As the search for a special teams coordinator continues, the Bucs are beginning to look in-house. The team announced that they have completed an interview with assistant special teams coach Keith Tandy on Monday for special teams coordinator.
That makes it the third candidate that the Bucs have spoken to. They previously interviewed former Giants coordinator Thomas McGaughey and former Titans coordinator Craig Aukerman.
Keith Tandy’s Career With Bucs
Tandy spent six of his seven NFL seasons of his playing career with the Bucs from 2012 t0 2017. He was a safety but also superb on special teams. In 90 games in Tampa Bay, Tandy recorded 177 tackles, six tackles for loss, one sack, 14 pass breakups, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries and eight interceptions with the Bucs. Pewter Report alumni Trevor Sikkema still talks of his four interceptions in the last five games of the 2016 regular season as a huge moment.
In his last NFL season, Tandy played six games with the Atlanta Falcons recording two tackles. He did block a punt in a Week 3 game.
Tandy began his coaching career at the high school level, taking the head coach position at Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School over in Paso County, Florida. He spent a little time as a grad assistant for his alma mater West Virginia, but not long after that was back in Tampa as a special teams assistant coach in 2020. He was on the staff the year that the Bucs won Super Bowl and has had the same role as a special teams coach ever since.
How Does The Bucs’ Special Teams Look Heading Into Next Season?
The Bucs were much better in coverage this year. Part of that was because they had great play by rookie defensive back Josh Hayes, who was a late round draft pick last season.
Tampa Bay also knows they have a good thing with punter Jake Camarda, who has one of the stronger legs in the league and is quite athletic. Camarda will look to build on his great season and potentially win some more accolades.
If it goes the way they want it to, Tampa Bay would love to re-sign kicker Chase McLaughlin. He was automatic this season hitting all of his extra points and hitting all but three kicks on the year. Two were blocked, however, the last came in a crucial time during the divisional round playoff game when the Bucs were at the Lions. McLaughlin was asked to constantly boot kicks from beyond 50 yards, sometimes going as high as 57 yards, hitting them with ease.
It’ll be curious to see if the Bucs decide to do anything different in the return game. Deven Thompkins as a returner was solid, averaging 10.2 yards per punt return in 2022 and 9.4 punt returns in 2023. His kick returns were similar, averaging 21.9 in 2022 and 20.4 in 2023.
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