Chargers Interview Brian Callahan For OC
Brian Callahan now appears on two teams’ offensive coordinator radars. The recently fired Titans coach discussed the Buccaneers’ play-calling position this week, and the Chargers came next.
The Bolts announced Callahan’s interview Friday. Callahan spent five years as the Bengals’ OC, a period that will help his cause more than the Titans HC tenure — one that ended after just 23 games.
This marks the first known external candidate for the Bolts’ OC post. The team previously interviewed pass-game coordinator Marcus Brady and QBs coach Shane Day for the role Greg Roman‘s firing vacated. Callahan, 41, has been an NFL staffer since 2010. He worked for the Broncos, Lions and Raiders before receiving the chance to work under Zac Taylor as Cincinnati’s OC.
Neither of Taylor’s top coordinators received too much HC consideration for years, which represented a bit of a surprise considering Cincinnati’s Super Bowl LVI appearance and berth in the following year’s AFC championship game. While Lou Anarumo called the shots on defense, Callahan served as a non-play-calling OC. Issues with play-calling and game management doomed him in Tennessee.
Prior to being canned 23 games into his tenure, Callahan handed the play sheet to QBs coach Bo Hardegree. When Callahan was fired, the Titans’ offense ranked 31st in the NFL. Granted, Tennessee only improved to 30th after Mike McCoy‘s interim stay. And the Chargers will gauge Callahan’s readiness. In Los Angeles, Jim Harbaugh serves as a CEO head coach. His Roman successor would call plays for a Justin Herbert-quarterbacked offense. That presents a strong draw, and bigger-name candidates — particularly as the HC carousel sorts itself out — figure to emerge soon.
Harbaugh employed Roman throughout his time in San Francisco and for two years in L.A., but the Chargers’ increasingly run-centric offense lost both its starting tackles — Joe Alt, Rashawn Slater — and then sputtered in a wild-card loss to the Patriots. Callahan impressed in his Bucs interview, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. It will be interesting to see if he advances far in this search and/or comes up in other OC searches yet to form.
Buccaneers Interview Steelers’ Danny Smith For ST Coordinator
The end of the Mike Tomlin era may lead to the end of the Danny Smith era in Pittsburgh. Tomlin resigned after a 19-year head coaching run on Tuesday, leaving Smith’s future as the Steelers’ special teams coordinator up in the air.
If Smith leaves Pittsburgh, he could land on his feet in Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers held a virtual interview with Smith for their open ST coordinator position on Friday. He joins Craig Aukerman, Anthony Levine Sr., Michael Clay and Jett Modkins as known candidates for the job.
Tampa Bay is looking for a replacement for Thomas McGaughey, whom head coach Todd Bowles fired last week. McGaughey lasted just two seasons in Tampa Bay, whereas Smith has been a fixture in Pittsburgh. The gum-chewing 72-year-old has worked in the same role since 2013.
Previously with Buffalo for three years and Washington for nine, Smith has been an NFL special teams coordinator for 25 straight seasons. Adding in a four-year stint with Philadelphia from 1995-98, Smith has 29 years’ experience as an ST coordinator in the league.
Should he join the Buccaneers, Smith may end up on the same coaching staff as Mike McDaniel in 2026. The Bucs interviewed McDaniel in person for their offensive coordinator gig on Friday, Jenna Laine of ESPN reports. As PFR’s Nikhil Mehta noted on Wednesday, the former head coach has been popular across the league since the Dolphins fired him on Jan. 8. As is the case with the Buccaneers, the Lions and Eagles are considering McDaniel for the OC role. Meanwhile, the Falcons, Ravens, Browns and Titans are interested in hiring him as a head coach.
Buccaneers Interview Three More Candidates For ST Coordinator Job
The Buccaneers are casting a relatively wide map as they search for a replacement for fired special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey. Over the past two days, we’ve learned that the organization has added three more candidates to their interview list.
[RELATED: Buccaneers Fire ST Coordinator Thomas McGaughey]
The team announced yesterday that they completed an interview with Craig Aukerman. The long-time NFL coach has been a coordinator in multiple stops, including stints with the Chargers, Titans, and Dolphins. He’s coming off his first season as Miami’s special teams coordinator, but considering their search for a new head coach, there’s a good chance Aukerman will be seeking a new gig for 2026.
