Baker Mayfield Likely Approved Josh Grizzard Firing
January 8th, 2026
“We’re not twinning anymore, Grizz.”
Most smart NFL organizations are all about keeping their franchise quarterback happy.
Baker Mayfield is the Buccaneers’ franchise QB. He’s got a winning record with the team and has two Pro Bowl appearances in three years. He’s also got huge guaranteed money for the 2026 season and the Bucs hope he’s with them for years to come.
So today the Bucs made Josh Grizzard a one-and-done offensive coordinator. Joe finds it intriguging how the Bucs had zero tolerance for Grizzard not progressing well through the season after a solid start.
Poor guy got hurled on the bus.
However, Joe applauds the move. If the Bucs think they can do better at the playcaller position, then they absolutely should be chasing greatness at all times — in all aspects of the team,
Another guy who surely applauds the move is Mayfield.
Why would the Bucs not highly value his input, especially given he has no 2027 contract and Todd Bowles is a head coach sitting on a fragile seat? The Bucs don’t want Mayfield testing the market. Joe can only imagine how much the Rams might want him to replace Matt Stafford in a year or two.
Mayfield has had as many offensive coordinators as he has years in the NFL. Stability is what Mayfield has said he craves. If he thought the Bucs offense was on the right track, Joe is sure Grizzard would still have a job in Tampa.
Will recently fired Ravens playcaller Todd Monken now find his way back to Tampa to reunite with Mayfield, and the Bucs?
January 8th, 2026 at 10:33 am
Wonder if Baker likes the former Miami HC
January 8th, 2026 at 10:35 am
Simeon I was thinking the same thing.
January 8th, 2026 at 10:35 am
Bon Voyage!
January 8th, 2026 at 10:36 am
I think for Monken, much will depend on the QB he’s inheriting. If it’s Penix vs Mayfield….probably go with Mayfield but Monken could be getting interviews for HC as well.
January 8th, 2026 at 10:36 am
Bruce Arians
January 8th, 2026 at 10:37 am
Mike McDaniel…hire him now as OC.
January 8th, 2026 at 10:37 am
Monken gonna prob go with Harbaugh if he doesn’t get an HC gig
January 8th, 2026 at 10:37 am
Monken and Harbaugh will be a package deal IMO.
January 8th, 2026 at 10:38 am
They also fired Thad Lewis the QB coach
I’m sure the firing were Baker related
January 8th, 2026 at 10:38 am
He also approved his hiring
January 8th, 2026 at 10:39 am
Go get MacDaniels. Miami just fired him.
January 8th, 2026 at 10:39 am
I don’t wanna say “I told you so” about Josh Grizzard……but I did
I called it out in October of 2025 that he was the worst and he shouldn’t be an NFL offensive coordinator.
HE DIDN’T KNOW:
– How to adjust to other team defenses
– How to properly scheme play calls to game flow
– How maximize his offensive players abilities
…….all he did was just call his plays scripted regardless of what was going on in the game…….THAT’S IT!!!!
January 8th, 2026 at 10:39 am
I would love to see Monken return, but I can’t imagine Harbaugh not keeping him.
January 8th, 2026 at 10:40 am
Maybe BA saved Bowles and calls the plays now lol
January 8th, 2026 at 10:40 am
Fire Thomas McGaughey.
January 8th, 2026 at 10:41 am
Harbuagh is going to Miami. Only reason they fired Mike McDaniels.. after telling him hes safe.
January 8th, 2026 at 10:42 am
Just call McDaniel and send Bowles home.
January 8th, 2026 at 10:43 am
Uh..more than likely they are tying Mayfield to Todd. Bakers seat is hot like Todds, maybe with a little more leash. And he’s no spring chicken. Dude will be 32 when the ‘27 season starts.
If the season goes next year as expected, and we all know it will, the best you can hope for is 8-9 wins. Do you think that will buy Todd and thus Baker a guaranteed ‘27.
If he has a solid year it’ll be up to the next guy to decide if he’s worth keeping. And if we have a top 5 pick with the ‘27 class, the new guy would probably want his own qb.
January 8th, 2026 at 10:43 am
Yes. McDaniel would be a great candidate for OC.
January 8th, 2026 at 10:44 am
we’re most likely having a losing season this year.. everyone in our division is getting better besides us. Either baker balls out and we end up with a top 5 pick and end up with Arch Manning or Jeremiah Smith when Evans retires
January 8th, 2026 at 10:45 am
If the Bucs want Baker here for years to come then why does he only have one guaranteed year?
