For the fourth straight season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will field a new offensive coordinator as Josh Grizzard takes the reins following Liam Coen’s move to Jacksonville.
It’s been a revolving door at the spot under head coach Todd Bowles. The Buccaneers fired Byron Leftwich following the 2022 season. Since then, Dave Canales and Coen have both made the leap to head coaching positions after just one season with the franchise.
The latest departure had to be somewhat disappointing for star quarterback Baker Mayfield. In 2024, he had the best season of his career, completing 407/550 passes for 4,500 yards with 41 touchdowns to 16 interceptions while adding 378 yards and three more scores on the ground.
The theme of Mayfield’s time at the NFL level has been a lack of consistency around him, to no fault of his own. Since being selected by the Cleveland Browns with the No. 1 pick in 2018, Mayfield has played under seven different offensive coordinators.
Jan 12, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) throws during the third quarter of a NFC wild card playoff against the Washington Commanders at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
That will obviously continue in 2025, though it does help that Grizzard was Tampa Bay’s pass game coordinator last season. Mayfield has had nothing but positive things to say about the promotion thus far.
Regardless, it’s worth wondering if the constant changes will impact Mayfield this fall. After all, Grizzard doesn’t have any previous experience as an offensive coordinator.
CBS Sports’ Garrett Podell believes this is the biggest question that will define the Buccaneers’ season.
“Mayfield has been a Pro Bowler in each of his first two years as the Buccaneers starting quarterback in both 2023 and 2024,” Podell wrote. “Both of those seasons have been under now-departed offensive coordinators in 2023 (now-Panthers head coach Dave Canales) and in 2024 (now-Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen).”