The Buccaneers then announced today that they interviewed Anthony Levine Sr. for the role. The long-time Ravens special teams ace got his coaching start in Baltimore, serving as a coaching assistant. He moved to the Titans in 2022 to serve as an assistant special teams coach, and he actually spent the 2023 campaign working under Aukerman. Levine moved back to the Ravens in 2025 to serve as an assistant ST coach.
Finally, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reported today that the Buccaneers interviewed Eagles ST coordinator Michael Clay. While the coach isn’t under contract for the 2026 season, his contract doesn’t technically expire until next month, so the Eagles had to grant permission for the chat. Clay has been Philly’s special teams coordinator since the 2021 campaign.
The trio will join Lions assistant special teams coordinator Jett Modkins, who interviewed for the job earlier this week. These coaches will be looking to improve a Tampa Bay special teams unit that earned the third-lowest Pro Football Focus grade this past season.
Mike McDaniel To Interview For Bucs’ OC Job
The Buccaneers will interview Mike McDaniel for their offensive coordinator vacancy on Friday, per FOX Sports’ Greg Auman.
McDaniel, 42, was fired by the Dolphins last week after a disappointing 2025 campaign. But as one of the league’s top offensive minds, he is expected to land a job in this year’s hiring cycle, whether that be as a head coach or offensive coordinator. Currently, he is a head coaching candidate for the Falcons, Ravens, Browns, and Titans with offensive coordinator interest from the Lions, Eagles, and now, the Buccaneers.
McDaniel would prefer a “great OC opportunity” to a “not-great head coaching vacancy,” per Auman, though, of course, those qualifiers are entirely up to the coach’s judgement. At first glance, the Browns and Titans do not seem to be as appealing due to their lack of offensive firepower, though McDaniel would have a chance to mold a young quarterback with either team. The Ravens, of course, have Lamar Jackson, while the Falcons have an exciting array of young offensive weapons.
The Buccaneers would appear to fall into the “great OC opportunity” category. They have an established veteran quarterback in Baker Mayfield, a strong offensive line, and several playmakers at different positions. The unit’s struggles in 2025 seemed to be more related to their injuries, and new offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard was not able to step into Liam Coen‘s shoes after he left for Jacksonville, especially as a play-caller.
McDaniel is proven as an architect and play-caller who could build on the foundation established by Coen and his predecessor, Dave Canales, while adding his own motion-heavy wrinkles into the playbook. He could use success in Tampa Bay to quickly springboard into another head coaching job, especially if he can help the Buccaneers overcome their playoff struggles under Todd Bowles.
Todd Monken To Interview For Buccaneers’ OC Position
The Buccaneers made a number of staffing changes shortly after their season ended. That included the expected dismissal of offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard. 
In the aftermath of Grizzard’s firing, a shortlist of replacement candidates emerged. Todd Monken is among the staffers who have been linked to Tampa Bay. That comes as no surprise since he spent three years (2016-18) as the Bucs’ offensive coordinator.
The sides will meet this week about a potential reunion. Monken will conduct an in-person interview for Tampa’s OC vacancy, Greg Auman of Fox Sports reports. The summit will take place tomorrow, he adds. Monken was named this past weekend as someone of interest to Tampa Bay, so it certainly makes sense an interview will take place. As things stand, Monken is under contract with the Ravens as their OC, but the firing of John Harbaugh came about after he refused to consider making an offensive coordinator change.
With that in mind, there is a widespread expectation Monken will not be retained by the Ravens once their new head coach is in place. Head coaching interest has also emerged in Monken’s case from the Browns. The 59-year-old could find himself on the HC radar of other teams shortly, but another offensive coordinator opportunity would come as no surprise. Of those, the one in Tampa Bay would be an attractive one given the success seen when the team is fully healthy on offense.
That was not the case often in 2025, but Baker Mayfield along with an intriguing skill-position group and an offensive line anchored by left tackle Tristan Wirfs represents a strong core to work with. Some holdovers from Monken’s Tampa stint – including wideouts Mike Evans and Chris Godwin – are still with the team, although Evans is a pending free agent so a reunion in that case would not be assured.
