Photo Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
When rumors surfaced about Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen leaving for a head coaching job, someone jokingly called quarterback Baker Mayfield an “OC Whisperer.”
Mayfield has played under numerous coordinators throughout his career, and his recent success has made his playcallers attractive to teams looking for head coaches. After the 2023 season, his former coordinator Dave Canales took the Carolina Panthers’ head coaching job after just one year in the role. Coen followed the same path, leaving for the Jacksonville Jaguars’ head coaching position after only a season in Tampa Bay.
“I’ve had too many [coordinators] to say that,” Mayfield joked about the nickname. Since signing with the Bucs in 2023, he has stabilized his career, throwing 28 touchdown passes that year and 41 in 2024. His performances led Tampa Bay to back-to-back NFC South titles with 9-8 and 10-7 records, earning Pro Bowl selections both seasons.
Coen’s Departure Took Mayfield by Surprise
Mayfield found out about Coen’s departure while vacationing with his offensive linemen. Just days earlier, Coen had reassured players he was staying with the team, only for news to break that he was in Jacksonville interviewing with the Jaguars.
“I found out much like the rest of us,” Mayfield said at the Pro Bowl.
Coen later FaceTimed the players to explain his decision.
“I left him on read just like he left me on read for a little bit. I made him beg,” Mayfield said with a grin. “Obviously, people have their thoughts on how it went down, and I understand the emotional aspect of it, but I’m happy for Liam. We all had a few choice words for him before we actually told him we were happy for him. I can’t be mad at that — as much as I would want to have him still here.”
Left tackle Tristan Wirfs shared a similar reaction.
“I think we gave him a lot of crap,” Wirfs said. “Happy for him. That’s the business, but yeah, we had to give him a hard time. … He called us and said, ‘Love you guys,’ and we were like, ‘Yeah, same to you, brother.’”
A New Offensive Coordinator, but Familiarity Remains
Mayfield will have his ninth offensive coordinator in eight seasons, but this time, the Bucs kept the hire in-house. Josh Grizzard, last year’s pass game coordinator, steps into the role. Though he lacks playcalling experience, Grizzard handled Tampa Bay’s third-down offense in 2024 before earning the promotion.
“I mean for me, it was, ‘How can we make it somewhat — that continuity is safe with the guys?'” said Mayfield, who was involved in this year’s search. “‘How can we make sure that we’re actually taking a step forward and not a step back, having to restart again?’ Every season’s different, but having the continuity within the same system and keeping a lot of the same pieces is really, really important.”
Unlike previous offseasons, Mayfield and his teammates won’t need to learn an entirely new scheme.
“In terms of the offseason, the OTAs — you’re not installing brand new plays,” he said. “And that’s so helpful. … I mean we had a lot of young guys step up this year, so for them not to have to learn a new system is huge. I’m used to it. It’s hard work, but I’m happy for our whole team and unit just being able to go on to the next one.”
Tampa Bay will also retain offensive line coach Kevin Carberry and assistant Brian Picucci. Their impact was clear in 2024, as the Bucs’ rushing attack jumped from last in the NFL in 2023 (88.8 yards per game) to fourth in 2024 (149.2 yards per game).
Mayfield’s Career Year
Mayfield’s 2024 season placed him among the league’s elite. He threw 41 touchdown passes, tying Lamar Jackson for the second-most in the NFL and finishing two behind Joe Burrow. His completion percentage climbed from a career-best 64.3% in 2023 to 71.4%, ranking third behind Tua Tagovailoa and Jared Goff. He also set a personal high in passing yards with 4,500, the third most in the league.
He thrived in clutch moments, throwing 16 go-ahead touchdown passes—six more than his previous best in 2020 and the second most in the league behind Burrow. His 11.8% off-target percentage ranked fourth, improving on his previous career best of 14.6%.
His production put him in rare company. He became just the fourth quarterback in NFL history to throw for at least 4,000 yards, 40 touchdowns, and complete 70% of his passes in a season, joining Drew Brees (2011), Aaron Rodgers (2020), and Burrow (2024). He also became the 10th player to reach 4,500 passing yards and 40 touchdowns in a season, joining legends like Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and Patrick Mahomes.
The Next Step for Tampa Bay’s Offense
The Bucs ranked fourth in the NFL in offensive points per game (28.6) last season, trailing only two Tom Brady-led teams (2020, 2021) in franchise history. But what will it take to maintain that level?
“That’s getting everybody on the same page,” Mayfield said. “And Grizz was our third-down guy and he was a huge part of those installations and what we were trying to do on third downs. … That’s why I’m excited. He’s a guy that didn’t get a lot of credit behind the scenes last year, but he’ll be at the forefront of it.”
For the first time in a while, Mayfield enters an offseason without having to start from scratch. While change is constant in the NFL, he welcomes the stability Tampa Bay has maintained around him.
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This report used information from ESPN.
