Locked In
January 13th, 2017
Mike Smith speaks
The question of the day was whether Mike Smith’s new contract included an agreement that he wouldn’t/couldn’t seek a head coaching job this time next year.
Question answered.
Smith released a statement this afternoon explaining he’s locked in to Tampa Bay for a couple of seasons.
“I am excited about what we are building here in Tampa Bay and would like to thank the Glazer family, Jason Licht and Dirk Koetter for showing faith in what we are doing on the defensive side of the ball,” Smith said. “I think we grew quite a bit as a defense this past season and I look forward to working with my staff and our players to continue building upon what we have started. While I did have a chance to speak with a few organizations about head coaching opportunities earlier this offseason, it became very clear to me that I am in an ideal situation here with the Buccaneers. For the next couple years, I am fully committed and focused on my role with Dirk and the organization and will not be pursuing head coaching opportunities during this time.”
Exciting stuff. This means Team Glazer made it worth Smith’s while, as Joe wrote last night.
Major league play by Team Glazer. That rarely happens from ownership to a coordinator. But hey, if they could stroke Vincent Jackson a wasted $10 million last season, an extra couple of million a year for Smith is no big deal.
Now the Bucs have what so many franchises crave: continuity with a quality coaching staff and a franchise quarterback. That’s usually the NFL’s winning tonic.
January 13th, 2017 at 3:44 pm
Great jobs Bucs…building a winner!
January 13th, 2017 at 3:45 pm
Any word how many years the contract is? Did it include a promotion? Glad Mike is commiting to this team. This is awesome!
January 13th, 2017 at 3:46 pm
I am so damn happy about this. He is staying because he believes in what is going on in Tampa, I see a championship for this team ver very soon
January 13th, 2017 at 3:57 pm
What’s that smell? It smells like…..stability?!?! In Tampa Bay?!?! Raise your glasses boys and girls! Here’s a toast to the team Glazer and Jason
January 13th, 2017 at 4:03 pm
Holy f*cking sh1t yes!
January 13th, 2017 at 4:04 pm
Wow I was estatic to hear we got him back but was worried we would be in the same place next year. This is amazing news, we finally will have continuity on this team.
Seems like this organization is working like a well oiled machine. With everyone including executives doing their jobs and staying in their lanes. No toe stepping just fluidity in communication.
We will look back at this as an integral piece of the puzzle that turned this franchise around. GO BUCS!!!!
January 13th, 2017 at 4:11 pm
” But hey, if they could stroke Vincent Jackson a wasted $10 million last season, an extra couple of million a year for Smith is no big deal.”
Exactly Joe.
Glazers paid $192M for this team 22 years ago. I obviously don’t know what the balance sheet reads – but I’m guessing they’ve profited a good bit more than that over the past 2 decades. + the team is now valued at like $1.4B (that’s B as in BILLION).
Whats a few Million to keep a very good defensive coach who is helping to turn this team around quickly? Its nothing. $ well spent!!
Good job team Glazer.
With the continuity of coaching staff intact for at least 2 more years – we can look forward to VERY good things for this franchise.
I think its time to go all out in free agency spending with that mountain of available cap space and be in total “win now” mode from this moment forward while we still have Jameis and Kwon and the Oline 2nd rounders still under rookie contracts for the next 2 years.
January 13th, 2017 at 4:11 pm
“Major league play by Team Glazer. That rarely happens from ownership to a coordinator. But hey, if they could stroke Vincent Jackson a wasted $10 million last season, an extra couple of million a year for Smith is no big deal.”
Not calling you out, or anything like that, but didn’t the Glazers do something similar with Monty Kiffin..back in the day? Not the Glazers fault they haven’t had a coach worthy of such attention between then & now. Course, I believe Monty had a bigger body of work, when they did it with him.
January 13th, 2017 at 4:13 pm
Hell yeah!!!
January 13th, 2017 at 4:22 pm
This is the best news Bucsfans have had since Tony Dungy was named head coach. Defense still wins championships. believe that.
