The Ink Is Dry: Bucs Finalize 2026 Coaching Staff With A Mix Of Fresh Blood And Family Ties

The “Help Wanted” sign hanging outside the Advent Health Training Center for the Bucs has finally been taken down.

After weeks of speculation, interviews, and the usual offseason musical chairs that keep us sports writers caffeinated in February, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have officially locked in their coaching staff for the 2026 campaign. It’s a massive overhaul, specifically designed to wake up an offense that frankly spent too much of last season hitting the snooze button, and to patch up a defense that leaked like a cheap rowboat.

But let’s be honest—among the seven new hires and three promotions announced Thursday, there’s one name that’s going to get the group chat buzzing. And yes, it shares a last name with the man in the big chair.

The Family Business: Todd Bowles Jr. Joins the Ranks

If you’ve been around the NFL long enough, you know it’s often a family business. The Bucs are leaning into that tradition by hiring Todd Bowles Jr. as a defensive assistant.

Now, before the local radio lines light up with cries of nepotism, let’s look at the resume. Bowles Jr. is jumping straight from the college gridiron to the pro sidelines. He spent the last two years playing for Long Island University after a stint at Rutgers. Is he green? Absolutely. But he’s also going to be under the microscope more than any other assistant on the field. It’s a low-risk move for the organization, but a high-pressure situation for the kid. Welcome to the big leagues, Junior.

Building the “Atlanta South” Offense

When the Bucs hired Zac Robinson as Offensive Coordinator, we figured he might bring a few familiar faces with him. Turns out, he brought the whole rolodex.

The offensive staff is getting a distinct Falcons flavor with the additions of T.J. Yates as Pass Game Coordinator and Ken Zampese as Senior Offensive Assistant. These three—Robinson, Yates, and Zampese—spent the last two years together in Atlanta, and that chemistry matters.

Yates isn’t just a former quarterback; he’s been climbing the coaching ladder quickly. His work with Drake London in Atlanta—helping the receiver shatter franchise records—should be music to the ears of Bucs fans hoping to see the passing game ignite. Zampese, on the other hand, is the sage veteran in the room. With 35 years of coaching under his belt, he’s seen coverages that haven’t even been invented yet. Having that kind of experience to backstop a younger coordinator like Robinson is a smart, albeit unflashy, roster move.

The Heisman Whisperer Arrives

If you want to know which hire has the highest “ceiling” for impact, look no further than new Quarterbacks Coach Chandler Whitmer.

Whitmer is the guy getting the slow clap from college football purists right now. He spent 2025 as the co-offensive coordinator at Indiana, orchestrating a historic 16-0 season. You read that right—Indiana. He turned Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza into a Heisman Trophy winner and a National Champion.

Whitmer had NFL teams knocking down his door, and for good reason. He’s worked with Justin Herbert and Trevor Lawrence in the past, and his recent success suggests he knows how to translate raw talent into production. In a league where quarterback play is everything, snagging a hotshot developer like Whitmer is a massive win for Tampa Bay.

Trench Warfare and Secondary Shifts

On the other side of the ball, the Bucs grabbed Marcus West from the Buffalo Bills to run the defensive line. The Bills racked up 54 sacks in 2023 under his watch, and considering the Bucs’ pass rush was nonexistent at times last year, West has his work cut out for him.

We also saw some internal promotions that signal the front office still trusts the development pipeline. Tim Atkins moves up to Safeties Coach and Rashad Johnson takes over the Cornerbacks. Johnson, specifically, has risen fast—going from a Bill Walsh Fellow to a positional coach in just a few years.

The Bottom Line

The coaching roster is set. The magnets are on the board. We’ve got the son of the head coach, a Heisman-winning mentor, and a distinct Falcons reunion on offense.

On paper, it looks like a staff built to fix the specific holes that sank the 2025 season. But as we all know, winning press conferences in February doesn’t mean a thing if you can’t win games in September. The staff is in place; now let’s see if they can get the players to buy in.