Bucs Have A New Special Teams Coach
January 20th, 2026
New Bucs special teams coach Danny Smith.
This hire is right up the alley for those who like cartoon characters for coaches.
The Bucs today, per Jenna Laine of ESPN, have decided on a special teams coach. He comes from the Steelers. Long-time special teams guy Danny Smith, 72.
The animated Smith has been a special teams coach in the NFL for some 30 years, the last dozen seasons in Pittsburgh.
Joe is going to assume if he was lousy, Mike Tomlin would have launched him a long time ago.
Now, how will the excitable Smith’s demeanor improve the horrible Bucs special teams? Joe has no earthly idea.
January 20th, 2026 at 2:18 pm
Getting things ready for Mike Tomlin in 2027 I see.
January 20th, 2026 at 2:20 pm
Super Bowl !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
January 20th, 2026 at 2:20 pm
Good hire but damn old again. I think we were looking for youth
January 20th, 2026 at 2:21 pm
Oh this is pretty epic…. Danny Smith is very passionate… I think he is a good fit!!! Always liked him!
January 20th, 2026 at 2:21 pm
72, barf
January 20th, 2026 at 2:22 pm
50 years on the job, we got somebody who knows how to evaluate talent and plenty of history of knowing where to line’em up.
January 20th, 2026 at 2:22 pm
Anyone that is passionate will do
January 20th, 2026 at 2:23 pm
Makes Todd Look Young Again…
January 20th, 2026 at 2:23 pm
Bubble gum in the Tampa Bay area better be on the lookout!
He WILL chew ALL the bubble gum! lol
January 20th, 2026 at 2:27 pm
That’s disappointing… he’s the first new hire to my knowledge. That means Bowles really is here to stay. smh
January 20th, 2026 at 2:27 pm
Maybe have him in with Tandy on his hip, soaking up knowledge. Once he hangs it up, Tandy takes over?
January 20th, 2026 at 2:29 pm
evidently this guy is very beloved in Pittsburgh….many of my steelers fan friends wanted to keep him on board.
January 20th, 2026 at 2:29 pm
We need a coach to teach tackling.
January 20th, 2026 at 2:29 pm
Golly.
I’ll try to stay positive.
Wonder how good he’ll coach with only practice walk-thrus after the start of the season …..
January 20th, 2026 at 2:30 pm
We need a coach to teach proper tackling.
January 20th, 2026 at 2:35 pm
This is actually a pretty good hire. Watched enough Steelers games on prime time this year and the special teams unit was always solid.
January 20th, 2026 at 2:36 pm
Hearing nothing but good things about him. He may be 72, but he seems to be in great shape and a go-getter.
January 20th, 2026 at 2:37 pm
Tampa needed an old guy to replace retiring old guy Tom Moore
January 20th, 2026 at 2:39 pm
I think the Steelers were pretty good on special teams. A quick Google search shows that they were especially good in coverage, but not much detail was provided. He sounds head and shoulders better than whoever that idiot was we had last year. The blocking on kicks was ghastly and the kickoff coverage was an abomination. We still need a head coach, though. I doubt like heck that fool will sign a defensive coordinator to help him. I don’t think the team will quit on blowzo this year. I don’t think they’ll sign in at all.
January 20th, 2026 at 2:41 pm
Bro best special teams coach. My Dad’s a die hard Pittsburgh fan. The big wad of chewing gum is coming down to Tampa. What’s that??? glimmer of hope?!
January 20th, 2026 at 2:41 pm
Can’t get much worse.
January 20th, 2026 at 2:42 pm
he will only be 73 when the seasons starts.
January 20th, 2026 at 2:42 pm
This hire is right up the alley for those who like cartoon characters for coaches.
Very funny Joe. Don’t know much about the guy but he couldn’t possibly be worse right?
January 20th, 2026 at 2:42 pm
well at 72, if our special teams players don’t give him a Heart Attack, nothing can. I have a feeling he doesn’t know what he signed up for. lol.