It doesn’t matter who the OC is because Baker has proven that he’ll turn the ball over at the worst times, especially in the playoffs. He’s proven that with every OC thats been in Tampa.
Is the offensive collapse completely his fault? No, but if Baker made a few more plays in some of those losses down the stretch then Grizz might still have a job.
Who is the OC thats going to help Baker improve his accuracy and footwork? How will he stop turning the ball over at the worst possible times?
This team as a whole doesn’t have the talent to do more than what they did this season. If Baker and Bowles stay expect the same results or worse. HOF coaches tend to coach HOF players.
Outside of Evans (LVD is probably retiring) who is the consistently talented offensive player on this team that can lead to more wins next season?
January 8th, 2026 at 10:45 am
HIRE DABOLL!
January 8th, 2026 at 10:46 am
You would think a McGaughy firing would be a forgone conclusion, but we’re talking Glazers here.
January 8th, 2026 at 10:51 am
I think Baker could be salvaged with the right guy. But the right guy likely isn’t coming to work for Todd Bowles as he moves into a lame duck year, as others have pointed out.
To me this is a last ditch effort to see what Todd can muster and thus baker as well. If it’s a 5 win team next year, you can be sure a new offensive HC and qb are coming in ‘27.
Daboll doesn’t sound like a bad idea. He helped Allen a ton. Will he come here?
January 8th, 2026 at 10:51 am
Either Daboll or McDaniel would be great IMO.
Daboll didn’t have the offensive line we have.
Go get a DC and let’s see what happens.
ST coach for sure!!!
January 8th, 2026 at 10:51 am
I don’t care if he likes McDaniels or not… Grizz was approved by Baker prior to the start of the season, I’m pretty sure he weighed heavy on the discussion due to the continuity concerns that have plagued his NFL career, and yet his opinion failed.
Lets stop treating Baker as if he’s Tom Brady, he doesn’t get a say on this. He want’s that $50M contract extension, he needs an OC that’s going to squeeze as much talent as possible from him.
McDaniel will try and sniff out another HC opportunity, however if he fails to get any nibbles, a bold move by this org would be for Licht to immediately offer and make McDaniel the highest paid OC in the league.
January 8th, 2026 at 10:52 am
McDonald would be great, but I suspect Bowles would be threatened by that.
January 8th, 2026 at 10:52 am
I think an OC coming to Tampa is an easy sell if his unit performs.
Firing Todd after another lame duck year at the Helm of the Defense is an easy choice to just become the HC!!
January 8th, 2026 at 10:53 am
@Obvious… if said OC shows up and lights up the scoreboard, and Bowles doesn’t pull his weight, there’s nothing lame duck about it. This OC has to have some vision that he could be the next man up, and he’s got a helluva roster to roll with imo.
January 8th, 2026 at 10:55 am
Who gives a damn what baker wants the dude was awful this year. He should have lost the privilege of having a say in the matter
January 8th, 2026 at 10:57 am
It’s so crazy how a 35 year old grizzard, his leash is so short, and yet a guy who has been a head coach for many seasons, his record is like .400, 1-3 in the postseason, directly caused the EPIC collapse of 2025, and yet he stays.
MAKE IT MAKE SENSE!
January 8th, 2026 at 11:00 am
😂😂😂 winning record and two pro bowls makes you a Franchise QB lmbo this is pure comedy coming from a stand up comedian lol smh. No way you truly think he’s a QB a franchise one at that lol cmon Joe
January 8th, 2026 at 11:01 am
“Todd Bowles is a head coach sitting on a fragile seat” FALSE!
His seat is rock solid as can be. No matter the results on the field.
Only in Tampa with the Glazer kids in charge can this be tolerated.
Was Thad and Josh responsible for the wide open softa as butter Swiss cheese pee wee league pass defense??? Nope.
How many brutal picks in crucial moments did Josh Grizzard theow?? Zero
How many receivers did Josh overthrow on wide open looks on 3rd downs? Zero
How many conference title games has Mayfield led a team to??? Zero
How many NFL teams are completely flummoxed by the Bowles defense?? Zero
36-36
January 8th, 2026 at 11:01 am
Not gonna shed a tear, poor Bucs fans had to endure his uncreative, predictable, underperforming offense damn near all year!! BYEEEEEEEEEEE
Now bring in a seasoned and established NFL OC! They will have a field day with all of our weapons!!
