“It Had To Happen”
January 14th, 2026
Not a scapegoat, radio host says.
Joe has no idea if it was a chemistry thing or what. But when have you seen a team lose its best players on offense and when those players got healthy, the offense fell off the map?
Yeah, that’s what happened to the Bucs and it’s a great mystery to Joe. But for Pat Donovan of WDAE-AM 620, who also is heard on the Buccaneers Radio Network, it was no mystery. And that’s why Bucs offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard is now the former Bucs offensive coordinator.
“With Grizzard, it had to happen,” Donovan said. “There was no plan to get the ball to playmakers. You could see it over and over again.”
Well, not enough of a plan.
Early in the season Grizzard call plays for Baker Mayfield to get the ball to Emeka Egbuka. But what happened to Egbuka when Mike Evans and Chris Godwin got healthy, well, you’re guess is as good as Joe’s.
How could a guy go from being a sure-fire “Rookie of the Year” to vanishing and splitting snaps with a No. 3/4 receiver? That was damning to Joe. Very damning.
And how Grizzard didn’t use Rachaad White is another puzzle. White was dangerous catching passes out of the backfield. If he was able to catch the ball in space, he was lethal. How many times did that happened in 2025? Twice?
Donovan also called out Grizzard’s gameplan when the Bucs traveled to Carolina. But that had the smell of Todd Bowles taking over on offense.
“There are too many weapons on offense for it to look the way it did,” Donovan said.
He’s right and Joe is sure that got the attention of Team Glazer. Joe doesn’t think Team Glazer agreed to pay Evans and Godwin handsomely to see Sterling Shepard and Cade Otton get targeted.
@patdonovanradio Who should the Bucs hire to replace Josh Grizzard? #Bucs #WeAreTheKrewe ♬ original sound – PatDonovanRadio
January 14th, 2026 at 9:04 am
The bottom line is, it doesn’t matter who becomes the OC of this team, as long as Todd Bowles is in charge, we’re toast.
January 14th, 2026 at 9:10 am
Trey is 100% correct. It’s insanity that the moronic Glazer family gave this coach an offseason extension for no reason whatsoever. What was their mindset? We better extend him so we don’t lose him to another team? Ummm that’s absolutely laughable. Then to add insult to injury they don’t make him give up his DC position after a historically awful collapse. This organization is pathetic.
January 14th, 2026 at 9:10 am
You could have the greatest show on turf roster with Marshal Faulk, Issac Bruce, Torrey Holt, and Kurt Warner, but without Orlando Pace & an all pro offensive line they become extremely less effective. Fix the center of the line and watch all the pieces fall back into place. Especially Bucky Irving!
January 14th, 2026 at 9:19 am
Again , the 2 guards caused most of the playbook to get tossed out the window. There was no time anymore to use timing based offense. Defensive tackles were on top of Baker on almost every play. I would love to see how Grizzard ran the offense with a functional O line.
January 14th, 2026 at 9:24 am
Todd Bowles did not tank this team, injuries did.
January 14th, 2026 at 9:25 am
Yes.
Lack of Mauch was felt more than anticipated I believe. That toothless mfer really brings the attitude to the oline
January 14th, 2026 at 9:25 am
Agree! When you have a quarterback especially one like Baker is not that tall, the center of your offensive line is very key. Because when the pocket gets pushed inwards he does not have the vantage point at his height to see over the line for some throws.
That being said I do think there was some fault on Josh grizzard that he did not execute more QB rollouts to have the pocket moved and to have Baker closer to his tackles that were the stronger units on the offensive line.
January 14th, 2026 at 9:26 am
Trey is spot on.
January 14th, 2026 at 9:30 am
IBS is the anchor dragging the ocean floor keeping this ship from going anywhere!
January 14th, 2026 at 9:42 am
Radio Bozo. Yes he is a Bowzo scapegoat.
January 14th, 2026 at 9:44 am
Rachaad White is out here talking and it is EYE opening!
January 14th, 2026 at 9:50 am
Scapegoat no doubt on my mind…..
Something had to pay for bad GM decisions bad coaching decisions tons of injuries, a very childish fan base and his own bad decisions……..
