Report: Offensive Staff Changes Could Be Coming
January 7th, 2023
Under the microscope.
Joe has already written how we are hours away from Black Monday, the traditional day when teams often wave goodbye to head coaches.
It seems ridiculous after the Bucs clinched a division title last week to believe Bucs coach Todd Bowles is on the hot seat. Had the Bucs lost last week, Joe is probably typing a different story right now.
Besides, Bowles hasn’t even had a chance to hire his own assistants. What coach who has taken a job late in the hiring window that won a division (which means his bosses rake in the revenue from a home playoff game) gets bounced? That would probably be unprecedented.
However, that doesn’t mean Bowles’ current assistants are safe.
In a coaching hot seat breakdown by well-plugged-in Albert Breer of SI.com, he seemed to suggest sudden stat-loving Bucs offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich and others who work under him may not be as safe as Bowles.
While Tampa Bay and New Orleans could be potential surprises, I think the Buccaneers and Saints stand pat, but potentially with significant changes to their offensive staffs.
Well, at least slimy Saints offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael had an excuse (sort of). He had Andy Dalton as a quarterback whereas failing Leftwich has the greatest quarterback who ever lived.
(Of course, one could argue Carmichael should have been launched for starting Dalton over Mr. Entertainment, Jameis Winston.)
Carmichael also had to deal with washed former stars Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas. Mike Evans and Chris Godwin are still top-shelf receivers so Leftwich has some ‘splainin’ to do.
Bowles being a victim on Black Monday? C’mon. He’s gotta prep for a playoff game. Be real. But after the season, that’s likely when Leftwich ought to be squirming.
January 7th, 2023 at 1:11 pm
Black Monday is the a week from this Monday after this sh!t team gets bounced in the wild card round.
January 7th, 2023 at 1:15 pm
So, are changes are coming to the staff on offense, or are changes coming to the offensive staff? Inquiring minds want to know, and it’s all about the details!
GO BUCS!!!
January 7th, 2023 at 1:23 pm
Offensive staff: “It was you, you did it!”
Defensive staff: “Wasn’t me – I didn’t do nuffin.”
(Not sure why I find this so funny, but I do, so sue me. I’m a football nerd, what’d ya expect? LOL)
January 7th, 2023 at 1:28 pm
Bowles has the final say on GameDay, nonetheless he stays. Leftwich goes. Easy.
January 7th, 2023 at 1:40 pm
Hey lefty, I know a good moving company dial 1-800-EAT SHAT.
January 7th, 2023 at 1:41 pm
Promote Harold Goodwin to OC
January 7th, 2023 at 1:45 pm
Prepping for what more stagnant offense they could fire.him now tom Brady and the rest of the assistants could do a better job than the puke leftwich calls.
January 7th, 2023 at 1:56 pm
When Bowles became head coach in NY, he hired an 18 man coaching staff. By his final year, he had fired 14 of them. Letting Bowles hire his guy, was an abject failure, over and over. Hopefully Brady stays and Todd has little input. His mentor Bill Parcells once said the most important part of being the HC, is hiring and delegating to the right assistants. Bowles was apparently absent that day. In a perfect world, Brady gets to pick his new coordinator.
January 7th, 2023 at 2:03 pm
Bye bye Bymron,
January 7th, 2023 at 2:04 pm
Bowles was signed to a five year deal after 2020 and they knew what he looked like with NYJ. He wouldn’t have been hired HC if they were going to be one and done, especially with a division title. If we can find a really good OC that works with the scheme, the defense coaching defense and offense coaching offense will work.
January 7th, 2023 at 2:11 pm
Eff scheme! Hire a coach who has demonstrated he knows how to craft an offense that highlights the talents of his players, knows how to use matchups and can regularly adjust when needed.
Don’t care if that’s a wishbone or an Air Raid or anything in-between. Just find a way to get the most out of your players. Put them in a position to succeed.
