The Buccaneers have made it official with Zac Robinson, announcing the club has hired him as offensive coordinator on Thursday.
“We are excited to welcome Zac Robinson as our next offensive coordinator,” head coach Todd Bowles said in a statement released by the team. “Zac is one of the bright offensive minds in our game, and during the interview process, I was very impressed with his plan for getting the most out of the talent we have on that side of the ball. He has a very good understanding of the strengths of our top offensive players from his time in the division the past two years and I am very confident in his ability to teach and develop our young players.”
Robinson replaces Josh Grizzard, who served one year as the team’s OC after Liam Coen departed the franchise to become Jacksonville’s head coach.
Robinson will be the team’s fifth different offensive coordinator over the last five seasons following Byron Leftwich, Dave Canales, Coen, and Grizzard.
Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan has been the betting favorite to win offensive rookie of the year for some time and he officially became a finalist for the award on Thursday.
McMillan was a first-round pick last April and he posted 70 catches, 1,014 yards and seven touchdowns for the NFC South champs. If McMillan wins the award, he’ll join Cam Newton as the only Panthers to receive the honor.
Saints quarterback Tyler Shough might have surpassed McMillan as the favorite with more time in the starting lineup. Even if he falls short of hearing his name announced at the NFL Honors event in February, Shough’s provided reason for hope about the future in New Orleans.
Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart, Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, and Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson are the other finalists this year.
The Buccaneers have found their next offensive coordinator.
Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that they are finalizing a deal with Zac Robinson to take that key role on Todd Bowles’s coaching staff.
Robinson spent the last two seasons as the offensive coordinator of the Falcons, so he’s no stranger to life in the NFC South. The Falcons finished 13th in scoring in 2024, but dropped to 24th in 2025 and finished 8-9 both seasons. That led to head coach Raheem Morris getting fired and it pushed Robinson to find a new place to coach.
Robinson was the quarterbacks coach for the Rams before going to Atlanta, so he’s also no stranger to Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield. Mayfield spent time with the Rams during the 2022 season and the success of their reunion will do much to determine how well things will go in Tampa next season.
The firing of Bills coach Sean McDermott has provoked plenty of reactions. Former Cardinals and Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians recently gave a frank assessment of the situation.
“This one baffles me,” Arians told Pat McAfee, via JoeBucsFan.com. “How [Bills General Manager] Brandon Beane got elevated [to president of football operations] and Sean McDermott got fired, that just blows my mind because they didn’t have any damn players.
“I mean the guy’s one of the best coaches in the league and a great leader of men. He’s taken that team as close as you can get, couldn’t beat [Patrick] Mahomes. [McDermott] didn’t throw any damn interceptions. And the referees screwed him bad and he gets fired. C’mon man. And Brandon Beane gets a fucking raise? I don’t get that one. That one blows my mind.”
Plenty of Bills fans surely feel the same way. And Wednesday’s press conference likely didn’t change many, if any, minds.
But only one person’s vote counts. Owner Terry Pegula decided it was McDermott’s fault. And that Beane not only merits no blame but deserves credit for building the team that McDermott couldn’t get to a Super Bowl.
The Buccaneers appear to be moving closer to making their decision about a new offensive coordinator.
Albert Breer of SI.com reports that they have scheduled a second interview on Thursday with former Titans head coach Brian Callahan for the position. The Bucs fired Josh Grizzard after one season in the role.
Callahan also interviewed for the Chargers’ coordinator position, but they are expected to hire Mike McDaniel to fill that spot on Jim Harbaugh’s staff.
The Bucs also announced the completion of an interview with Bengals offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher on Wednesday. Pitcher succeeded Callahan when Callahan left Cincinnati for Tennessee, so the choice in Tampa could wind up being a former Bengals assistant one way or another.
