The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had one of the most talented offenses in the NFL last year, but after a strong start to the 2025 season, multiple factors caused them to fade down the stretch.
Injuries were a huge reason for the Bucs' late-season collapse, which saw them drop seven of their last nine games and miss the playoffs for the first time since 2019, but Tampa Bay was also limited by a first-year play-caller in Josh Grizzard. The scheme and game-planning approach appeared to go stale, and the offense struggled to take full advantage of the talent on the field, even against seemingly inferior opponents.
Grizzard was relieved of his duties after just one season as offensive coordinator, and replaced by Zac Robinson.
Robinson not only handled play-calling duties for the division-rival Atlanta Falcons over the past two seasons, but before that, he spent multiple years in various roles on Sean McVay's staff with the Los Angeles Rams.
Not only does Robinson bring more play-calling experience to the table, something the Bucs clearly lacked with Grizzard last season, but he also comes from the same coaching tree that produced Liam Coen. In his one season as the Bucs' play-caller back in 2024, the Tampa Bay offense was one of the NFL's best and most balanced units, gashing opposing defenses on the ground and through the air with a complex, innovative system that made the most of the team's many talented skill-position players.
Baker Mayfield enjoyed a career year in Coen's scheme, throwing for 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns. He also had a brief stint with the Rams in 2022, working with both Robinson and Coen during that time.
While no two offensive coordinators are exactly alike, regardless of their coaching trees, it won't be surprising if the Bucs offense looks similar in many ways to the one that was so dominant a couple of years ago. Yes, they'll have to do it without legendary wide receiver Mike Evans, but Tampa Bay is still loaded with talent (and has added even more this offseason), and Mayfield has proven he can play his best football in this type of McVay-style scheme.
Robinson has already had high praise for second-year wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, and the Bucs are heading into the season fully healthy on that side of the ball after dealing with key injuries across the unit from before the regular season even got started last year. Staying healthy is obviously key for any team, but on paper, the Bucs should be able to put their offense up against anyone else in the league.
Now that Robinson is calling the shots, they should be able to maximize that talent way more effectively than they did in 2025. Receivers should find themselves schemed open far more often, the team's versatile and explosive running backs are likely to find more ways of getting the ball in space with creative play-designs to confuse opposing defenses, and Mayfield should benefit from better route combinations and progressions, allowing him to play with more efficiency.
This is a make-or-break year for head coach Todd Bowles, and Mayfield is currently heading into this season with just one year left on his current contract. They both need this offense to make a huge improvement over what we saw from them down the stretch last year, and Robinson might just be the perfect guy for the job.
