The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a new offensive coordinator in Josh Grizzard, who got a promotion from pass game coordinator and is the Buccaneers’ third offensive coordinator in 3 seasons with quarterback Baker Mayfield.
ESPN’s Jenna Laine pointed out an even more shocking statistic for Mayfield with Grizzard now in charge of the offense and the former No. 1 overall pick and Heisman Trophy winner headed into his eighth NFL season in 2025.
“(Grizzard) will be the eighth offensive coordinator for Mayfield in his eight seasons in the league,” Laine wrote on January 31.
Even for a coordinator position, that’s an incredible amount of turnover for one player. It also speaks to what Mayfield has accomplished as he has revived his career over the last 2 seasons in Tampa Bay and shown he’s one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL.
Grizzard, 34 years old, was one of 6 candidates who interviewed for the Bucs’ offensive coordinator opening and the only internal candidate who got an interview.
From Ivy League to NFL Offensive Coordinator
Grizzard is the third offensive coordinator for Mayfield in 3 seasons because the quarterback played so well that the last 2 guys who had the job ended up landing head coaching jobs — Dave Canales with the Carolina Panthers in 2023 and Liam Coen with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2024.
The path Grizzard took to one of the NFL’s elite assistant coach positions included gooing from Lizard Lick, North Carolina, to playing college football at Yale.
Grizzard spent his final year at Yale in 2012 as a student assistant before spending 4 seasons as an offensive assistant at Duke. He made the leap to the NFL in 2017, where he spent 7 seasons as an assistant with the Miami Dolphins before becoming Tampa Bay’s pass game coordinator in 2024.
With the Dolphins, Grizzard made his bones as the wide receivers coach in 2021 as Jaylen Waddle set the NFL rookie record with 104 receptions and the franchise record with 1,015 receiving yards.
Mayfield Needs to Cut Down on Turnovers
While Mayfield threw for career highs of 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns in 2024 and made the Pro Bowl for the second consecutive season, he was also wildly inefficient when it came to giving the ball to the other team and led the NFL with 16 interceptions.
It was Mayfield’s proclivity to turn the ball over that ultimately ended Tampa Bay’s season. Leading the Washington Commanders 17-13 in the fourth quarter of an NFC Wild Card Game in Tampa on January 12, Mayfield fumbled the ball at his own 20-yard line. The Commanders turned that into a touchdown and a 20-17 lead on the way to a 23-20 victory that came on a field goal as time expired.
Tampa Bay head coach Todd Bowles called Mayfield out for turning the ball over after he threw 2 interceptions in a 31-26 loss to the Atlanta Falcons in a Week 8.
“It’s understanding we’re in scoring position and trying not to force every ball,” Bowles told Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times on October 28. “You know, sometimes it’s not there. Sometimes you can make a great throw. But not force every ball, just get it to the guy that’s open. Sometimes three points are better than a turnover.”
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