January 8th, 2026 at 11:08 am
People here keep calling Todd Bowles job hot as a firecracker
What they failed to realize, the team owners has been patient with Bowles
They don’t want to fire him
They are trying their best to keep him
January 8th, 2026 at 11:08 am
When DC getting fired?
January 8th, 2026 at 11:09 am
NOT SURPRISED!!!
GO BUCS!!!
January 8th, 2026 at 11:10 am
Who gives a /uck, what baker (I’m hurt and have my wife speak for me) mayfield thinks! Talking about throwing someone under the bus!
January 8th, 2026 at 11:12 am
If Baker is our “franchise QB”, then this franchise sux. Simple as that.
January 8th, 2026 at 11:12 am
I’m hoping that baker is next! Bring in Fields, Tua or even Cousins! Anyone other than baker…..Let’s Go Bucs!!!
January 8th, 2026 at 11:14 am
Big Z is spot on! Bowles is arrogance is too big to allow someone good to come in and threaten his position. Even though McDaniel was never ready to be a HC, nor would I want him as one. He is an OC. Period!
January 8th, 2026 at 11:15 am
Depends if Harbaugh gets a job quick, he may bring Monken with him. But Monken will SURELY be sought after for HC if we do good, and will be added to the list of OC to HC from Tampa Bay.
Canales
Cohen
Monken?
Unless the glazers make Monken another Koetter?
January 8th, 2026 at 11:17 am
HeavyE Says:
January 8th, 2026 at 11:12 am
I’m hoping that baker is next! Bring in Fields, Tua or even Cousins! Anyone other than baker…..Let’s Go Bucs!!!
================================
Go back to your bar and do what you do best.
January 8th, 2026 at 11:21 am
Oh the tough guy is back
January 8th, 2026 at 11:21 am
I’m so scared now…..
January 8th, 2026 at 11:22 am
Rearranging deckchairs on the Titanic
January 8th, 2026 at 11:22 am
I am hoping that the order in which Todd is interviewing and going over staff is offence defence and special teams. So he has fired the offensive coordinator and now next step should be firing the appropriate defensive coaches, which should include Rapone, Foote and relinquish himself as DC.
then 3rd is fire the ST coordinator
January 8th, 2026 at 11:22 am
This is great news! I mean, I know the defense, which gave up huge plays at the worst times all year, needs completely overhauled due to losing so many of our games, but this is the next best thing.
I believe the right OC can not only maximize Baker’s potential, but also make our receivers look competent again, like they actually know what they’re doing. Now, Baker may actually have open receivers for a change with the correct passing schemes. Our offense was such a predictable, boring dink and dunk style of offense under Grizzard.
Now, just maybe, our offense can go back to putting up points earlier, and not playing catch-up the whole game due to punting repeatedly, just to watch another team eek out a win on our defense. Now, let’s go get a new DC and let Bowles focus on HCing.
January 8th, 2026 at 11:37 am
Baker probably had input on keeping Bowles too.
January 8th, 2026 at 11:40 am
If they want to pursue greatness we will see “What Bowlz does with the defense & ST? Let’s see if he makes the tough choices to “FIRE” his drinking buddies
January 8th, 2026 at 11:41 am
Top assistants aren’t coming here for 1 year.
This is a gigantic screw up by those POS owners
January 8th, 2026 at 11:46 am
HeavyE. My experience when a man brings another man’s wife to the conversation. Like you’ve brought Bakers wife into your miserable little life. That tells me all I need to know about you. You are a pitiful excuse for a man. A sad, cowardly, stinking piece of cow dung. No excuse. None. Go to he!!.
January 8th, 2026 at 11:57 am
Joe is correct. The discerning eye caught Bakers look of consternation a few times as the play came in his helmet, like “ really?”. Baker was the 3rd rated qb in 2024. You don’t let that guy leave the building. His extension is coming. He’s sitting in his prime. You lock him down through the 2028 season. Mcvay loves the guy. In fact, if baker decides not to agree to an extension, he knows Stafford is done after next year. I still recall the 50 burger he put on the broncos as a ram on Christmas…..
January 8th, 2026 at 12:03 pm
The comments on this site about Baker not being a franchise QB are hilarious! Feel free to check his stats over the last three years against other QB’s in the NFL, not to mention his accomplishments while with one of the worst-run franchises like the Browns. Fortunately, I’m not offended, because I know that many of the “fans” on this site are always filled with anger and have s!hit for brains.
January 8th, 2026 at 12:03 pm
Good for Baker. He is our QB. Bring on Mike McDaniels.
