The Buccaneers announced several additions to their coaching staff on Thursday.
Among the new coaches are pass game coordinator T.J. Yates and senior offensive assistant/pass game specialist Ken Zampese. Both men coached with offensive coordinator Zac Robinson prior to his move from Atlanta to Tampa.
Quarterbacks coach Chandler Whitmer’s addition was previously reported. The Bucs have also hired defensive assistant Todd Bowles Jr., assistant offensive line coach Andrew Mitchell, assistant special teams coach Luke Smith, and defensive line coach Marcus West.
The Buccaneers also announced the promotions of safeties coach Tim Atkins, cornerbacks coach Rashad Johnson, and head strength and conditioning coach Chad Wade.
Over the weekend, former Cardinals and Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians disclosed that he’s due to have open heart surgery on Friday, February 6.
On Tuesday, Arians posted an update on Twitter.
“Recently on The Today Show, I mentioned I would be having open heart surgery and I just wanted to clarify and let everyone know the procedure I am having is a common one and is something my doctors and I have been monitoring for a number of years and they recommend I correct the issue now so l can be as good as new back on the golf course ASAP,” Arians said on Twitter. “I want to thank everyone for all the prayers and well-wishes.”
Arians has overcome several health challenges over the years. He seems to be ready to take this one in stride, and he’s anxious to get back to working on his swing.
The Buccaneers have found a new quarterbacks coach.
According to multiple reports, Chandler Whitmer is taking over the role for Tampa Bay in 2026.
Whitmer, 34, spent the 2025 season with Indiana University as the program’s co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, helping IU win the CFP national championship and Fernando Mendoza win the Heisman Trophy.
But Whitmer also has familiarity with new Bucs offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, as Whitmer served on the Falcons’ staff in 2024 as a passing game specialist. Robinson was Atlanta’s offensive coordinator in 2024 and 2025.
Whitmer also spent time with the Chargers from 2021-2023 as an offensive quality control coach.
Former Cardinals and Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians has fought and won plenty of health battles. He’s about to fight another.
Appearing on Today to promote an upcoming prostate cancer screening Super Bowl commercial with tight end Rob Gronkowski, Arians told Craig Melvin that Arians will undergo open heart surgery on February 6.
The comment came at the tail end of the interview, with no specifics as to why Arians will have the procedure.
We wish him nothing but the best. He’s always been a colorful character, more than willing to drop an S-bomb or an F-bomb or an MF-bomb or some combination of the three.
Also, watch the interview and the commercial. Men over 40 need prostate cancer screening. And it no longer comes with the singing of Moon River.
Mike Evans said late last year that he’ll make a decision about playing in 2026 “when the time is right” and Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield thinks he knows which way that decision is going to go.
During an appearance on The Ronde Barber Show, Mayfield was asked about what kind of pitch he’d make to Evans about returning for a 13th season. Mayfield said he doesn’t believe he’ll have to make a hard sell because Evans will want to play for new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson while wiping away the memory of missing the playoffs at the end of an injury-plagued season.
“I don’t have to really plea with it,” Mayfield said. “Mike’s too much of a competitor and cares too much about Tampa to end his career without 1,000 yards, without a division championship, without a playoff run. And that, first of all, speaks to who Mike is but that’s the truth. And you know he doesn’t want to do that. You could just kind of feel it. Listen, I don’t have any info. I’ve told Mike, ‘This is your decision. Take your time doing it.’ But, understanding who Mike is, this is my guess, that he didn’t want it to end this way. He knows the potential if we’re able to stay a little bit more healthy. Zac will do great things for us, and we’ll go from there. But Mike’s got more in the tank. You could tell with the energy, the fire he had at the end of the year.”
Evans is not under contract for the 2026 season, but it feels like a safe bet that the Bucs would want him back if the wideout decides to keep playing.