Monken’s Bucs offenses finished mid-pack in scoring during each of his three seasons with the team. Tampa Bay ranked ninth in total offense in 2017, though, and followed that up with a third-place finish the following year. He would seek a repeat of that success in the event a return to the Buccaneers were to take place.
Bucs To Interview Mike Kafka For OC Job
The Buccaneers are set to interview Mike Kafka for their offensive coordinator vacancy, per FOX Sports’ Greg Auman.
Kafka, 38, has been the Giants’ offensive coordinator for the last four years. He was also named interim head coach after Brian Daboll was fired in November. Under Kafka, New York’s offense has never ranked higher than 13th in points or 15th in yards with bottom-five finishes in both categories in 2022 and 2023. He was working with a weak offensive roster, especially at quarterback, but at the same time, part of his task was developing that roster.
Kafka previously spent five years in Kansas City, including four seasons as the quarterbacks coach. In 2020, he added pass game coordinator to his title. The Chiefs offense was consistently one of the best in the NFL during his tenure, which featured the ascent of Patrick Mahomes into one of the best quarterbacks in the history of the sport. While Mahomes’ pure talent and Andy Reid‘s influence are largely credited for the unit’s success, Kafka seems to have been a key factor, too. After his departure in 2022, the Chiefs had one more season as the best offense in the NFL before falling to the middle of the league in the last three years.
In Tampa Bay, Kafka would be working with a more talented offense with improvement over the Giants’ players at nearly every position. The Buccaneers clearly felt that Josh Grizzard did not get enough out of the unit this past season and may be seeking a more experienced option. Kafka also has a connection to the franchise: during his playing career, he served as Tampa Bay’s backup quarterback for the 2014 season.
The Buccaneers are also looking for a replacement for special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey, who was fired along with Grizzard after the regular season. Lions assistant special teams coordinator Jett Modkins interviewed for the job on Monday, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Tampa Bay’s 60.6 special teams grade from Pro Football Focus (subscription required) was the third-lowest in the NFL this season, though their average starting field position ranked 12th. In contrast, the Lions have consistently fielded one of the top-graded special teams units in the NFL. Their 90.5 grade was the league’s sixth-best in 2025, and their average starting field position ranked fifth.
The two interviews are part of the Buccaneers’ major offseason staff shake-up after another disappointing end to their season. Head coach Todd Bowles is clearly willing to make some changes after a 35-33 record and one playoff win in the last four years.
Buccaneers Interview Israel Woolfork, David Shaw For OC Job
The Buccaneers completed virtual interviews with Cardinals quarterbacks coach Israel Woolfork and Lions passing game coordinator David Shaw for their offensive coordinator vacancy, per team writer Scott Smith. 
Tampa Bay moved on from OC Josh Grizzard at the end of the season after the team’s offense dropped from a top-five unit in 2024 to a bottom-half one this past season. The decision came as little surprise at the time, although it has since been followed by a number of other changes on Todd Bowles‘ staff. Finding Grizzard’s replacement in short order represents an obvious priority.
Woolfork began his coaching career in 2013 in the college ranks. His introduction to the NFL came in 2021 by means of the Bill Walsh NFL diversity coaching fellowship. After two years in Cleveland, Woolfork joined the Cardinals. He has served as the team’s QBs coach for the past three years.
Shaw’s resume is much more extensive. The 53-year-old has been in coaching since 1995 is best known for his run as Stanford’s head coach (2011-22). Shaw returned to the NFL in 2024 by joining the Broncos’ front office. That one-year Denver stint was followed by a return to the sidelines when Shaw took his current position in Detroit. The Lions endured a number of departures on their staff last year, and Shaw was among the most experienced replacements brought in.
Tampa Bay has already conducted an interview with former Titans head coach Brian Callahan. Prior to his ill-fated Tennessee gig, Callahan had a notable run as a non-playcalling OC in Cincinnati. The team has also been linked to ex-Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel. Earlier today, it was learned Falcons OC Zac Robinson has interviewed with Tampa Bay despite the fact he is still under contract (at least for now). A reunion between the Bucs and Todd Monken for the offensive coordinator position is also something to watch for as the team seeks out its options on the coordinator market.
Adam La Rose contributed to this post.