January 7th, 2023 at 2:11 pm
Leftwich will be fired. Bowles and Brady will be able to handpick their guy
January 7th, 2023 at 2:33 pm
Let’s hope Leftnut doesn’t sabotage the playoffs like he did during the season.
January 7th, 2023 at 2:34 pm
Torturous!
Whether it’s BL or above or a combination is was insane repeating the mistake as the season dug on and on .
Is BL running his offense or BA’s offense??
If BL was not calling the correct plays out of BA’s offense they should have called BA back to the sidelines or booth as OC .
Disfunction Junction
Inexcusable and intolerable
Too long in the Not For Long league
Brady is leaving town as soon as the season is over!
January 7th, 2023 at 2:34 pm
Probably don’t need much of a crystal ball to see those changes happening.
The only thing that could potentially save Leftwitch would be Brady wanting to come back, and his only demand being that Leftwich stays.
I would honestly have to weigh that decision carefully.
January 7th, 2023 at 2:41 pm
Back to Bowles , it seems he knows all the answers in a interview , static situation but once the pressure of real time game time he doesn’t have the leadership skills to adjust on the fly in both talent and tactics along with his flat personality.
Something ain’t right and it’s not talent on the field!
January 7th, 2023 at 2:48 pm
Shttt can the lot of them, IBS included.
January 7th, 2023 at 2:48 pm
Ummm….. can we still call it Black Friday?
😬
January 7th, 2023 at 2:50 pm
I’ll believe it when I see it. I know Bowles cleaner wants a defensive team and I don’t think the offense is very high on his radar screen.
January 7th, 2023 at 2:58 pm
My things is this!😊! I fell in ❤️ with the Bucs in 96
By 99 I felt like it was 15 players on def. I mean
There was a party @ the football, when I watch
Philly, SanFran, Pittsburgh, Baltimore. I see that.
Against Carolina, I saw Gholston, Hicks, Smb, Nacho.
Nelson, Mason( see mason talk to Tom on sidelines)
DOVAN SMITH PLAYS LAZY. I need you’re leadership
LD &DW Please get into passing lanes PLEASE!!
January 7th, 2023 at 3:01 pm
Derek Says:
January 7th, 2023 at 2:11 pm
Bowles will pick his guy. Not Brady. He’s not going to pick an OC based on trying to lure back Brady for one more year. He’ll pick the guy who he thinks has the best chance to run the offense the way he envisions it. Let’s hope it’s someone who still likes to throw the ball, and hope Brady returns. Brady isn’t even signed for next year. Do you think they’d make it all about Brady if they don’t even know if he’s coming back?
January 7th, 2023 at 3:10 pm
sasquatch, the two aren’t mutually exclusive. Someone Brady wants, would be a good coordinator irrespective of if he comes back or not. Hiring a guy he likes would be a draw for Brady. If he leaves it retires, you’re still left with a good coordinator. My post above is evidence that Bowles can’t pick a good offensive staff. He had control over coaches in NY, and it didn’t work.
January 7th, 2023 at 3:10 pm
The FO will keep both. They will blame the teams OFF struggles in the run game/3rd down conversion/red zone on OL play/injuries and hope that 2023 is better in that regard.
But it won’t, as the 2023 CAP situation will lead to so much roster turnover that regression will be inevitable.
January 7th, 2023 at 3:11 pm
Or retires
January 7th, 2023 at 3:12 pm
Donovan needs to go & Leftwich does, too! I’d have more faith in Damar Hamlin even now over Leftwich & he’s recovering.
January 7th, 2023 at 3:15 pm
Even Jacksonville didn’t want Leftwich & that’s kind of saying something there. If he can’t do anything with the talent on the offense here then he probably won’t do much elsewhere.
January 7th, 2023 at 3:22 pm
LOTS of assumptions making the rounds lately. For starters, Brady isn’t under contract with the Bucs next season; don’t ASSUME that he’ll be back. Two teams are more in the running for his services in 2023 than the Bucs are IMO: Miami & the Raiders. Both of them are in much better salary CAP shape next year (projected of course) than the Bucs are. And both of them already have some decent ‘weapons’ for Tom to work with.
