Jenna LaineJan 8, 2026, 10:41 AM ET
- Jenna Laine covers the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for ESPN. She started covering the Bucs for ESPN in 2016, but she has covered the team since 2009. Jenna is a former cheerleader at the University of South Florida and speaks to the consistency of the program as being one of the top best in the nation.
Josh Grizzard has been fired by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after only one season as their offensive coordinator, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.
The Buccaneers also fired offensive assistant Thad Lewis, who worked with Baker Mayfield as Tampa Bay's quarterbacks coach for the last three seasons, sources told ESPN.
The firings came one day after sources confirmed to ESPN that embattled head coach Todd Bowles would return to the Bucs in 2026. Grizzard met with the organization Thursday morning and was informed of the news, one of several anticipated changes for the Bucs after missing the playoffs for the first time since 2019.
Bowles will now be seeking Tampa Bay's fifth offensive coordinator in five seasons -- and the fourth in four seasons for Mayfield.
Lewis had been with the Buccaneers as an intern since 2020 before serving as assistant wide receivers coach from 2021-2022 and his current role since 2023. The thought process behind firing Lewis, according to sources, was to allow the new offensive coordinator the chance to bring in his own quarterbacks coach.
Sources told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler that the organization is also discussing possibly having a true defensive coordinator, as Bowles has been calling plays since 2019, when he was first Tampa Bay's defensive coordinator.
The Bucs (8-9) missed the playoffs, ending a streak of four consecutive NFC South division titles, this season despite winning five of their first six games.
Grizzard was promoted to offensive coordinator in January 2025 to replace Liam Coen, who left the Bucs to become the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Grizzard previously served as Tampa Bay's pass game coordinator in 2024 and was responsible for third-down play-calling, which led the league at 50.9% conversion rate that season.
But with Grizzard as offensive coordinator, the Bucs took several steps backwards on offense statistically in 2025, finishing 21st in the NFL in total offense despite an attack led by Mayfield, six-time Pro Bowl receiver Mike Evans, star left tackle Tristan Wirfs and promising young running back Bucky Irving.
Tampa Bay went from averaging 28.6 offensive points per game in 2024 with Coen to 21.4 with Grizzard, and a 41.2% conversion rate on third down.
Tampa Bay's offense also was plagued by injuries throughout the season, as Evans, Wirfs, Irving, veteran receiver Chris Godwin Jr., starting offensive linemen Luke Goedeke, Ben Bredeson and Cody Mauch, and second-year receiver Jalen McMillan all missed significant time.
