The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are adding a veteran presence to their coaching staff, hiring longtime Pittsburgh Steelers assistant Danny Smith as special teams coordinator.
Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported the move Tuesday, confirming that Smith is headed to Tampa Bay after an extended tenure in Pittsburgh.
“Bucs hiring Danny Smith as special teams coordinator, source confirms (as NFL Network said).
Smith heads to Tampa after long run with Mike Tomlin in Pittsburgh.”
The hire comes days after the Buccaneers conducted a virtual interview for their special teams opening last Friday. Smith departs the Steelers following 13 seasons on Mike Tomlin’s staff. Tomlin stepped down as Pittsburgh’s head coach after the team’s Wild Card loss to the Houston Texans.
Tampa Bay is coming off an 8–9 season that saw the club miss the playoffs, prompting adjustments across the coaching staff as the organization looks to rebound in 2026.
Danny Smith brings decades of NFL special teams experience to Buccaneers staff
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Smith brings one of the longest and most consistent résumés in NFL special teams coaching. According to the Buccaneers’ initial release surrounding the interview process, Smith has served as an NFL special teams coordinator for each of the past 25 seasons. His run began with the Buffalo Bills from 2001–03, followed by the same role with the Washington Redskins from 2004–12, before joining Pittsburgh in 2013.
Overall, Smith has 50 years of coaching experience. His career began in 1976 as a graduate assistant at Edinboro State, where he previously played quarterback and defensive back. After early collegiate stops at Clemson, William & Mary and The Citadel, Smith spent eight seasons at Georgia Tech from 1987–94 coaching multiple position groups.
Pittsburgh consistently ranked among the league’s strongest special teams units during Smith’s tenure. In 2025, the Steelers placed sixth in punt return average yards allowed and eighth in kickoff return average allowed, while ranking second leaguewide in average opponent drive start. Kicker Chris Boswell continued to thrive under Smith, earning another Pro Bowl nod and first-team Associated Press All-Pro honors, while Miles Killebrew was also a first-team AP All-Pro as a special teamer in 2024.
Smith now joins a Buccaneers staff aiming to strengthen a key phase of the game as Tampa Bay works to return to postseason contention.