I agree that BL will probably be launched, but not that Goodwin will be promoted to OC. If that was the case, he’d already be OC after some of what our offense has gone through this year. But wait, I’ll bet that BL’s not the only change on the way.
The Bucs’ coaching staff had their contracts renewed prior to last year according to the JBF article “We Had A Whole Coaching Staff Whose Contracts Were Up” (May 7th, 2021). Since they’re typically 2-year contracts, that means that they’re all up for renewal again after this season. I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if half (or more) aren’t renewed, letting Todd Bowles create his own coaching staff.
His best hire though better be a very strong OC (as well as an improved S/Ts coach). I still seriously doubt that Todd Bowles has all that much input into the offensive game plan. Oh I’m sure he asks a lot of questions & probably throws in some of his own ‘philosophy’, but I just can’t see him having any pronounced input into the offensive game plan. Not his style.
And BTW, Bowles had THREE different OCs in his 4 years with the Jets. Chan Gailey did quite well his 1st year (2015), then terrible in 2016. He was replaced by John Morton in 2017 & the offense was just as bad. He got replaced by Jeremy Bates in 2018; the offense did a tad better but they still finished 4-12 … good enough to get all of them launched, including Mike Maccagnon the GM. Now THAT’S a house-cleaning. The Jets offense’s biggest problem IMO is that they never had a decent QB.
January 7th, 2023 at 3:27 pm
Sasquatch nice seeing your positivity lol.
January 7th, 2023 at 3:28 pm
I’d be reluctant to lew Donavan Smith go just yet.
We can’t afford a premium free agent. If we win our wildcard game our draft pick will be slim pickings for elite tackles.
We could try moving him to the right side, but I wouldn’t just cut him.
January 7th, 2023 at 3:30 pm
Anybody here know how many offensive coordinators Bowles hired in NY?
(4)
January 7th, 2023 at 3:30 pm
Special teams coach needs be be fired along with Leftwich.
January 7th, 2023 at 3:30 pm
Leftwich sits in his death row cell and can hear the sharpening stone grind on the axe blade…
January 7th, 2023 at 3:38 pm
Cobraboy … I think it’d be hysterical if the Bucs won the Super Bowl AGAIN with BL as the OC. I’d still launch him, but the irony would be awesome.
January 7th, 2023 at 3:39 pm
It is easy to see that Brady is quite fond of Lefty. So much so that the last time they hugged on the field, Brady had his eyes closed!
I would bet that if Brady decides to return to Tampa, Lefty will not be let go.
But does anyone really believe Brady is coming back to Tampa ?
I do not see the Bucs doing anything with Leftwich, until they see what Brady is going to do.
January 7th, 2023 at 3:44 pm
Dump Lefty and hire Brian Johnson the eagles QB coach to replace him hes probably learned a lot plus hes worked with Kyle Trask and Dak Prescott in college plus has done a great job with Hurts. It seems Bowles likes Trask so if Johnson can’t get the best out of him no one can.
January 7th, 2023 at 3:46 pm
DR, Jets had Brett Farve, Chad Pennington, Darnold and Geno Smith who is doing very well for Seattle. QB’s weren’t his issue. We.debate on how good a DC he is but for sure NOT a good HC.
January 7th, 2023 at 3:47 pm
If Bowels stays then Brady is surely gone. That means we tank next year then Bowels gets fired for an up and coming Offensive coach to develop the Qb we draft. So prepare yourselves.
January 7th, 2023 at 3:54 pm
Also Josh McCown, Fitzpatrick all capable of winning more than 4-5 games. Jets always had a good D.
