Mike McDaniel “Very Much In Play”
January 19th, 2026
“Show me the money!”
If one well-known NFL insider is on the mark, the Bucs have just as good of a chance as any team to land a highly-respected playcaller.
There have been rumblings concerning former Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel and his various suitors, whether for NFL head coaching gigs or offensive coordinator jobs.
Last week, McDaniel interviewed with the Bucs at One Buc Palace. He came and he left to do other interviews, contract not in hand.
All along, ESPN NFL reporter Jeff Darlington, the pride of Seminole High School, has believed if McDaniel wasn’t hired as a head coach, the Bucs would be a logical landing spot. The desire from the Bucs and McDaniel seemed mutual, per Darlington.
However, McDaniel is no dummy. He wanted to court as many suitors as he had. Good for business. Drives the price up.
Yesterday, the Lions filled their opening at offensive coordinator with former Cardinals (!) play-caller Drew Petzing. Darlington then Twittered that all the openings McDaniel has interviewed for are “very much in play.” Translation: Whomever cuts McDaniel the biggest check and coughs up the most power and job security.
Darlington had noted previously there may not be a better option for McDaniel than the Bucs. In the immortal words of the great eastern philosopher Moe Howard, “We shall see.”
January 19th, 2026 at 5:42 pm
Are we sure? Because the Buccaneers interviewed Dan Pitcher!
January 19th, 2026 at 5:47 pm
Doesn’t lool like he’d have all that much power…
“Obviously, any offensive coordinator has leeway coming in, but you understand what we have to do.’ Bowles said last vear. “He has to read the game when we’re playing well defensively, when he might have to outscore someone, and it’s never just run, run, pass, he has leeway to call his plays. I’ll have the say-so on whether to go for it on fourth down, things to do on two-minute. and so forth — as well as red zone – but he has a lot of leeway.”
January 19th, 2026 at 5:49 pm
Go get McDaniel yesterday. He should hopefully be our top priority.
January 19th, 2026 at 5:49 pm
It’s him or gruden for me..anything else is looking weak
January 19th, 2026 at 5:49 pm
Does not look like he’d get much power at all.
“Obviously, any offensive coordinator has leeway coming in, but you understand what we have to do.’ Bowles said last vear. “He has to read the game when we’re playing well defensively, when he might have to outscore someone, and it’s never just run, run, pass, he has leeway to call his plays. I’ll have the say-so on whether to go for it on fourth down, things to do on two-minute. and so forth — as well as red zone – but he has a lot of leeway.”
January 19th, 2026 at 5:52 pm
Hire Sean McDermett as DC and see who ends up as the HC next year.
January 19th, 2026 at 5:52 pm
San Diego is in need of an OC too. They better move!
January 19th, 2026 at 5:57 pm
Succession plan!
Bring McDaniel in, promise him the HC job for next year or the year after ang get Bowles to retire after 1 or 2 seasons (preferibly 1).
January 19th, 2026 at 5:57 pm
Get him!
January 19th, 2026 at 5:59 pm
I don’t believe that he would want to come to Tampa due to the coach. The past 3 OC’s were first year OC”s. Bowless will want to override any offensive plays. He has to be desperate to come to the Bucs. Bowles has to go!!!!! Go Bucs..
January 19th, 2026 at 6:01 pm
He is waiting to see what happens with his buddy Bobby S. to be his OC if Bobby get a head coach gig. Otherwise the Bucs should have already signed him.
January 19th, 2026 at 6:02 pm
San diego (LA) has some weapons and I can see him liking the city and state of the art facilities there but we do have more talent imo. 🤞🏼
January 19th, 2026 at 6:02 pm
Wouldn’t Mike McDaniel be a HC candidate for Buffalo now?
January 19th, 2026 at 6:03 pm
Drew Petzing has taken the Lions OC job. The Lions Oc position was widely rumored as a McDaniel landing spot. Unless McDaniel gets a HC offer he is now more than likely to be hired by the Bucs.
January 19th, 2026 at 6:06 pm
Alstott40 Says:
Does not look like he’d get much power at all.
“Obviously, any offensive coordinator has leeway coming in, but you understand what we have to do.’ Bowles said last vear.
