A devastating NFL reality struck the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday. This was not due to a defeat on the field, but rather to a stark post on social media. Esteemed ESPN insider Adam Schefter delivered the crushing update to the football world. Offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard has been fired. This move confirms the franchise’s most damning failure. The Buccaneers are struggling to find an offensive leader for the fifth consecutive year. This relentless instability now directly threatens the future of quarterback Baker Mayfield and head coach Todd Bowles.
Sources: Bucs fired OC Josh Grizzard after he served just one season on the job, replacing Liam Coen. pic.twitter.com/jxRlWMSm5l
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 8, 2026
The decision, first reported by Schefter on his official X (formerly Twitter) account, exposes a broken system. Under Grizzard, the Buccaneers’ offensive performance completely unraveled. The unit’s ranking in yards per game collapsed from 3rd to 21st league-wide. Scoring followed the same disastrous path, plummeting from 4th to 17th. Mayfield’s own stats tell a story of systemic failure. His completion percentage and touchdown totals didn’t just dip—they cratered.
A Misdirected Fix for a Deeper Disease
This firing, however, feels like treating a symptom while ignoring a fatal disease. Head coach Todd Bowles retains his job for 2025. However, his defense—his personal coaching specialty—was the unit that betrayed the season. Catastrophic late-game collapses against Atlanta, Buffalo, and Los Angeles sealed the team’s fate. Therefore, sacrificing the offensive coordinator appears to be a transparent act of scapegoating. This is a desperate move from a head coach who is currently under intense scrutiny.
The fallout creates an almost impossible recruitment challenge. As NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport noted, the Buccaneers may look at names like Todd Monken. However, why would a top candidate choose this turmoil? They would be tying their career to a lame-duck coach and a franchise defined by coordinator turnover. Instead of being a sought-after opportunity, the role has turned into a toxic one.
The Human Cost of Endless Instability
The greatest victim in this cycle is Baker Mayfield. The quarterback engineered a brilliant career comeback in Tampa. His reward for a Pro Bowl 2024 season is more chaos. With Grizzard’s departure, Mayfield is now preparing to work with his ninth different primary play-caller in nine professional seasons. This constant upheaval is a recipe for stunted growth. It prevents the mastery of any single system and erodes the trust essential for offensive execution.
General Manager Jason Licht also shoulders significant blame. He assembled a roster with a championship-caliber offense. Nevertheless, he continues to endorse a coaching structure that cannot provide the required stability. The message to players and fans is profoundly damaging. It appears that accountability does not extend to the highest levels.
A Single Ray of Hope in a Storm of Chaos
Amid the criticism, one compelling fact remains. The Buccaneers have a robust offensive lineup. The entire starting offensive line returns. Dynamic playmakers like Chris Godwin and rookie standout Emeka Egbuka are under contract. This existing talent pool is the organization’s only credible selling point to a wary candidate. It offers a chance for immediate impact, bypassing a total rebuild.
Ultimately, this search is a final referendum on the Bowles-Licht regime. Failing to attract a legitimate, stabilizing offensive mind would be an unforgivable error. For Baker Mayfield, it would mean another precious year of his prime lost to dysfunction. The Buccaneers promised their quarterback a home. Instead, they have constructed a shaky foundation, and the momentum is shifting once more.
