By ESPN | Created at 2025-01-31 23:49:48 | Updated at 2025-02-01 02:57:43
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Schefter on Liam Coen: 'I've never heard a team so irate over a coaching decision' (1:40)
Adam Schefter joins "The Pat McAfee Show" to talk about former Bucs OC Liam Coen becoming the new Jaguars head coach. (1:40)
Jenna LaineJan 31, 2025, 04:36 PM 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. Follow Jenna on Twitter: @JennaLaineESPN.
TAMPA, Fla. -- The Buccaneers stayed in-house to fill the void left by Liam Coen at offensive coordinator, hiring passing game coordinator Josh Grizzard for the role Friday.
Grizzard has spent only one season with the team, but he was responsible for a third-down offense that converted at a 50.9% rate, the highest in the NFL and a franchise record, and its 45.9% third-down passing percentage also a league high. In addition, the Bucs' 64.4% third-down rushing percentage was third highest in franchise history, as was their 67.7% third-and-short conversion rate. Their 33% third-and-long conversion rate ranked third in the league.
"Josh is bright and innovative and was instrumental in our game planning and play design over the last year," Bucs coach Todd Bowles said. "After interviewing several outstanding candidates throughout this process, it ultimately became clear that our best option was here in our building. We had a lot of success offensively last season and during our conversations, Grizz provided some great ideas on how we can build on that. His familiarity with our offense, our players and the staff will ensure the continuity that is crucial for sustained success."
The elevation of Grizzard, who is well-liked among players, allows the Bucs to maintain as much continuity as possible in their passing game, particularly with quarterback Baker Mayfield, who threw a career-best 41 touchdowns in 2024.
He will be the eighth offensive coordinator for Mayfield in his eight seasons in the league.
Prior to joining Tampa Bay, Grizzard spent seven seasons with the Miami Dolphins wearing a number of different coaching hats: offensive quality control (2017-18), quality control (2019), wide receivers coach (2020-21) and offensive quality control (2022-23).
He got his start as a student assistant at Yale in 2012 and then was a graduate assistant/quality control coach at Duke from 2013-16.
The Bucs interviewed multiple candidates for the job after Coen left to become coach of the Jaguars: Chargers passing game coordinator Marcus Brady; Minnesota Vikings assistant offensive coordinator/assistant quarterbacks coach Grant Udinski; Rams offensive assistant/pass game specialist Nate Scheelhaase, tight ends coach/pass game coordinator Nick Caley and quarterbacks coach Dave Ragone; and Grizzard, the only internal candidate interviewed.