.
I that was a more recent quote, it would be bad, but it was from last year. Different situation now.
January 19th, 2026 at 6:06 pm
The difference in the previous OC is that they could not be given carte blanche; they were first-year play callers adn Tom Moore was in the building. Now, the only way he is coming is going to be if he has complete autonomy, to me, that means he gets who he wants in the draft, and the defense would have to have the holes filled via free agency. I think QB plays a role also, the Chargers could definitely compete in that area, we can still hope
January 19th, 2026 at 6:10 pm
Too much money for my penny-pinching ways, but I love his record in Miami…he’d just my kind of pick!
January 19th, 2026 at 6:16 pm
Get McDaniels and have a clause in his contract that bars Bowles from exercising any influence on the playcalling on that side of the ball as long as McDaniels is the OC. Bowles can make suggestions but should have no ability to dictate how to handle things on any given play.
January 19th, 2026 at 6:17 pm
*McDaniel
January 19th, 2026 at 6:17 pm
Albert Breer reporting he is leaning toward McDaniel landing here.
January 19th, 2026 at 6:26 pm
He’s too expensive for my penny-pinching ways, but I love his record at the Dolphins, just my kind of head coach.
January 19th, 2026 at 6:26 pm
McDaniel as OC, and maybe HC eventually (or now!) would be some solace to their keeping Bowles.
January 19th, 2026 at 6:27 pm
Joe’s censoring for non-cursing sucks!
January 19th, 2026 at 6:28 pm
This whole succession plan of promising a guy HC in a year is silly to me. If that’s the case why wait a year at all?
January 19th, 2026 at 6:34 pm
Former Bucs HC and well forgotten Todd Bowles (IBS) sounds great to me!!!
January 19th, 2026 at 6:35 pm
Lefty, we don’t need a Pitcher, that’s the Rays. We need an OC. Dan, the Pitcher, just might be the da man for the Rays.
January 19th, 2026 at 6:37 pm
Maybe Licht can slowly chase McDaniel and ask him to sign a contract. Just like he did with Coen, oops…he slipped away from fast acting Licht. I’d love to hear Licht’s sales pitch to work for a lame duck coach. How can he possibly look Bowles or any prospective OCs in the eye? He’s gotta be talking out of both sides of his mouth….that is, when the Glazers let him talk. Chop off the head and reboot
January 19th, 2026 at 6:38 pm
After reading the BSPN article I’m wondering just how much leeway the OC is really going to have. I’m also wondering if hearing no official announcement from the owners or gm concerning Bowels position isn’t having some kind affect on potential coordinators coming here. This whole coaching thing feels a bit wonky to me.
January 19th, 2026 at 6:39 pm
He has to have complete autonomy. No HC meddling. He has a lot of talent on offense and must be able to use them properly. He is smart enough to read game situations. If he does well, he will be a head coach again, possibly here or somewhere else. Dangle that carrot in front of him. Plus the Bucs have a hometown advantage and he is used to warm weather. He is my preferred choice for OC. The new DC should be chosen as a coach with a system that maximizes the abilities of the current roster, give the new DC autonomy. The whole league knows the system Bowles uses, it’s no longer unpredictable. There are a lot of former Bowles’ defensive players & coaches from at least 3 different teams spread across the NFL that know his tendencies.
January 19th, 2026 at 6:42 pm
The Bucs OC’s have landed head coaching gigs the last two years.
That tells me Baker’s play is far more respected than the clowns on here believe.
I guess they got hired for poor offensive performance.
January 19th, 2026 at 6:52 pm
McDaniel for OC is in play!!! However he would go to Bills as OC if Salah is hired as HC
January 19th, 2026 at 6:54 pm
Joe Brady is there
January 19th, 2026 at 7:14 pm
McDaniel won’t want to play under Toilet Bowles unless He is guaranteed a legitimate Shot as HC in Tampa for 2027
January 19th, 2026 at 7:15 pm
May be afraid of Bowzo.
January 19th, 2026 at 7:18 pm
Enough with the Gruden talk. With all these coaching openings around the league not one team has interviewed him to be a head coach or OC. He is a has been. Get over it!!!!!