January 7th, 2023 at 3:56 pm
Defense, you forgot to mention all those hires and fires were Bowles decisions. The way I understood it, is he had complete autonomy on coaches in NY. Again, hopefully he has little input and focuses on his real job. Defensive coordinator. Like I said, hire a guy Brady is comfortable with. If he comes back great. If not you’re still left with a good coordinator. The BA offense needs to go. It’s antiquated and simplistic. Give me somebody who can actually scheme a guy open, instead of relying on winning individual matchups.
January 7th, 2023 at 3:59 pm
I’ll believe when I see it. This is too important to go off hearsay, I need absolution on this one and Brady too. If we’re Moving on from him technically may not matter who the coordinator is without a true quarterback
January 7th, 2023 at 4:03 pm
@DR: I’d LOVE for the Bucs to win the SB with BL calling plays.
Then again, I’d LOVE to be handsome, hung, and rich!
Both are equally likely…
January 7th, 2023 at 4:18 pm
I could care less who goes, if Brady stays get a coach in that knows his or her players strengths and weaknesses and the same for the opponent and play off them. Hire Shanahan, California taxes must be killing him.
January 7th, 2023 at 4:20 pm
Well we now know Cobraboy is caucasian.
January 7th, 2023 at 4:25 pm
If TB12 is resigned, Bucs better find a run game…Cause that dude is washed & will continue to decline in dog years, going forward.
January 7th, 2023 at 4:25 pm
Nothing Personal Byron!, but you Suck at your job!! My 12 year olds football team is looking for a defense coach. It’s yours to take! Just stay away from our Offense
January 7th, 2023 at 4:27 pm
At first I thought NDog…@ screwed up what side of the ball Leftnut coaches until I read the rest. Good Stuff ! Haha
January 7th, 2023 at 4:38 pm
The Joes never explain why BL was a good OC under Arians but a bad one under Bowles. He didn’t change. The HC did.
January 7th, 2023 at 4:58 pm
BA overruled him.
January 7th, 2023 at 5:04 pm
If anyone is watching KC, that is what a O is supposed to look like. Counters, crossing routes, play action up the ying yang. Fire this bum Leftnut.
January 7th, 2023 at 5:08 pm
rearranging chairs on the deck of the titanic
Bowels is a bad head coach. He will get fired eventually.
Whether this yr or next.
He is awful.
January 7th, 2023 at 5:18 pm
@DR – to your point, I would be shocked if Goodwin was promoted as well. After all, he is the “run game coordinator” right now, is he not?
How’s our running game this season…?
January 7th, 2023 at 5:22 pm
Buck Fyron Leftwich!
If they keep this inept loser as OC I’ll eat my own shoes.
January 7th, 2023 at 5:24 pm
Same old story. You lot think the loss of Gronk, the changes on the O-line, and the injuries at the WR position don’t have anything to do with anything. Why? Because in Madden it doesn’t. This ain’t Madden. Playoffs 3 years in a row….and our playoff game this year hasn’t even been played. Some of you trolls have been throwing dirt on the team you pretend (behind a keyboard) to be a fan of since week three. I’ve said it before…stop posing as a fan. Sad. Go Bucs!
January 7th, 2023 at 5:28 pm
ElioT, start eating your baby booties now (how cute how you change the coaches name like a child would ), because he’s not going anywhere. Get at it. Video it (if your mommy lets you use her phone). Go Bucs!
January 7th, 2023 at 5:29 pm
Wise business men would recognize the Bucs are in the playoff because of Brady IN SPITE OF Bowles!
If I were the owner, I’d have no problem FIRING Bowles anything short of a Super Bowl win…
January 7th, 2023 at 5:45 pm
I can’t see the Bucs playing better than the Chiefs in the first half. The athletic ability of both quarterbacks is something the Bucs don’t have. Bucs can’t match the Chiefs explosive play makers.
January 7th, 2023 at 5:48 pm
You guys are failing to recognize one thing. Coaches get better with more experience. Bowles failed in New York. He went back to being a defensive coordinator and put out a lot of good tape. He also worked under Bruce Arians who is now in our Ring of Honor, which means he is good. Bowles will be able to show what he has learned this year in the playoffs. I will be there and am very excited. Win 4 games. Go Bucs!!