Buccaneers Interview Falcons OC Zac Robinson; Bucs Interested In Ravens’ Todd Monken
Two days since firing offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard, the Buccaneers have discussed the position with multiple candidates. They held a virtual interview with Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, Greg Auman of FOX Sports reports. Along with Robinson, the Buccaneers have already spoken with former Titans head coach Brian Callahan.
The Falcons don’t have a head coach, which puts Robinson’s future with the organization in question, but it’s notable that they allowed him to interview elsewhere. The team previously blocked the Cowboys from interviewing defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich for the same role.
Falcons owner Arthur Blank has made it known that his preference is for Ulbrich to keep his job under the club’s next head coach. Although Robinson could join the NFC South rival Buccaneers, it doesn’t seem Blank is as attached to him as he is to Ulbrich.
An NFL quarterback from 2010-13, Robinson began his coaching career with Sean McVay‘s Rams in 2019. He spent his first season with the team as an assistant quarterbacks coach. That proved to be Jared Goff‘s last year as the Rams’ signal-caller. The Rams traded him to the Lions in a deal for Matthew Stafford during the ensuing offseason.
Robinson shifted to assistant wide receivers coach in 2020 before moving back to his assistant QBs coach role in 2021, a Super Bowl-winning campaign for the Rams. He then earned a promotion to pass game coordinator/QBs coach, responsibilities he held from 2022-23.
When former Rams assistant Raheem Morris took over as the Falcons’ head coach in 2024, he brought Robinson with him to Atlanta as his O-coordinator. Morris is now out after combining for a 16-18 record in two seasons. The 39-year-old Robinson could follow him out the door soon.
The Falcons’ Robinson-coached offense finished 23rd in points and yards in 2024, but it improved to 19th and 15th, respectively, in those categories this season. Robinson assisted in a first-team All-Pro season for running back Bijan Robinson and a second-team All-Pro campaign for tight end Kyle Pitts, but a knee injury cost No. 1 wide receiver Drake London five games. That didn’t help matters, and nor did lackluster play at quarterback.
Although the Falcons made major investments in both Kirk Cousins and Michael Penix Jr., neither has performed all that well in two years under Robinson. Since the firing of Morris, he and Robinson have drawn criticism for failing to make better use of Penix’s arm strength.
If Tampa Bay hires him, Robinson would inherit a better QB situation with Baker Mayfield, with whom he’d reunite. Robinson and Mayfield briefly worked together in LA when the latter was trying to revive his career in 2022. He’s now locked in as the Bucs’ starter.
Despite a disappointing season that ended without a playoff berth, the Buccaneers’ offense still features some strong pieces beyond Mayfield. However, wide receiver Mike Evans may retire or leave in free agency, and tight end Cade Otton is also without a contract for 2026.
Meanwhile, Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate Emeka Egbuka, Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan will return at wideout. So will tight running back Bucky Irving. After a terrific rookie year in 2024, Irving took a sizable step backward this season. It didn’t help that standout O-linemen Cody Mauch, Tristan Wirfs and Luke Goedeke missed significant time with injuries.
While Robinson may work with at least some of those players in 2026, the Buccaneers haven’t just eyed him and Callahan. They’ve also shown reported interest in former Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel and Rams passing game specialist Nate Scheelhaase. Ravens O-coordinator Todd Monken‘s name has also come up in connection to the Buccaneers. The Bucs will indeed have “big interest” in Monken if he doesn’t end up with a head coaching job, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. Monken interviewed for the Browns’ HC opening on Saturday.
Buccaneers Interview Brian Callahan For OC; Mike McDaniel On Radar
Nearly three months after his Titans firing, Brian Callahan has resurfaced on the coaching radar. The Buccaneers announced they have interviewed the veteran staffer for their offensive coordinator position.
The interview, which took place Friday, is the Bucs’ first since they fired Josh Grizzard after one season in the role. Callahan has six seasons as an NFL OC under his belt, but he is coming off a rough Titans stint that ended midway through his second season at the helm.
Callahan went 4-19 as Titans HC, with the hire reflecting poorly on Amy Adams Strunk seeing as she fired Mike Vrabel — rather than trading his rights — in order to get a jump on the 2024 coaching market. Vrabel is one of the favorites for Coach of the Year honors after going 14-3 with the Patriots. Callahan’s status changed when the Titans fired the GM who hired him (Ran Carthon), elevating Chad Brinker to president of football operations and hiring Mike Borgonzi as GM. Six games into his second season, he was out.