January 20th, 2026 at 2:43 pm
If Tomlin wants to coach for Bucs in 2027, he’s got his STC already in house. I know he likes him some Larry Foote too.
January 20th, 2026 at 2:44 pm
@shaduckdow
I think we need a GM who draft players that know how to tackle…..
Their is not much on technique……
January 20th, 2026 at 2:45 pm
I’ll bet he’ll like winters in Tampa better than in Pittsburgh
January 20th, 2026 at 2:45 pm
Let’s hope he’s not related to Mike Smith
January 20th, 2026 at 2:48 pm
Seems promising. Then again, a straight up vacancy would be an improvement for us.
January 20th, 2026 at 2:52 pm
DD ….😂😂😂😂
January 20th, 2026 at 2:56 pm
Great hire! He has tons of energy!!!
January 20th, 2026 at 2:59 pm
I don’t give a F how old he is. He shows the energy and works hard! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
January 20th, 2026 at 3:00 pm
Unreal
Tomlin is coming
January 20th, 2026 at 3:04 pm
72 is the new 68
January 20th, 2026 at 3:06 pm
Great idea Bucs Cartoon Show!! Looney Tunes.
January 20th, 2026 at 3:06 pm
Very good hire imo. I like his passion for what he does. He actually finds ways and uses the rules to create an advantage for his special teams group. This is a step in the right direction.
January 20th, 2026 at 3:07 pm
The special teams coach at Tampa Catholic High School would be a major upgrade.
January 20th, 2026 at 3:09 pm
#biggame bound
January 20th, 2026 at 3:13 pm
Great hire!!
No get MM
January 20th, 2026 at 3:13 pm
Now get MM
January 20th, 2026 at 3:16 pm
10/10 hire
January 20th, 2026 at 3:21 pm
Y’all some sorry ass fans that do nothing but complain about everything
January 20th, 2026 at 3:22 pm
Good start. Now fire Bowels and get a real HC and DC.
January 20th, 2026 at 3:23 pm
Bro chews Hella gum!…better find out his favorite so he can get the best out of our players
January 20th, 2026 at 3:24 pm
Way to inject some new blood into the coaching staff.
January 20th, 2026 at 3:24 pm
✅
January 20th, 2026 at 3:30 pm
In other news… practice’s will be held around his nap schedule.
January 20th, 2026 at 3:30 pm
@ Mhystc same thing I thought
January 20th, 2026 at 3:37 pm
when the king, tom moore retires, you bring in another guy who makes sure the metimucil is stacked in the locker room
January 20th, 2026 at 3:39 pm
Good now bring in rodgers for QB coach ☺️
January 20th, 2026 at 3:41 pm
he’s jacked up on nicotine, viagra and a pacemaker…
so he’s good !
January 20th, 2026 at 3:44 pm
rodgers is busy rn…
at an iowaska retreat, getting zonked out of his gord, in a dimly lit incense infused teepee
January 20th, 2026 at 3:45 pm
bowles will just be a figure head as usual. teams success will depend on the assistant coaches, good hire
January 20th, 2026 at 3:50 pm
Danny Smith is good. Really good. A lot better than our last coach. He spent 12 years with the Steelers. They were among the best Special Teams groups in the NFL
“In Pittsburgh, Smith is the subject of overwhelming praise for his coaching of the team’s dominant special teams unit.”
This is a great hire. Stop with the age nonsense. He will fix our Special Teams problems quickly.
January 20th, 2026 at 3:54 pm
I mean… he can’t be any worse than the last guy, right?
Right?!?!?!?
January 20th, 2026 at 3:56 pm
By all accounts he’s a solid sp teams coach, but couldn’t they have gone with somebody younger?
January 20th, 2026 at 4:01 pm
TampaTown Says: “Let’s hope he’s not related to Mike Smith.”
I mean, I knew it wasn’t but I thought that it was Mike Smith at first, when looking at the picture. Hahah
January 20th, 2026 at 4:05 pm
MelvinJunior – I thought the same thing too lol.