January 7th, 2023 at 5:54 pm
Cobraboy … We can all dream, can’t we?
January 7th, 2023 at 5:59 pm
Another article by JOE for LOSERS!!!!!!!!!
January 7th, 2023 at 6:01 pm
NEfan … ‘Jets had Brett Farve, Chad Pennington, Darnold and Geno Smith who is doing very well for Seattle. QB’s weren’t his issue.’
Uhhh, think you might be looking at different years. Bowles reign in NY went from 2015-2018. QBs were …
o 2015: Ryan Fitzpatrick, Geno Smith
o 2016: Ryan Fitzpatrick, Geno Smith, Bryce Petty
o 2017: Josh McCown, Lac Edwards, Bryce Petty
o 2018: Josh McCown, Sam Darnold
Pennington was their QB from 2000-2007. Favre played for the Jets in 2008. Hey, you were only off by a decade. Closer than I get sometimes. But yes, QBs were one of his major issues.
January 7th, 2023 at 6:01 pm
Gimmeabreak. Good Grief.
January 7th, 2023 at 6:45 pm
I’m sorry, not sorry, but I would have started Andy Dalton over “Americas Quarterback” also. Give it a rest. We suffered long enough.
January 7th, 2023 at 6:58 pm
Looks like the giants are resting starters. I like daboll but what a huge mistake. They will get bounce by the Vikings. Watch.
January 7th, 2023 at 7:18 pm
Leftwich gonna be gone & Antonio gonna be the new OC. Wonder how that would go if Brady does come back.🤣
January 7th, 2023 at 7:47 pm
That KC team had some very amazing and interesting AND successful offensive plays. They sure were fun to watch. BTW, to me, it is hard to watch the whole world coming together over the heart attack. It bothers me more when so many people are murdered.
January 7th, 2023 at 7:51 pm
Let’s replace Byron Leftwich for Eric Bieniemy and make Bieniemy the highest paid OC
January 7th, 2023 at 7:52 pm
NEfan Says:
January 7th, 2023 at 2:33 pm
Let’s hope Leftnut doesn’t sabotage the playoffs like he did during the season.
Leftnut 🤣😂🤣😂😭
January 7th, 2023 at 8:02 pm
We can only hope and pray he gets run the second the last game is over
Short of a complete run to the SB trophy this guy has got to go – he has dug himself quite a hole to get out of
Get the popcorn ready
January 7th, 2023 at 8:16 pm
No telling what will happen but I would be surprised if Leftwich is back. Whoever hired the guitarist to play the national anthem at the Jags game tonight should be fired. Lol. .
January 7th, 2023 at 8:20 pm
Bowles can be a solid defensive-minded HC, only needs to get aggressive with late game decisions. Leftwich is spiralling out of control completely, looks like a granny playing Madden sometimes. Painful to watch.
January 7th, 2023 at 8:46 pm
Kamara isn’t washed. Joe – you have to be Winston’s best fan. It’s unreal you have blinders on all these years later at how he isn’t the QB you want leading your team. Can we get over him? He sucks
January 7th, 2023 at 8:47 pm
By Sunday?
January 7th, 2023 at 8:53 pm
The Leftwurst needs one of those Groucho Marx nose/mustache/glasses masks. He’d look more like a professional coach.
January 7th, 2023 at 9:07 pm
GF, lol. Meah, meah, ya see meah. So long as he flips the glasses up and down like he knows something we don’t. Roflmao. Meah
January 7th, 2023 at 9:08 pm
I can’t stop laughing. Meah let’s call a run up the middle, meah.
January 7th, 2023 at 9:09 pm
Blahhahhhahh
January 7th, 2023 at 9:09 pm
Coach made the right choice over starting Dalton over Mr. Crotchgrabber, Winston. Nothing between that kids ears which makes him a career backup or out of the league.
