Less than 12 hours after Liam Coen told the Bucs he is leaving the team to become the Jaguars head coach, it still stings for Tampa Bay Fans. Unfortunately, as some have pointed out, this should not be a new feeling for Bucs fans when it comes to being shaded by coaches leaving.
In the last 20 years, twice have coaches committed to being with the Bucs before ultimately backing out at the last minute.
Rick Stroud of The Tampa Bay Times pointed out on social media early Friday morning that this happened in 2002. Over 23 years ago, Hall of Fame coach Bill Parcells had agreed to become the Bucs head coach but had a change of heart last minute. That move by Parcells resulted in the team getting aggressive and trading for Jon Gruden.
Fans know that the move ultimately paid off.
Fast forward to 2012, the Bucs were looking to replace Raheem Morris and had an agreement with Chip Kelly, who was coaching Oregon at the time. Kelly agreed to coach the Bucs before he changed his mind; the team would find another college coach to take the job, though, in Greg Schiano. Unlike the pivot to Gruden, the switch to Schiano did not yield as fruitful a return.
This situation is closer to that of 2002 than 2012, though. the team’s offense is one of the best in the NFL, and the offensive coordinator job has turned two coordinators in as many years into head coaches. The team will have plenty of options, and they will get a great offensive mind.
Baker Mayfield, Mike Evans, Bucky Irving, and maybe even Chris Godwin, will all be back and will be as efficient as ever.