Buccaneers Get Solid Grade for Zac Robinson Hire

Originally posted on Tampa Bay Buccaneers on SI
By River Wells | Last updated Feb 1, 2026 12:40 PM ET

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers fired offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard in the offseason and set out to land their fifth OC in as many seasons. Eventually, they found their man, bringing on former Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson after a lengthy search.

Bowles was impressed with Robinson's offensive acumen and was likely drawn to his similar scheme, running a Sean McVay-style offense similar to previous coordinators Dave Canales and Liam Coen. He isn't the only one impressed, though, as a new list by CBS Sports also thinks highly of the hire.

Zac Robinson hire gets B+ from CBS Sports

CBS Writer Bryan DeArdo recently went down the line of every team's offensive coordinator hire so far, giving a grade to each. He liked the Robinson hire, giving it a B+, and he cited Robinson's familiarity with the NFC South and his talent in developing offensive skill positions as a reason why he could succeed in Tampa Bay.

"In Atlanta, Robinson consistently put his best players in positions to succeed. Under his watch, Bijan Robinson became arguably the NFL's top running back while breaking the Falcons' single-season total yardage record," he wrote. "Wideout Drake London and Kyle Pitts also enjoyed considerable success in Robinson's offense. Consistency at quarterback was one of the biggest things that eluded Robinson during his time in Atlanta. Now, he'll get a chance to work with Baker Mayfield at a pivotal point in Mayfield's career."

It will be interesting to find out how important the quarterback play Robinson dealt with in Atlanta was to the effectiveness of his overall offense. Robinson dealt with Kirk Cousins off an Achilles injury his first year in 2024 and then Michael Penix Jr. in 2025, both of whom had limited mobility and could have forced him to utilize formations like the pistol far more than he'd want.

That's just conjecture, though, and Robinson will have to shirk the more predictable parts of his offense in Atlanta if he wants to succeed in Tampa Bay. That being said, the Falcons had a top 10 red zone offense last year and Robinson has been able to scheme up successful run games, so he still brings a lot to Tampa Bay in 2026 and beyond.

Now, Robinson and Bowles will turn their attention to the NFL Combine and then free agency the next few months.