While the last 2 offensive coordinators for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have left after one season to become NFL head coaches, their more successful predecessor got no such opportunity.
Former Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich, who was fired after current Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles was hired in January 2023, is back in coaching as an offensive assistant at the University of Colorado under head coach and Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders.
Leftwich won a Super Bowl with the Buccaneers as offensive coordinator following the 2020 season and is the second member of Colorado’s coaching staff with ties to the Buccaneers along with defensive assistant and Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive tackle Warren Sapp, who is in his second season in Boulder.
Fox Sports NFL Insider Jordan Schultz broke the news about Leftwich, who hasn’t coached since leaving the Buccaneers.
“Former #Bucs OC Byron Leftwich is back in coaching as he is joining Deion Sanders’ staff at Colorado,” Schultz wrote on his official X account. “Leftwich interviewed for multiple NFL jobs this past cycle (Pats HC, Seahawks OC) but now makes the move to college.”
It’s not clear exactly what role Leftwich will take on with the Buffaloes, who signed the nation’s No. 1 recruit from the Class of 2025 in Carrollton (Ga.) High School quarterback Julian Lewis, who enrolled at Colorado in December 2024 and is going through spring practices.
Lewis was originally the No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2026 but reclassified in order to graduate early and retained his ranking.
“Leftwich’s formal title is unknown, but he will work with the offensive staff under coordinator Pat Shurmur,” Pro Football Talk’s Charean Williams wrote. “Leftwich was the Cardinals’ offensive coordinator in 2018 before going to Tampa. The Bucs ranked first second, first and second in passing yards and third, seventh, second and 15th in total yards during Leftwich’s four years as offensive coordinator with Jameis Winston and Tom Brady at quarterback.”
Leftwich Won Super Bowls as Player and Coach
Before Leftwich won a Super Bowl as an assistant coach he was a first round pick (No. 7 overall) by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2003 NFL draft and spent 10 seasons as an NFL quarterback for 5 different teams, including a Super Bowl win as a backup for the Pittsburgh Steelers following the 2008 season. Leftwich also played one season for the Buccaneers in 2009.
Leftwich spent 3 seasons as an offensive assistant and interim offensive coordinator with the Arizona Cardinals before spending 4 seasons as Tampa Bay’s offensive coordinator, where he oversaw one of the wildest seasons for a quarterback in NFL history with Jameis Winston in 2019, when Winston led the NFL with 5,109 passing yards and 30 interceptions to go with 33 touchdown passes.
With Brady as his quarterback, Leftwich oversaw the last 3 seasons of the future Pro Football Hall of Famer’s career, which included a Super Bowl MVP season in 2020 and an NFL All-Pro season in 2021 in which Brady led the NFL in passing yards and passing touchdowns.
While Leftwich has yet to get an NFL head coaching opportunity, the 2 offensive coordinators who followed him both did — Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales was hired after one season in 2023 and Jaguars head coach Liam Coen was hired after one season in 2024.
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