January 20th, 2026 at 4:09 pm
He makes things fun for the players. They have mad respect for him and want to play hard for him. He makes players actually enjoy playing special teams. He is a huge upgrade.
January 20th, 2026 at 4:15 pm
@ heyjude – I just woke up from a little nap and my very first thought was “hmmm, that’s weird.” :/
January 20th, 2026 at 4:20 pm
WTH is going on with the Bucs. This is insane.
I mean the next step will be to dig up Sam Wyche as our next OC.
Fire EVERYONE
January 20th, 2026 at 4:21 pm
another dinosaur???
another “last stop” guy…this franchise is stuck in the past
January 20th, 2026 at 4:22 pm
How much worse could it be with this guy……we had the worst SP coach in the history of the nfl.
January 20th, 2026 at 4:30 pm
This is a great hire. Still not excited about TB staying as HC but this guys energy is infectious and his units reflect what he puts into them. Go get McDaniel and some young energetic and knowledgeable position coaches.
January 20th, 2026 at 4:46 pm
He bears an uncanny resemblance to Ira!
January 20th, 2026 at 4:49 pm
Shady Acres OBP retirement home
SMDH
January 20th, 2026 at 4:53 pm
Good hire, maybe he can impart some wisdom on a young coach who takes over for him in a few years. Could also be a sign that the Bucs are planning on 2027. It will be interesting to see to see if we bring in any more Steelers coaches.
January 20th, 2026 at 5:01 pm
Should’ve hired him as the HC ,Stefaniski is gonna bring the tough ass afc north mentality to the weak ass nfc south .Him and Robinson run away with the nfc south division!
January 20th, 2026 at 5:14 pm
Bee Says:
January 20th, 2026 at 2:42 pm
This hire is right up the alley for those who like cartoon characters for coaches.
Very funny Joe. Don’t know much about the guy but he couldn’t possibly be worse right?
…………………
Dear Joe goes again blowing smoke up Bowle’s arse
I don’t know which Joe is which, but this one is a joker
January 20th, 2026 at 5:18 pm
Great hire…his age has nothing to do with his ability….he was great for the last 10 plus years succefully doing the job! Not sure i understand all the negativity
January 20th, 2026 at 5:21 pm
Fantastic hire. The best the Bucs could possibly have hoped for. He is to special teams hires what McDaniel is to OC hires. Let’s get him, too!
January 20th, 2026 at 5:53 pm
Like the hire. He’s coming to Florida to retire. He can fix the ST and give assistant Keith Tandy some mentoring and get Tandy ready to take over one day.
January 20th, 2026 at 5:58 pm
His 30yrs as a Special Team coach with the last 10 years in Pittsburgh says it all. Health proven commodity.
That’s a great pick to clean up the Bucs losey play on Special teams.
January 20th, 2026 at 6:05 pm
This is a great hire. All the doomers need to take the day off.
January 20th, 2026 at 6:05 pm
Thanks for the great welcoming comments, Joe. That gives us all more confidence in a turn around.
January 20th, 2026 at 6:09 pm
Steelers have had solid special teams. I do not know why anyone would pan this hire unless they are a troll who probably is a closet Saint or ATL fan. I am not happy with 3rd and 28 turtle Todd Bowles but this guy probably can straighten out some of the issues on special teams. He will not help the D obviously but I do not get piling on the guy because he is 72. I guess the trolls did not like Tom Moore because he is 87. I get getting angry about Bowles but if it has turned you into an anti- Buc troll why don’t you become a London Jags or Saint fan? Give the old dude a chance before you pile on him. He will be an improvement over McGaughey and maybe he can pass on some knowledge to asst coach Tandy and Tandy can take over in a couple of years.
January 20th, 2026 at 6:13 pm
I do believe that as you get older that it’s more difficult to adapt to change. There have been alot of changes to the kickoff rules and this old dude doesn’t seem to be bothered. I think his strengths are imparting mentality required to be a successful special teams player. Also, it shouldn’t hurt any that he has the best kicker in the league. I’m checking the box. Improved special teams.
January 20th, 2026 at 6:14 pm
And a good punter too.