January 13th, 2017 at 4:26 pm
This just blows! You so called Bucs fans know GM Licht had a hand in this! He can’t sign anything right and just put us back a few years! Will the mediocrity ever change? Lol
January 13th, 2017 at 4:32 pm
Smitty has turned the The of Depression into a Wolf Den!
The Best is Yet To Come!!!!
Go Bucs!!!
January 13th, 2017 at 4:38 pm
Ahhhh no! Sumo
This is the best news Bucsfans have had since Jon Gruden was named head coach. Defense still wins championships with a decent offense and play caller. Dungy was to polite to kick Philadelphia’s a$$$$$!
Playoffs will become the norm as Winston said!
January 13th, 2017 at 4:46 pm
Is anyone else under the impression that he solely wanted the Jacksonville gig?
January 13th, 2017 at 4:58 pm
This is awsome news! Stability with two exceptional coaches and the nucleus of a good team. The future seems bright indeed. Now all we need is to get Jameis some more weapons, take a little pressure off him and help him to grow into a QB who walks the talk on the biggest game days. If he can reduce the interceptions, and turn into the truely lethel threat that we hope he can be, we can become a dynasty for years to come.
January 13th, 2017 at 5:03 pm
Amen!
January 13th, 2017 at 5:05 pm
an extra couple of million a year is no big deal.
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Goals af.
January 13th, 2017 at 5:20 pm
@Eric
I fully believe he would have ran to Jax if need be… The HC job will be open again in 2 years which is why the word couple was used with Smith
January 13th, 2017 at 5:24 pm
What a difference a year and 1 week make!!!! The Buds have risen even past my expectaions!!!!! No one is going to want to line up with the Buds this coming year!!!!!
And we only had some bridge players and rookies added to movie leftovers!!!! They coached the movie out of most of the roster!!! Now we will start to see the “real” defense!!!
Thank you Coach Smitty for being a great coach and staying in Tampa!!!!
Coaching improvement indeed!!!!!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!!!!!!
January 13th, 2017 at 5:33 pm
C’mon.. he signed a 1 yr extension, which means it runs through the 2018 season assistant coaches typically have 2 year deals. Smitty would not commit to Bortles as the QB which is why he was passed over… Smitty never wanted the crappy Chargers job which is why he removed himself.
January 13th, 2017 at 5:45 pm
Vincente …sooner than you think.
Exciting times on the horizon.
This is part of the reason us die-hards hang on through the suck.
Futility makes winning sweeter. I learned that being a Bucs fan for 30 years.
January 13th, 2017 at 5:55 pm
Great Job, but…
Our problem is not the defensive side but the offensive side coaching our Franchise QB
Look at the NFL experience of our QB coach, Recievers coach (offensive coodinator by name) and our Clown HC before Jameis winston
Everyday we are hearing teams grabbing Off Coordinators with over 15 years of NFL experience and developing QBs
Because of our Koetters insecurity, He will not bring a legitimate offensive coordinator
Jameis Winston has regressed this year
i will bet 2 months of my foodstamp card(my mom is going to kill me if she found out)
NAME another team that has a even closely resemble our putrid resume of NFL experience on our offensive side …You wont find any
We need better coaching and developing of Jameis Winston
It is very simple and black and white…
It is all about the development of Jameis winston…AND NOTHING ELSE
we are not in the playoffs because Jameis has not developed into a playoff QB
These are the questions that will decide our 2017 season
Will Koetter be HC and playcaller (2016 was a disaster and Jaboo regressed)
Who will call the plays(im praying outside experienced playcaller)
**We need a coach whose job is 100% developing and coaching Jameis all year. ***2015 offensive coordinator Koetter did a great job.
January 13th, 2017 at 6:01 pm
Excellent!
January 13th, 2017 at 6:05 pm
Thats terrific.
January 13th, 2017 at 6:09 pm
So, if someone requests an interview for a HC position next year, he’s going to say no? Hmmm, that doesn’t sound believable, unless he’s really decided he would prefer to be a DC.