Since Bowles couldn’t control his coaches enough to get the offense going, he should be gone as well. A run and gun offense and you know Bowles wants to dink and dunk and run the ball. Go get whoever Brady wants so he’ll stay. Brady left a D coach for an offensive minded coach and then ended up with Bowles.
January 7th, 2023 at 9:35 pm
Joe’s, do you know of any contract incentives that Bucs players are close to hitting that come down to this week? Thanks
January 7th, 2023 at 9:57 pm
Chris l Says:
January 7th, 2023 at 8:46 pm
Kamara isn’t washed. Joe – you have to be Winston’s best fan. It’s unreal you have blinders on all these years later at how he isn’t the QB you want leading your team. Can we get over him? He sucks
____________
So true.
The same Joe who still “loves Johnnie” Manziel.
😆🤣😂
January 7th, 2023 at 10:04 pm
I honestly don’t expect Brady to put off FOX another year.
So whoever comes in, I hope they are good with young QBs.
January 7th, 2023 at 10:06 pm
@beach87
I’m on my Mom’s iPad dumb*** – jokes on you.
Byron is a retard needs to go, if you don’t see that, you don’t know football and you’re certainly no Bucs fan.
January 7th, 2023 at 10:10 pm
IF they keep Todd Bowles…then be prepared for cap departures. The younger guys we’ll keep, but if we have to go with a younger QB, expect us to trade for picks, rebuilding the OL, Lavante being let go or retiring, etc.
January 7th, 2023 at 10:17 pm
Todd Blowes definitely seems more comfortable with a losing team. Somehow it must reinforce his narrative that it’s all up to the players to play and be disciplined, nothing more to say, in other words, nothing for the coach to do. Good gig if you can get it.
So how many more losing seasons before the world realizes that Blowes is no head coach, at least not in the NFL. Maybe he’d be great in Germany.
January 7th, 2023 at 10:17 pm
The “Run-it-Back” bills are coming due in 2023 & the FO will be forced to tighten the belt to get under the cap… Hard to see TB12 return for a roster gutting…Not when he has options & 2023 in Tampa has the potential to get ugly early & end with a top5 pick.
Which, in my mind is why it makes no sense to dump Leftwich/Bowles now…At least until Healthy Scratch proves whether he’s been the best kept secret in the NFL or just another one of Licht’s 2nd Rd Bust picks!
January 7th, 2023 at 10:59 pm
No excuses or passes for Bowles. He took the job under the conditions that were presented, and he has not been a good steward of the team. Good HCs can withstand and adjust to adversity, and Bowles was given a contender and a chance to face adversity early, and he failed. Brady is going to have to put this team on his back, and if he does, is anyone gonna want to give Bowles the credit for that, or even another year, hoping it gets better? He had two years on the job training with this franchise under BA, and he cant figure out any kind of buttons to push to generate life? Solid DC, not a HC.
January 7th, 2023 at 11:20 pm
Leftwich has to go because his play calling has been atrocious. Bowles should go because he failed to promptly correct the situation. Licht should have some explaining to do to the owners as to why he didn’t bring in a veteran when Jensen went down.
January 7th, 2023 at 11:28 pm
Todd bowls didn’t throw 3 bombs to Evans to save the year. Had Brady not been Brady you would be talking a different story.
Playoff bound at 8-9 or even 9-8 is not convincing enough to keep him around.
January 8th, 2023 at 2:35 am
Bowles will hire “his” OC. It will be someone bad, but someone he “knows and likes”. Surefire highway to mediocrity and losing.
Bowles cannot manage a team. He still hasn’t even made up for his incompetence as a DC losing that playoff game vs. the Rams.
January 8th, 2023 at 2:58 am
Bowles went through four OC’s withe Jets, and couldn’t pick the right one to save his job. What makes us think his ability to select a capable OC has changed for the better? Hell, he can’t even select a good qb.
The issue is Bowles. He isn’t capable as proved by his track record.
January 8th, 2023 at 8:49 am
Get your lemon ass out of fl b Ron