From 2022-24, the Buccaneers stood in command of the NFC South while residing as a fringe Super Bowl threat. Last season dislodged Tampa Bay's grip on the NFL's worst division, bringing state-of-the-union questions to the forefront. **Todd Bowles** survived, but it is safe to say the **Bruce Arians** successor is on the hot seat.
Injuries harpooned the Bucs last season, but the team could not recapture much momentum even after a host of offensive talent returned late in the year. December home losses to the Falcons and Saints prevented the Bucs' Week 18 win over the Panthers from mattering. As a team that continues to rely on a draft-develop-extend/re-sign blueprint, last year's 8-9 season invited concern about the franchise's direction.
### Coaching/front office:
The Bucs have a different offensive coordinator for a fifth straight year. Rather than follow **Dave Canales** and **Liam Coen** in landing head coaching jobs, Grizzard followed **Byron Leftwich** in receiving a pink slip. The Bucs had aimed for rare continuity with Grizzard, elevating him from pass-game coordinator to OC. The longtime Dolphins assistant, who joined the Bucs' staff in 2024, could not replicate what Canales and Coen provided.
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