Buccaneers Announce Coaching Staff Changes For 2026

Tampa Bay hired the following coaches:

• Former Falcons pass game coordinator T.J. Yates as pass game coordinator
• Former Falcons offensive assistant Ken Zampese as senior offensive assistant/pass game specialist
• Former Indiana QBs coach/co-OC Chandler Whitmer as QBs coach
• Former Oklahoma State OL coach Andrew Mitchell as assistant OL coach
• Former Bills DL coach Marcus West as DL coach
• Todd Bowles Jr. as defensive assistant
• Former Steelers quality control coach Luke Smith as assistant ST coach

Additionally, the Buccaneers promoted the following coaches:

• Assistant secondary coach Tim Atkins to safeties coach
• Defensive assistant Rashad Johnson to CBs coach
• Assistant strength and conditioning coach Chad Wade to head strength and conditioning coach

Finally, the Buccaneers announced Kefense Hynson, Brian Picucci, Anthony Piroli, Jordan Somerville and Keith Tandy are no longer with the organization.

Yates, 38, had a seven-year NFL career as a QB playing for the Texans, Falcons and Dolphins. He started his coaching career in 2019 as an offensive assistant with Houston and was promoted to assistant QB coach for 2020.

Atlanta hired Yates as a passing game specialist in 2021 and promoted him to WR coach for the next two years. He was made QB coach for the 2024 season, but was moved to WRs coach along with a promotion to pass game coordinator for the 2025 season.