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Danny Smith RST story
Danny Smith RST story
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers dismantled the Carolina Panthers, 43-13, in a divisional showdown in Week Seven, as all three phases clicked at Bank of America Stadium. After the Panthers scored in the second frame off a 50-yard touchdown pass from Bryce Young to Darren Waller off a post route, the Bucs immediately zapped the energy from the home crowd with a thrilling play on special teams.
Safety Tykee Smith blocked Carolina's extra point attempt, which was returned for a defensive two-point conversion by cornerback Zyon McCollum. It marked the first blocked PAT for Tampa Bay since Will Gholston, at Carolina, in 2017. Per StatsPerform research, Sunday was the first time in franchise history that the Buccaneers have returned a blocked PAT for a score and it gave the Bucs a 19-6 lead. Special Teams Coordinator Danny Smith had seen a tendency on film that Tampa Bay could exploit and when the opportune moment arrived, Smith flew through the jumper gap, seizing the opportunity.
"It is a block off the edge, and it was a jumper gap, which is the gap between the tight end and the wing," said Danny Smith. "You try to control the tight end and you try to control the wing with pressure and you try to jump him through that gap. You can jump through but you cannot elevate yourself through. You can put your hand on the shoulder of the tight end and wing and hop through, but you cannot elevate, that is a leverage call and is illegal. We have taught him to jump through like a hurdler for the block. The tip we had no control over, but it worked out pretty good. Zyon was able to get it because he hit the back end of the ball, so it was an easy catch. Really, it was the three guys on the end of the line of scrimmage and we tried to set Tykee free and it worked."
Back in January, the Bucs hired Danny Smith as their new special teams coordinator. Smith spent 13 years as special teams coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers under Mike Tomlin. He brought 31 seasons of NFL experience with stints leading special teams' units for the Philadelphia Eagles (1995-98, where he also served as defensive backs coach), the Buffalo Bills (2001-03) and the now-Washington Commanders (2004-2012).
Smith's units were among the league's best in blocked kicks during his time in Pittsburgh, ranking tied for eighth since 2013, with 21. Over the past nine seasons, the Steelers are tied for the league lead with 17 blocked kicks. Under Smith's tutelage, Miles Killebrew earned consecutive Pro Bowl trips as a special teamer from 2023-24 and leads all active players in career blocked punts (four). Conversely, the Steelers are one-of-two teams to not allow a blocked punt over the past nine seasons. Since 2013, Pittsburgh surrendered only 12 total blocked kicks of its own, which are tied for the fourth-fewest during that span. In 2025, Smith's kickoff unit limited opposing teams to the fifth-worst starting field position following kickoffs (their own 29.0-yard line), while having the second-lowest touchback rate in the league (8.2%).
His vivacious energy and contagious spirit have already left an imprint on the Bucs' locker room and coaching staff, prompting efficiency on the gridiron.
"Danny Smith is one of a kind," noted David Walker on the Bucs' Players' Table Show. "When he first got here, his stress was, 'We are going to turn this thing around. We are going to be better than we were last year because last year we were in last place.' Now, we are rocking in at second. He breaks down so much film and spends so much time on the little stuff and he is like, 'Y'all go play and I will handle all the gravy.' He knew going into that the jumper gap was going to be open. He called the right call and we had been working all week. Tykee got through there and he sees the stuff before it happens and it is pretty cool to be around a coach that is that smart and that intelligent in that aspect of the game."
In practice throughout the week, Smith is intentional and deliberate in the preparation. To mimic the high-stakes scenario of a game, plays are not repped at a large volume and physicality is a prerequisite. Special teams has the power to alter games in a split second and Smith's goal is to invoke that intensity on the field in pinnacle moments into practice habits and film review throughout the week.
"It is such a game-changing area and it is a one-play series and I like that," noted Smith on The Coaches' Show. "I am pretty good when my back is against the wall. I preach that to them. I want our players to get comfortable in uncomfortable situations. That is what it is all about. We do not get second down to recover. You can be on offense and take a sack and it is second-and-20 and you have a chance to recover. You could be on defense and they get a 50-yard run and you got a chance to recover. On special teams, you do not get a repeat. I do not like to repeat plays in practice, so I want practice to be proper, and I want practice to be at a fast-pace, which the game is obviously played at … You have to be on point every play, every rep, every down and I like that. I am good with that."