There Is A Reason Mike McDaniel Is Taking His Time
January 13th, 2026
Reason for foot-dragging.
Yesterday, the pride of Seminole High School, ESPN’s Jeff Darlington, made a point on Twitter that Bucs fans starting to freak out that the Bucs haven’t interviewed McDaniel yet should take a deep breath.
Darlington has more than hinted there is interest from McDaniel in the Bucs opening for offensive coordinator. But, Darlington noted, McDaniel is taking his time.
Well, Albert Breer of SI.com spilled the beans why McDaniel is taking his time.
It seems, per Breer, McDaniel is very tight with San Francisco defensive coordinator Mr. Clean. And it appears NFL teams with head coach openings want to bring Mr. Clean in their building to talk turkey about being a head coach. Again.
So why is McDaniel dragging his feet? It smells like, per Breer, Mr. Clean and McDaniel may have a handshake deal: If Mr. Clean gets another head coaching gig, McDaniel will be his offensive coordinator.
Speaking of McDaniel, his bond with Robert Saleh, and potential to be OC for Saleh, could enhance the 49ers defensive coordinator’s candidacy for some jobs, as Saleh enters the head coach interview process this week.
And there is another reason McDaniel is being methodical: If he really does want to wait to see what happens with Mr. Clean, NFL teams cannot interview Mr. Clean in person until the 49ers are eliminated from the playoffs.
January 13th, 2026 at 12:05 am
Bummer. He’s the only one I’d get excited about.
January 13th, 2026 at 12:07 am
Lame duck 2026
January 13th, 2026 at 12:17 am
The Atlanta Falcons interviewed Mike McDaniel for their HC position
January 13th, 2026 at 12:19 am
Countdown to IBS final day as Bucs HC in 12 months!
January 13th, 2026 at 12:26 am
I’d take salah and McDaniel over bowels and whoever they pick honestly
January 13th, 2026 at 12:31 am
hypothetically speaking……if mcdaniel comes in here and the offense does well…
yet the team is losing because bowles defense sucks…
does bowles really even want mcdaniel here, as rally cries begin to louden and reverberate about canning bowles and replacing him with mcdaniel…
does bowles just want a schmucky OC who potentially won’t be pressing him for his job, as he already enters next season on the hot seat…
rather than an experienced HC, playing OC, and laying in the weeds on him…
more food
January 13th, 2026 at 12:42 am
Fire Bowles and sign the package deal. Salah’s defense is way better than Todd’s anyways.
January 13th, 2026 at 1:15 am
Damn if I was Mike I’m trying to go to the Raiders him and Baldy.Max will stay.
Oh boy. Go after a disgruntle Aj Brown yikes
January 13th, 2026 at 1:47 am
I can see Saleh going to the Falcons and bringing McDaniels with him. Falcons have talent on offense and two up and coming edge rushers
January 13th, 2026 at 1:55 am
No Qb KjH🤷🏾♂️
January 13th, 2026 at 1:56 am
My bad KgH
January 13th, 2026 at 1:57 am
Let’s just bring back Leftwich then. Seem to be running out of people that it’ll probably get to where they’ll just say forget it & just bring him back.💩 Anything to save themselves $$$$.
January 13th, 2026 at 2:37 am
We suck
January 13th, 2026 at 2:38 am
The Buca will get whatevers left when the dust settles to fill out their coaching staff. None of these guys are going to jump to sign a contract in Tampa while there are still job openings elsewhere.
January 13th, 2026 at 2:39 am
I was wondering why McDaniel did not hire Saleh as his DC for the Fins so I did some checking and the Fins DC is Anthony Weaver who did a good job with the Fins in his first year of the job in 2024, but fell off this past season as the Fns started slow but was able to outcoach Grizzard (who was also handicapped by Bowles). Weaver actually interviewed for the head coaching job in Baltimore, perhaps a Rooney rule interview but he seems like he has an upside, more than Bowles as a DC.
January 13th, 2026 at 2:39 am
Isn’t McDaniel a candidate for some of the HC openings? Just saying that He would want to at least keep that iron in the fire.
Go Bucs!
January 13th, 2026 at 2:45 am
Guys, the Bucs is a desireable job if someone is confident enough to think they can do what Canales and Coen did which in Canales’ case was coach O just well enough to overcome Bowles’ defensive playcalling deficiencies and get the Carolina gig. Also, the Bucs have enough talent on O that a really confident OC would strive to get a top 5 or top 10 O next season and then use that to spring board to an HC job or if Bowles manages to drag the team down again, become HC of the Bucs when Bowels gets flushed. I know the trolls who plague this board really are thinking no one wants the Buc job but history has proven that even with Bowles running things, the talent is here to make it a positive on one’s resume.
January 13th, 2026 at 2:52 am
Some of these coaching candidates might actually think they could be the next Liam Coen and if you can succeed with Bowles as your HC, then you have proven you can do well in adverse conditions for sure. It worked for Coen and someone will likely take the plunge and give it a go.