January 13th, 2017 at 6:09 pm
Remember when I said if he moved on after only one year that I would lose all respect for him? He just proved he wasn’t that kind of guy.
January 13th, 2017 at 6:16 pm
Kobe…cocaine is a helluva job!
January 13th, 2017 at 6:16 pm
drug!
Damn it tryin to be funny…
January 13th, 2017 at 6:19 pm
Good thing. I expect Dirk is pulling in about $4.5 to 5M a year (as first time HC) and Smith would command easily $6.5 as a veteran HC elsewhere. So kudos to whatever the Glazers did. Perhaps a bunch of incentives? He11, maybe he even makes more than Dirk. I make $15-20K more a year than my boss because our customer and the company like what I do but I at the same time refuse (three times now) to be the boss because that keeps me from what I like doing. I’m not all that but I’d expect lots of people are out there like that, so maybe they just want to pay Smith and keep him, period? Just glad we have him for a couple of years.
January 13th, 2017 at 6:19 pm
I thought Kobe Moron was banning himself from this site! Since he won’t keep his word I suggest Joe enforce the ban!
January 13th, 2017 at 6:20 pm
“And we only had some bridge players and rookies added to movie leftovers!!!! They coached the movie out of most of the roster!!! “
Agree.
Our offense has some of the weakest personnel in the entire league. Probably bottom 5 in offensive weapons. It’s Jameis Winston / Mike Evans / then a room full of undrafted no names basically.
Adam Humphries might be the 4th or 5th WR on a lot of teams or not even on the roster
Russel Shepard is a freaking special teams player
Doug Martin was on drugs and injured and averaged under 3 YPC
Our offensive line was ranked as a bottom 1/3 unit
Charles Sims just a change of pace back and injured most of the year
Our best back was a guy signed off the street
Given the above facts; it’s fair to wonder how the f*ck we even won 9 games lol. Kobe Liar is probably still talking about screen passes to our RBs that we signed off the street. In his mind he thinks you can just game plan a marginal joke talent into a superstar athlete putting up crazy stats
On the defense it’s probably more impressive that we finished as a top 2-3 unit over the last 8 games; considering we had a no name at nickle CB, some guy named Lambert playing on the D-line who never did anything, and safeties that no other teams want. The talent & depth of the other top defenses is insanely better than ours
That’s called bad a4ss coaching
January 13th, 2017 at 6:20 pm
Kobe
You sound ridiculous. Winston is in his second year and just turned 23. He is the second best on third down qb rating. He is one of the best against pressure. He is top 10 (7th) in tds and top 11 in yards all with subpar weapons, oline and running game. What the he11 did you expect from a qb that was coming to a 2 – 14 team in two years? He already holds the record for most tds in a season in franchise history and yards in only his second year. He is the only qb to have thrown for 4000 yrds in his first two years. What the he11 did u expect?
January 13th, 2017 at 6:22 pm
“Everyday we are hearing teams grabbing Off Coordinators with over 15 years of NFL experience and developing QBs”
lmao everyday? That’s a ton of hires / fires going on for everyone to somehow have 15 years of experience
January 13th, 2017 at 6:28 pm
I was on record feeling indifferent to Mike Smith returning, prmarily because I expected him to land a Head Coaching gig next year. I’ve gained respect and feel a bit differently about it now.
January 13th, 2017 at 6:29 pm
Yay to the nth degree, if that’s higher than 9.
January 13th, 2017 at 6:30 pm
Kobe get your face out of your mother’s bussoms and read some articles on this here great site. Maybe then you could make an informed comment instead of concocting your ignorant spew and showering us all with the stench of your awful baseless opinions.
January 13th, 2017 at 6:34 pm
Joe,
Organizations winning SB’s and this was no doubt a Super Bowl(ish) type of transaction.
Very happy with Mr. Licht and the front office!
January 13th, 2017 at 6:40 pm
I see no one wants to bet me for my 2 months of food stamps…just ridicule
any teams resume close to college boys tampas offensive coaches?
