“We’re Going To Get This Special Teams Thing Turned Around”
March 13th, 2026
New Bucs special teams coach Danny Smith brings a smile to new Bucs RB Kenneth Gainwell’s face.
Thomas McGaughey’s special teams with the Bucs were pretty damn putrid.
The only thing that saved McGaughey from having a truly horrific special teams was that Chase McLaughlin is as money of a kicker as there is in the NFL.
The rest of the special teams last year? Trash, plain and simple.
Joe, sadly, was not overly shocked at this. When McGaughey came to the Bucs in 2024, he was canned by the Giants for having awful special teams over his five-year tenure there. Joe wasn’t sure what Bucs coach Todd Bowles saw in the guy.
Two years later, this past January, McGaughey was put out of Bucs fans’ misery.
To replace him, Bowles hired respected special teams coach Danny Smith, who previously had been with the Steelers for 12 years.
And guess who returned kicks for Smith and the Steelers last year? New Bucs running back Kenneth Gainwell. The new Bucs ballcarrier said he enjoys playing for the intense Smith.
“Man, I love Danny,” Gainwell said with a huge grin as Gainwell spoke to the Tampa Bay pen and mic club yesterday. “Man, I love the way his attitude [is] towards the game.”
Gainwell noted Smith is ready to start coaching before he gets out of his car when he arrives to the building for work in the morning.
“Soon [as] he step[s] out of his car, he’s yelling about something good,” Gainwell said. “Danny is a great guy, man. I love playing football for him.”
Apparently, Gainwell, who averaged 24 yards a kick return for the Steelers, knew that the Bucs’ special teams were trash. He noted Smith will start kicking tails and getting special teams straight.
“We’re going to get this special teams thing turned around real good,” Gainwell said.
It seems the Bucs have put an emphasis in bringing some juice into the building. Alex Anzalone brings juice. A’Shawn Robinson is intense. And Smith is constantly fired up.
That’s one thing this Bucs team lacked a lot of last year on defense and on special teams: Emotion and energy. It’s welcome to have some guys with heart coming to town.
March 13th, 2026 at 3:56 am
Newly-signed Safety Miles Killebrew is also a Special Teams ace from the Steelers. Danny Smith will get our S/Ts turned around poste-haste.
March 13th, 2026 at 4:17 am
Exactly
March 13th, 2026 at 4:19 am
you have 1 year….everybody ONE YEAR!!!!!
March 13th, 2026 at 5:17 am
Honestly you can only be better from what we all saw last season with Bucs ST.
March 13th, 2026 at 6:10 am
Show me.
March 13th, 2026 at 6:12 am
There’s so much to fix.
March 13th, 2026 at 6:13 am
3rd and 28. Special Teams. Bored players. And 4th and 14. But the keep Bowles.
And people wonder why Evans left.
I hope season ticket renewals are down 20%.
March 13th, 2026 at 6:28 am
Good hire on special teams cosch, Gainwell will be better than Rachaad and seems to be smart enough to stay in his lane and not bring up tge elephant in the room as Rachaad did going out the door: Bowles and the job he did as DC which was about as bad as McGaughey’s effort at not so special teams. Go Bucs, win in spite of 3rd and 28 Todd. I like Gainwell, good leader, give him a C on his jersey on Sunday along with Anzalone, not sure which returning Buc players deserve one: Vea and Wirfs????
March 13th, 2026 at 6:57 am
ModHairKen / Bowled Derangement Syndrome. (BDS)
March 13th, 2026 at 7:11 am
Sweet. Can our Special Teams play defense and also coach? Didn’t think so and those are still complete wastelands.
March 13th, 2026 at 7:23 am
👆👆👆👆👆BDS👆👆👆👆👆