January 13th, 2026 at 3:56 am
Just a reminder that everyone bashes on Bowles for first round exits and Liam had a first round exit but no one seems to care
January 13th, 2026 at 4:15 am
Him ending up here doesn’t make a lot of sense. His first choice would be to land as a head coach, second would be to be part of a new regime package. That leaves an opening like ours in the third bucket.
Not suggesting it can’t happen but logically it would seem that he would want to exhaust those two buckets first.
January 13th, 2026 at 4:16 am
With so many HC positions, this is getting bumpy. And there could be more to come. Have to agree about Mike waiting to see what happens. I could actually see a “handshake deal” going on with Mike and Salah.
January 13th, 2026 at 4:34 am
Who in their right mind would want to be shackled with the dead weight of Bowles and Arians other than those who have no experience as an OC trying to for the first time???
January 13th, 2026 at 4:55 am
McDaniels as HC and Saleh as DC
January 13th, 2026 at 4:58 am
McDaniels as HC and Saleh as DC. Perhaps the Glazers will force Bowles to hire McDanuels and Saleh as OC and DC,
January 13th, 2026 at 5:53 am
I agree with what you’re saying, but wonder if this year is different from the past ones (where we bring in OC’s despite Bowles deficiencies). This year we aren’t coming off a Division title, taking the job has a high likelihood of being a one and done with a lame duck coach and probably now GM, and the worst thing being that this is the first year the team lost their mojo and Bowles lost the locker room. Tough to gamble your coaching future in taking the Bucs job when weight these factors. We may have missed our window in the NFC South as we fade and the Falcons raise their bar and hire Harbaugh (likely), Saints become a challenge and the Panthers have enough heart to gut out wins like Mayfield can. I love the Bucs and players, but they have to see a path for success too, like us!
January 13th, 2026 at 5:54 am
If Tomlin gets fired do you think the Glazers make a run for him? Personally, I’m not too excited about Tomlin. He’s definitely a step up from Bowles but I would prefer a young bright offensive head coach like Matt Le Fleur
January 13th, 2026 at 6:19 am
The writing is on the wall. Nobody wants to come here ! The continued hatred from the “fans” being over critical of the continued failures of this team has literally scared away any good coaches and possible free agents . Bad mouthing your team HS consequences . Good luck !
January 13th, 2026 at 6:37 am
I despise The Buccaneers management.
January 13th, 2026 at 7:03 am
Good point Megoat13, everyone is sing the praises of Coen but his Jags had some costly turnovers and they did choke away a lead late. Coen is now 0-2 in play calling in the playoffs, both home losses as a favorite.
January 13th, 2026 at 7:05 am
If the glazers are smart they get rid of Todd and bring these two in as HC OC.
January 13th, 2026 at 7:09 am
As I’ve said before I am not a NFL Personnel guy and may not be super smart but, it’s common sense, so many are ticked off with the Glazers about who they in interviewing or haven’t interviewed. Some of the top guys are waiting to see if they get a HC job others are waiting for the right situation others just may not like the southern areas. So I think if you’re so ticked with the Glazers and how they do business, watch the Jags until the Bucs get back being interesting and winning. I understand the frustration, I ve watch this team for 48 years. But complaining about Bowles and the Glazers every day is not gonna change much
January 13th, 2026 at 7:41 am
Are you serious? Buc fans are not uniquein their passionate opinions of the team they cheer. Leave your bubble for a minute, emerge yourself in another city/market and you will see/hear very similar criticism of underperforming & poorly coached teams. Did you hear Pittsburgh booing their playoff team last night, have you heard how vocal Man U fans are of their hatred of the Glazers, & don’t even get me started on the impatience of Philly fan. You are naive to think we are bad fans. We ARE fans, so go play with your Polly Pockets in your ideal world so you don’t have to deal with the reality of this one
January 13th, 2026 at 7:58 am
ChiBuc – So true. It’s everywhere, from Buffalo to Cali. Fans are passionate. We get excited to quickly turn around and be mad, and then sad. It’s a ping pong season to season. Heck, just look at the comments on here over time.
At the end, we are all in on the Bucs, no matter what. And there are many interviewing right now so I guess they want to come here too. We have a pretty good roster for new coaches and players to come into.
January 13th, 2026 at 8:07 am
Former Jets head coach with a 20 – 36 record and a defensive minded coach to boot! What could possibly go wrong?
January 13th, 2026 at 9:33 am
If Mr Clean and Mr Vape went to the Falcons, that team would be very dangerous for the foreseeable future leaving the Bucs in the dust every year.
January 13th, 2026 at 10:31 am
No way Mike McDaniel wants to come to Tampa to work for Blowes and his one remaining seasonal humiliation. Whoever is chosen will be unemployed exactly one year from now. Blowes might not win 4 games in 2026.
January 13th, 2026 at 10:38 am
Todd Moncken is coming in tomorrow for an In-Person interview. As the playoffs progress we will start getting the more talented candidates in.
Not everyone wants to work for the Arthur Blanks of the league…
January 13th, 2026 at 8:23 pm
BucU Says:
January 13th, 2026 at 6:37 am
I despise The Buccaneers management.
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Yeah, and you’re stupid.