2017 offense will stall gain like 15 and 16
18th -20th offense.
Jameis winston development has stalled
nfl defenses has the blueprint to beat koetters offense
January 13th, 2017 at 6:57 pm
Sorry GMC looks like you won’t be taking an early vacation next year!
January 13th, 2017 at 7:00 pm
Kobe Faker Says:
January 13th, 2017 at 6:40 pm
I see no one wants to bet me
———————————————————-
Why would anyone make even an imaginary bet with a demonstrated WELCHER.
Honor your previous bet and LEAVE. Your ignorance and annoyance factors are off the charts.
January 13th, 2017 at 7:46 pm
Kobe,
Why would anyone wager anything with you? Especially when you cannot stand by your word.
January 13th, 2017 at 7:47 pm
and food stamps!? haha SMH
January 13th, 2017 at 8:08 pm
Awesome! We’re going places over the next few years. Hopefully we get another DE and NT this season and can start wreaking havoc!
January 13th, 2017 at 8:53 pm
Like someone wrote or said in a post or podcast, this could be the biggest signing on the Buc’s and possibly in the NFL this season. Love it when we do the right thing.
January 13th, 2017 at 10:20 pm
Talk about family! Go bucs
January 13th, 2017 at 11:08 pm
Very cool, glad the players won’t need to be learning yet another new defense. It only took Smith until week 17 to figure out how to use David, I can’t wait to see what he can do next year, in particular if we have some NFL caliber players at safety.
January 13th, 2017 at 11:13 pm
Pickgrin
Whats a few Million to keep a very good defensive coach who is helping to turn this team around quickly? Its nothing. $ well spent!!
EXACTLY! The Glazers call this something different than you are me or Joe and the celebrating JBF posters…they call it a tax deduction.
January 13th, 2017 at 11:20 pm
DislocatedBucsFan Says:
January 13th, 2017 at 7:47 pm
and food stamps!? haha SMH
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HAAAAA!!!!!!!!! Kobe is touched
January 14th, 2017 at 12:24 am
Well played coach Smitty well played.
January 14th, 2017 at 6:24 am
Kobe, I wouldn’t be surprised if Koetter does indeed spend more 1 on 1 time with JW. I don’t know of Bajakian’s resume, but Koetter seems to think he’s good. And Jaboo’s never gonna say a bad word about anyone. That being said, I do think Dirk knows where the Bucs bread is buttered, and will make a very concerted effort to place a heck of a lot more emphasis on realizing Jameis’ unlimited potential. I can see serious weapons coming our way this off season, and Koetter figuring out a way to get Jameis everything he needs to thrive.
January 14th, 2017 at 6:26 am
Great news. Im so glad we will have a professional staff on bored for the next couple years. Go Bucs
January 14th, 2017 at 7:50 am
You have owners who are willing to spend money to improve. (Lots of millions)
You have your head coach/OC and your DC locked in. (3 to 6 million each)
You have a great core of talented young players on the cusp of playoff contention. (Rookie contracts = lots of cap space)
Risk losing the best young GM in the league ( who put this all together) to another team in a year because you haven’t given him a contract extension yet …….Priceless !!!!!!!!
Extend Jason Licht ASAP so we can keep this train rolling for a loooong time !!!!
January 14th, 2017 at 9:33 pm
This is beautiful. This means the Glazers and Jason told him they’re gonna spend madd dough on D. Very exciting.
January 15th, 2017 at 1:59 am
Very exciting!
Well down Jason Licht and Glazer Family! Great commitment to team and community
Well down in deed!
January 15th, 2017 at 2:01 am
“Done”
Damn auto correct
January 17th, 2017 at 8:37 am
@Sierra
Do you really think we’re going to let Jason Licht go? LOL
@Kobe
Does posting negative, ignorant statements on this site make you happy? I still have yet to see you say something with any sort of merit whatsoever. You couldn’t be more wrong on an extremely consistent basis.