January 19th, 2026 at 7:19 pm
You look at the dolphins offense under him the last 4 years, what is the one trat, one element pretty much all his wide receivers and running backs had in his offense, OUTSTANDING SPEED, the buccaneers I don’t think have 1 person that runs 4.3 or faster, of course some one with serious speed can be drafted or traded for, but the more I’m hearing about Mike I really like his coaching style.
January 19th, 2026 at 7:26 pm
If we could have got him then they would have not let him walk out of building. The ship is sinking everybody knows it let’s just get 2026 over with so the front office is forced to start a rebuild.
January 19th, 2026 at 7:32 pm
“I don’t think have 1 person that runs 4.3 or faster, of course some one with serious speed can be drafted or traded for, but the more I’m hearing about Mike I really like his coaching style.”
We cut him in August, his name was Trey Palmer and he was still on his rookie deal. We kept Sterling Shepard, Tez Johnson, and some other guys who aren’t as fast.
Treys’ speed wasn’t fit for this offense, barely had any “take the top off” play outside of less than a handful of throws I can recall. At least not as frequent as we were under BA-Leftwhich-Brady, THAT was an offense that went out its way to put Scotty Miller on the field to smoke some poor DBs boots on occasion.
I miss it, it was an exciting style of offense every year with the exception of the last. Cause Giselle decided she didn’t want Tom anymore, she wanted her BJJ sensei. Which is crazy, to be football MJ and lose your lady to a dude who can choke you out with his shins.
January 19th, 2026 at 7:34 pm
Ke in
Kevin – agree about the lack our speed compared to Miami but believe McDaniel is creative enough to create a very good O.
Also not completely convinced Bowles stays once the season ends due to more available coordinators. Wishful thinking.
January 19th, 2026 at 7:43 pm
Sean McDermott record 106 – 58
IF that is not a MAJOR upgrade over IBS as Bucs HC, then the owners have 0 football I.Q….
January 19th, 2026 at 7:43 pm
I bet he wants to get his hands on Baler, EE,Bucky, Godwin, and Evans (hopefully this landing a known OC lures him back for a couple years).
January 19th, 2026 at 8:00 pm
Great game going on. Brady is on the sidelines with Indiana watching Raiders first pick Mendoza. ESPN is treating this like the Super Bowl. Average ticket price north of 4300 bucks. And parking is 700 C notes if the ticket price wasn’t enough of a kick in the nuts. You gotta love college football fans.
January 19th, 2026 at 8:11 pm
@Crazyhorse54
LOL Crazy H…. well that is where I spawned from really talking baseball
To be honest, Dan Pitcher might be pretty good, Bengals have a terrific offense and I think Pitcher helped them get there
To me though, the Bucs seems rudderless right now
January 19th, 2026 at 8:16 pm
I read on another site that Pitcher is impressing the FO. Just what the Bucs need…ANOTHER Ivy League coach who has NEVER called plays in the NFL. OMG, are you kidding me??????
January 19th, 2026 at 8:18 pm
The question is…why did Detroit take Drew Petzing…and why didn’t we want him!? Haven’t heard peep about him
January 19th, 2026 at 8:23 pm
I really doubt McDaniels or McDermett will come to the Buccaneers.
January 19th, 2026 at 8:23 pm
OMG, these fruits doing TV talking about targeting — go f yourself. Man, no wonder I never watch college football.
January 19th, 2026 at 8:25 pm
Warren Brooks Lynch Says:
January 19th, 2026 at 7:32 pm
“I don’t think have 1 person that runs 4.3 or faster, of course some one with serious speed can be drafted or traded for, but the more I’m hearing about Mike I really like his coaching style.”
We cut him in August, his name was Trey Palmer and he was still on his rookie deal. We kept Sterling Shepard, Tez Johnson, and some other guys who aren’t as fast.
——–
Trey Palmer signed with the Saints who desperately needed a WR and went on to have… 0 catches.
Also, you need speed WRs when Baker can’t hit the deep ball. What you needed was Coen’s offense, meaning lots of motion, slants, misdirection, not being predictable. Instead we got 1st down run up the gut, 2nd down WR screen, repeat.