January 8th, 2026 at 12:06 pm
Get ready for 2-15 next year
January 8th, 2026 at 12:15 pm
I doubt that Baker “approved” anybody’s hiring or firing, in the sense of making or authorizing a decision. It does make sense to seek your top employee’s thoughts about employment of a supervisor because friction can detract from performance. Competence and compatibility do not always coincide, and both are important. It also makes sense for management to ask if the candidate has qualms about the top employee. In both cases it is input, not approval.
January 8th, 2026 at 12:40 pm
Of course he would. Bad wr routing. Little separation due to scheme. No play action. Little motion. Too many 1st down ineffective runs. Third and long constantly. No protection from the guards. How could he not support the decision. Grizz was just in over his head. Serious downgrade from Coen. Then Todd stepped in to totally destroy the offense. Two runs into the line and 3rd and long. Good for Baker. Get me a new OC that has a clue.
January 8th, 2026 at 12:55 pm
@zoo,
Agree on the not treating backer with kid gloves. He’s a solid to good qb but has not proved himself to be picking the OC. Find someone that challenges him.
Can’t say I agree that a good OC candidate would automatically assume they can be the next HC after Todd inevitably implodes. plus If I were in their shoes I’d be concerned with Todd’s overly conservative nature with managing a game and potentially limiting me if the walls start closing in on his tenure.
But who knows? There are only 32 OC jobs out there. One of these guys might want to get back into it so bad they’ll jump in regardless.
January 8th, 2026 at 1:29 pm
This team is 8-9 without Baker this team would have been 2-15. Baker is the least of our problems with this team. Halfway through the season the guy was the leading MVP candidate FFS, stop letting your bias show
January 8th, 2026 at 1:46 pm
I still don’t get why Bowles is HC unless ownership is pleased with mediocrity. Pleased with regression. You don’t keep a HC for 4 years who is just below average because he got them in the playoffs in the worst division in the NFL.
The Bucs were #18 in defensive points allowed and #20 in offensive points scored and #22 in most kickoff yards allowed. Considering they stopped short kicking and kicked into the end zone the last 4 games they would have been worse.
QB’s had an average passer rating of 91 which was 22nd in the league.
Why would anyone after 5 years think Todd Bowles is going to get better.
When my companies were in business if 70% of our competitors were better than we were our management and employees would have been replaced. We wouldn’t have been given 5 years either.
January 8th, 2026 at 3:09 pm
Maybe, maybe not. Seems like things moved fast and were driven between the G Men, Licht, and Bowles. I don’t think Baker would be involved. Certainly couldn’t have stopped it if he was.
January 8th, 2026 at 3:58 pm
Mayfield just needs a good OC to shine, like all qb need. If they get that and we stay healthy we will be back in the hunt.
January 8th, 2026 at 4:02 pm
All the idiots can’t deny BM6 was ranked #1 for about 6 weeks this year. #1 #1 #1 ROFLMAO Did I mention our qb was ranked #1 this year. #1🤣🤣🤣
January 8th, 2026 at 4:23 pm
So they needed Bakers approval for this no brainer ….. this whole s*** show gets worse by the day !!
January 8th, 2026 at 5:38 pm
Still have one big, fat, sloppy, uninspiring problem that we didn’t take care of.
January 8th, 2026 at 5:48 pm
Baker can get the Bucs to the SB with the right OC. Need to find someone who can put the opposing defense on its heals with a dynamic offensive strategy!
Seeing a lot of posts pertaining to who will be willing to work with a lame-duck head coach. I’ll tell you who. It will be someone who knows that Baker can be successful with him and add to his resume!
I don’t know who that will be, but I know what his motivation will be!
Go Bucs!
January 8th, 2026 at 5:52 pm
Bucs are just loaded with offensive weapons! Just need an offensive general that knows how to maximize his team (a la Liam Coen) to victory!
Back to scoring 30+ in ’26? Go Bucs!!
January 8th, 2026 at 9:14 pm
As soon as we hire a good OC that knows how to maximize the talent on our offensive roster we will be very hard to out score. By keeping Baker around, that tells you what they think of him, regardless of what the loud mouth haters like to spew out about our quarterback. I guess that makes them at odds with the owners, GM and coaching staff, big surprise there. Baker is STILL QB1.
January 8th, 2026 at 9:17 pm
Baker is not a franchise QB. Quit pushing that narrative. He’s a mid tier guy. Not bad. Better than many. But not someone that overcome bad play around him.
January 8th, 2026 at 11:00 pm
LOL! Week 6 MVP Baker doesn’t have any say in who they hire or fire. Give me a break.