Dan

Pitcher

Pitcher had an interview for the Browns head-coaching position and was also allowed to interview for a lateral move with the Buccaneers, a place where he’d actually get to call plays. To say the Bengals winding back up with Callahan after his stint as Titans head coach would be predictable is an insult to the word predictable. It would practically be written in the stars. Well, assuming Pitcher gets a new gig, anyway. Callahan has also interviewed for the Chargers and Buccaneers offensive coordinator jobs this cycle.

It’s a lateral move, however, Pitcher would be leaving for a job where he’d actually get to call plays. Head coach Zac Taylor actually gave Pitcher the chance to interview even though he could have blocked it. It’s eye-catching, if nothing else. Pitcher joins a crowded OC interview pool for the Bucs that includes Mike McDaniel, Brian Callahan, Zac Robinson, Mike Kafka, and Todd Monken.

Pitcher, 39, has garnered some head coaching interest in previous hiring cycles but has never been considered a leading candidate for any job. He would be a long shot to land the Browns head coaching job, though the team could fall back on Pitcher if other, more experienced candidates turn down one of the most thankless jobs in football. Pitcher is known for his work with quarterbacks — a key qualification for anyone who gets the head coaching gig in Cleveland. Pitcher once worked for the Colts scouting department alongside Browns general manager Andrew Berry.

The Bengals were looking for a new offensive coordinator after Brian Callahan landed the Titans’ head coaching gig. Pitcher has been with the Bengals since 2016 and has held the title of quarterbacks coach since 2020. His familiarity with Callahan’s offense plus his close work with Joe Burrow made him an obvious contender for the job. Jake Browning’s strong end to the 2023 season in place of Burrow undoubtedly boosted Pitcher’s resume as well. Like Callahan before him, Pitcher could be on the path to a head coaching gig of his own if the offense gets back on track in 2024.

Pitcher, who interviewed with the Bucs as a potential OC last offseason, could fill the Saints’ vacancy left when they fired longtime OC Pete Carmichael. Pitcher in 2023 oversaw a Bengals QB room thrown into flux by Joe Burrow’s season-ending wrist injury. Jake Browning stepped in and performed admirably, leading the NFL in completion rate over expected in the season’s final month and a half.

Pitcher last interviewed with the Buccaneers on February 6th, marking his second sit-down with the team regarding their offensive coordinator vacancy. Now, his plan is to return to the Bengals for at least one more season, but it won’t be surprising to see his name re-emerge on the coaching market next offseason. Pitcher has helped mold former No. 1 overall pick Joe Burrow into one of the best quarterbacks in the game, as Burrow has helped lead the Bengals to back-to-back AFC Championship games, and a Super Bowl appearance in 2021. He was promoted to quarterbacks coach at the start of the 2020 season after previously serving with the team as an offensive assistant.

This marks the first in-person interview the Buccaneers will hold with Pitcher, who also interviewed with the team virtually late last month. Pitcher was promoted to quarterbacks coach of the Bengals in 2020 and has done well with former No. 1 overall pick Joe Burrow, as Burrow and the Bengals have already made a Super Bowl appearance while also playing in back-to-back AFC Championship games. With quarterback Tom Brady now retired, Pitcher could very well be in line to usher in another young quarterback if he were to be named as the Bucs’ next offensive coordinator.

This is the first we’ve written about Pitcher since he was promoted to quarterback coach in 2020 after Alex Van Pelt left to be offensive coordinator for the Browns. “His first project could very well be Mr. Joe Burrow,” we wrote. And it was. And it went well. The Bucs have certainly tended towards less-experienced names in their search for an offensive coordinator so far.

Former QB coach Alex Van Pelt left to be the Browns’ new OC. Pitcher was the assistant QB coach in 2019 and has been with the team since 2016. His first project could very well be Mr. Joe Burrow.