The Titans had struggled during Will Levis‘ disappointing second season as the starter, and they were not showing many signs of life to start the Cam Ward era. Tennessee ranked 31st in scoring offense through six games this season; Mike McCoy‘s interim HC stint only brought the team up to 30th, however. Still, Callahan has been off the radar since the Titans bailed on him early.
A non-play-calling OC for six seasons in Cincinnati, Callahan had helped develop Joe Burrow into a superstar. The Bengals made back-to-back AFC championship game appearances, but Zac Taylor did not see either of his coordinators hired as a head coach until 2024. Callahan, 41, has no history with Todd Bowles or Jason Licht.
While the Bucs have interviewed Callahan, ESPN’s Jeff Darlington notes they are one of the teams eyeing Mike McDaniel for an OC post. McDaniel is a name to keep an eye on for the Bucs, per Darlington, though other teams are believed to be interested in the recently fired Dolphins leader for an OC role. The Titans, however, have scheduled a meeting with McDaniel to discuss the job Callahan recently held. The Browns are also believed to be considering McDaniel for their HC position, though no interview has been scheduled yet.
The prospect of McDaniel staying in Florida would be interesting, as would him agreeing to sign up for a team with a head coach on the hot seat. Then again, the Bucs have promoted from within to fill their HC job twice in the past decade, elevating Dirk Koetter and then Bowles in that span. Working with Baker Mayfield and an array of skill-position talent would naturally be appealing as well, but the McDaniel market is crowded presently.
Buccaneers Fire OC Josh Grizzard
As expected, the Buccaneers will have another new offensive coordinator for the 2026 season. Josh Grizzard is out after one season, as first reported by Tom Pelissero, Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. 
Head coach Todd Bowles will remain in place for a fifth season at the helm of Tampa Bay. Changes at the OC spot were recently named as something to watch for, though. Today’s news confirms the Bucs will have a fifth new offensive coordinator in as many years. Quarterbacks coach Thad Lewis is also being let go, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler adds. He had been in place for each of Baker Mayfield‘s three Bucs seasons.
For much of last year’s hiring cycle, it appeared as though Liam Coen would stay with the Buccaneers. He ultimately landed the Jaguars’ head coaching gig, however, which created another OC vacancy in Tampa Bay. Grizzard was promoted to the role, having spent the 2024 campaign as the team’s pass-game coordinator. Expectations were high based on the familiarity in Grizzard’s case, but especially late in the season things did not go as planned for Tampa Bay.
After a 6-2 start, the Buccaneers were unable to maintain their lead in the standings upon returning from their bye week. The team wound up 8-9 and on the wrong side of a three-way tiebreaker to determine top spot in the NFC South. Questions about Bowles’ job security were raised down the stretch, but the Bucs have opted for stability at the HC spot. His attention will now turn to the latest edition of his annual offensive coordinator searches.
Grizzard’s unit ranked 18th in the NFL in scoring and 21st in total offense. Injuries up front and at the skill positions were a common theme throughout the season, but improved consistency will be sought out by his replacement. Grizzard, 35, began his coaching career at the college ranks in 2012. His first NFL stint came with the Dolphins and lasted seven years. A two-year run in Tampa Bay followed, but he now joins the list of ex-OCs on the open market.
Per Rapoport, a trio of names are worth watching with respect to potential Grizzard replacements: Rams passing game specialist Nate Scheelhaase, Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken and Falcons OC Zac Robinson. Scheelhaase interviewed with Tampa Bay for the position last year, whereas Monken served as the team’s offensive coordinator from 2016-18. His status in Baltimore is uncertain at the moment as the Ravens seek out their John Harbaugh replacement.
Robinson is still in place with the Falcons at the moment, but a new head coach-general manager tandem is yet to be hired. Once that takes place, it would come as little surprise if a reset at the coordinator spots were to follow. That would leave Robinson among the coordinators on the lookout for a new opportunity. In any case, Grizzard’s attention will now turn to his coaching prospects as the 2026 landscape takes shape.