to hire Bucs Defense Coordinator.
March 13th, 2025 at 9:17 am
canales was a joke. the bucs werent top 10 in any offensive category during his thankfully short stint here. he was deer in the headlights most of the season.
The Almost-Touchdown On The First Drive
November 30th, 2023
how soon we forget the cant score on the opening drive debacle….
March 13th, 2025 at 9:34 am
I think if we could keep a ‘good’ one for more than a year, we could get to the SB. Keeping the same system with a few weeks is fine but the players need some continuity.
March 13th, 2025 at 9:37 am
You did not mention once Tampa,s Glazer brothers who are still majority owners. The Buccaneers owners are the ones that United got in to that 1 Billion debt more than 20 years ago. Tampa fans will not be happy their other football team gets a new stadium. On the pitch the Bucs have been better than united mainly due to Tom Brady and surprise trash heap retread Baker Mayfield who is putting up Brady numbers far a bargain. The British part owner guy in charge of soccer ops supposed to make the team performance better but it as gotten worse. Tiny Nottingham Forest is top 3 now. It us Tampa that is doing a better job of recruiting and player development than higher revenue clubs cash such as NY or LA. Put the Glazers back in charge of Soccer development. Same for Tampa, the Glazers are better for the on field product.
March 13th, 2025 at 10:08 am
Canales wasn’t signed as a HC because of his offensive coordinator prowess. He was hired because of the improvement made by Geno Smith and Baker. The Panthers wanted Canales to groom their young QB, Bryce Young. Bryce played a lot better after he was benched so, in that regard Canales was successful. However the other parts of the team took a step backwards
March 13th, 2025 at 10:12 am
I love CG14.
March 13th, 2025 at 10:57 am
Agree with DR, still need a rotational Vet DR and Vet Edge that can bring the heat when Vea is on the bench. ILB may be Ok, but would be nice to have depth. CB is a big question. They need veteran help here. Don’t think the draft will yield a CB that can be NFL playoff ready this year.
March 13th, 2025 at 12:14 pm
That’s right ModHairKen.. players make the coach.
Not that a coach doesn’t matter but this article is exactly why I disagree with Joe.
0 chance Grizzard is a HC next season.
Baker and players will get more respect for the job they are doing and elevating their play callers. It won’t be the OC turning heads again. With the players we have a blueprint in is place.
March 13th, 2025 at 9:10 pm
Gipper, the rest of the league isn’t cerebral enough to comprehend the vast superiority of the “drop-a-340-pound-DT-into-pass-coverage”; WAO (Wide A** Open) Defense. If they did understand, Bowles would have a successful defensive coordinator University and a burgeoning coaching tree, no?!
March 13th, 2025 at 9:38 pm
If we have a top 5 offense and don’t go deep into the playoffs and/or make it to the big game we had better show Bowles the door. There will be fewer and fewer Defensive coordinator head coaches. Offense rules the day most of the season though admittedly in the playoffs a good defense can make a big difference. But if you don’t have an offense that can carry you into the playoffs you’re sunk. If our defense struggles again and results in us wasting a season with a great offense again we must make a change to preserve our chances of getting to the big game with this offense.