I feel sorry for the guy
January 14th, 2026 at 10:00 am
“Don’t think Team Glazer agreed to pay Evans and Godwin handsomely to see Sterling Shepard and Cade Otton get targeted.“
Don’t make it seem like the Glazers jumped in and said “Grizzard has to go” when they hung onto Bowles. 3rd and 28. 4th and 14 and this feckless bump on a log couldn’t stop a fossil QB.
All this crap by some other media (not here) about Bowles deserved one more chance because he had won some division titles.
The Glazer’s credibility is now in question. At least Arthur Blank had the courage to admit he made a mistake and move on.
Make them pay at the box office. When all those extra hot dogs go bad and the unsold popcorn is stale, maybe they’ll start listening.
January 14th, 2026 at 10:04 am
“I feel sorry for the guy.”
I do not. He had Coen’s tutelage for all of 1 year, and aside from that had no experience other than a purchased sheepskin from a scam factory “university.” And yet he took the job. His mistake.
January 14th, 2026 at 10:06 am
Grizz was in over his head…
BUT the DC was much worse!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
January 14th, 2026 at 10:09 am
@Trey
Yep that’s what I’ve been saying for awhile. They could out whoever they want out there on that team & on that D but as long as he’s running it all I doubt much will change. Especially with the D. If somebody else took over that D they’d probably look much better. Yeah sure players aren’t perfect & they can make mistakes but I think part of the reason they look the way they look at times is because of the way the scheme/system is on D.
January 14th, 2026 at 10:11 am
Perhaps Evans and Godwin aren’t the Evans and Godwin of 2020, particularly coming back from serious injuries.
January 14th, 2026 at 10:11 am
I thought like others Grizz would be good since he was around the team and the OC. We were wrong. Need experience, know-how, creativity, and proven to be an OC. He was in over his head.
Feel bad for Mike, his injury and not getting the yards. Feel bad for Rachaad too. If he goes to another team they will utilize his assets.
January 14th, 2026 at 10:14 am
Timing was off walkthrough practice didn’t help neither did the injuries to the guards or bakers injuries but yeah let’s ignore the defense that had a complete melt down and fire the oc but not the DC genius.
January 14th, 2026 at 10:23 am
You cannot wait until week 16 to finally get a TD for your TE group and week 18 to get one for your starting TE. TE’s help your outside receivers when you make them respected.
January 14th, 2026 at 10:25 am
The last game of the season they changed the offense to prevent Baker from losing the game.
Is that the QB of a winner?
Something to watch next year.
January 14th, 2026 at 10:38 am
As I said earlier, I don’t think it was so much of Mayfield being more injured than we thought as much as it was play calling, making in game adjustments on the offense and using all the talent they had on offense, but again, that’s just my opinion
January 14th, 2026 at 10:38 am
Grizzard was Bowles hand picked guy to be the OC.
He had this planned all along to use him as the scapegoat should the season go south as it inevitably did.
Baker had to play with injuries due to the terrible choice Bowles made bringing in Bilgewater to be the backup QB.
And yes, Grizzard looked lost at times. Both things can be true.
But I guarantee you Bowles meddled in the offense. The road game vs Carolina had Todd’s fingerprints all over it.
But for some odd reason the HC\DC is still employed. I wonder why….
January 14th, 2026 at 10:41 am
In the last few games, the first drive, scripted offense moved the ball downfield and scored efficiently. I think Grizz was/is capable. It wouldn’t surprise me if he becomes a playcaller somewhere else and, after the experience, is an above-average OC. Or maybe he would benefit from being up in the box and seeing the field from that view.
Not having athletic guards for pulling/timing-based plays really neutered the offense.
January 14th, 2026 at 10:41 am
Check out Rashad Whites interview today … it says a lot about the coaching staff issues
January 14th, 2026 at 10:46 am
Trey is spot on…why would anyone( Bowles) want to work where no one wants him? 90+ % of JBFfans polled have no confidence in him and want him gone!! He needs to look at the man in the mirror because he doesn’t lie and grab some integrity like Mike Tomlin did. Who wants to work where you’re not wanted? That tells the whole thing in a nutshell!