Rashad Johnson will coach cornerbacks, Tim Atkins will direct safeties and another Bowles is added to the staff.
Then-Bucs assistant secondary coach Tim Atkins, shown during a 2024 playoff game against the Eagles, has been elevated to safeties coach, replacing the retired Nick Rapone.
Then-Bucs assistant secondary coach Tim Atkins, shown during a 2024 playoff game against the Eagles, has been elevated to safeties coach, replacing the retired Nick Rapone. [ DOUG MURRAY | AP, 2024 ]
The Bucs officially announced new hires and promotions to their coaching staff Thursday, and the names are familiar, including a couple with a familial twist.
Joining new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson are two of his former Falcons assistants: pass game coordinator T.J. Yates and senior offensive assistant/pass game specialist Ken Zampese.
The Bucs also confirmed the hiring of former Indiana co-offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Chandler Whitmer as quarterbacks coach and assistant offensive line coach Andrew Mitchell.
On defense, however, the Bucs mostly promoted from within.
Tim Atkins was elevated to safeties coach, Rashad Johnson to cornerbacks coach. Both had been assistants at those positions. Atkins replaces Nick Rapone, who retired at age 69. Johnson takes over for Kevin Ross, who was fired. Chad Wade was promoted to head strength and conditioning coach.
The Bucs also hired Todd Bowles Jr., the son of head coach Todd Bowles, as a defensive assistant. Bowles Jr. played at Jesuit High School before becoming a preferred walk-on at Rutgers as a defensive back and finishing his career at Long Island University.
Luke Smith, the nephew of new Bucs special teams coordinator Danny Smith, was hired as assistant special teams coach.
The Bucs clearly struggled in pass defense last season, ranking 27th in the NFL by allowing an average of 238.2 yards per game.
It’s interesting that while Bowles felt the need to make changes to two coaches in the secondary, apparently he believed the answers were already in the building.
Then-Titans defensive back Rashad Johnson, shown after a 2016 game against the Browns, has been promoted from Bucs assistant secondary coach to cornerbacks coach. [ AP, 2016 ]
The Bucs fired pass game coordinator Kefense Hynson and head strength and conditioning coach Anthony Piroli.
Brian Picucci left to become run game coordinator for the Jaguars under head coach Liam Coen. Assistant quarterbacks coach Jordan Somervile was hired as offensive coordinator at Cal. Assistant special teams coach Keith Tandy was replaced by Luke Smith.
Yates spent the past five seasons with the Falcons as a passing game specialist, receivers coach and quarterbacks coach before becoming passing game coordinator/receivers coach in 2025. Prior to coaching, he spent seven seasons as a quarterback with the Texans, Falcons, Dolphins and Bills. He replaced Thad Lewis, who was fired.
Zampese has history with Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield, having served as the Browns quarterbacks coach when the Heisman Trophy winner was drafted No. 1 overall in 2018.
Whitmer was the Falcons pass game specialist under Robinson in 2024. Last year, he helped lead Fernando Mendoza to a Heisman Trophy and Indiana to an undefeated season and a national championship.
Mitchell is a former teammate of Robinson’s at Oklahoma State, where he coached the offensive line last season.
Rapone left some big shoes for Atkins to fill. In 2022, the Bucs led the league in sacks at safety with 16 and ranked second in the league in tackles for loss (41), forced fumbles (12) and fumble recoveries (9).
• • •
Sign up for our Sports Today newsletter to get daily updates on the Bucs, Rays, Lightning and college football across Florida.
Every weekday, tune into our Sports Day Tampa Bay podcast to hear reporter Rick Stroud break down the biggest stories in Tampa Bay sports.
Never miss out on the latest with your favorite Tampa Bay sports teams. Follow our coverage on X and Facebook.
Join the Conversation
Anyone can view a sampling of recent comments, but you must be a Times subscriber to contribute. Log in above or subscribe here.
Conversations are opinions of our readers and are subject to the Community Guidelines.