When former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen ghosted the team after verbally agreeing to return as the highest-paid OC in the NFL to instead become the new head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars, it didn't just sting because of the way it went down, but more importantly, because it involved an inevitable step back for an offense that had made huge strides with Coen at the helm.
Although many people believed that Josh Grizzard might be able to re-capture some of the magic left in Coen's wake, that wasn't the case. Of course, injuries played a huge role in the Buccaneers' offensive regression under Grizzard, but the lack of production on the field was too much for the front office to ignore, and Grizzard was fired at the end of the year.
Following Grizzard's departure, many fans found themselves playing the 'what could have been?' game while re-living the fond memories of Coen's prolific offense in Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers had already turned the page, though, and zeroed in on a candidate they believed could restore the offensive success they experienced under Coen. Not with Coen himself, obviously, but quite possibly the next best option in his good friend and former colleague with the Rams, Zac Robinson.
Not only was Robinson familiar to the Buccaneers having spent the past few seasons torching Todd Bowles' defenses for the Atlanta Falcons, but he himself was also intimately familiar with the Buccaneers' offense, having played them twice each year.
Furthermore, with Robinson having come up under the tutelage of Sean McVay, just like Coen, there would be some natural ties to the offense Robinson runs to that of Coen.
Although Robinson hasn't yet had the chance to put his offensive plans into action with the Buccaneers, he was heavily involved in the team's rookie minicamp this past week while working closely with Todd Bowles, Jason Licht and the rest of the Buccaneers' coaching staff this offseason.
On Wednesday, Jason Licht made an appearance on the PewterReport Podcast, where he was asked specifically about his impressions of Zac Robinson so far. And despite only being with the team since the end of January, it appears as though Robinson has already made a very strong impression on the man who hired him.
"Really, really impressed with him so far," Licht said. "[Robinson] has just been awesome to work with since he got here. He's got a really good feel for personnel. He's got a really good feel for how to use players."
Robinson has similarities to Liam Coen
Liam Coen and Baker Mayfiel
Sep 8, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) talks with offensive coordinator Liam Coen against the Washington Commanders during the first half at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Licht specifically discussed Robinson's ties to Coen as well, and it seems like their familiar philosophies was at least a small part of what made Robinson so appealing as a candidate.
"[Robinson] and Liam are very tight, like you said, they share a lot of beliefs in how they run their offense," Licht said. "Different personnel packages, the run game, all of those things. They are very, very tight, obviously, but they think alike. We heard a lot about Zac when Liam was here, we would hear about him quite a bit.
Positive first impression
Zac Robinso
Dec 29, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson on the field before a game against the Los Angeles Rams at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Although Licht acknowledged that he and Robinson are still getting to know each other, it seems like the Bucs' new OC has made quite the impression on his superiors.
"I knew Zac a little bit, but didn't have a close relationship with him. He's as advertised," Licht said. "I like his demeanor, the way he leads, the way he leads meetings, all of these things have been outstanding so far. I know Todd and I have talked a lot about how happy we are to have him and I think he's going to be a very good coach."
Based on how things worked out for Josh Grizzard in Tampa Bay, you'd expect the Buccaneers' GM to be a little more measured when describing his impressions of Robinson, especially since the only coaching he's done this year was at rookie minicamp. Based on Licht's recent comments, though, it appears that he is so confident in Robinson that he is unafraid of raising expectations in the media regarding one of his most important offseason hires.
Sign up to ourfree newsletter and follow us onFacebook,X andInstagram for the latest news.
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Follow