Pittsburgh Steelers special teams coordinator Danny Smith before the game at Gillette Stadium. Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

Buccaneers make big coaching hire from Steelers

Originally posted on Tampa Bay Buccaneers on SI
By River Wells | Last updated Jan 20, 2026 2:37 PM ET

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers cleared house this offseason, with head coach Todd Bowles firing five position coaches and seeing two retire to create seven vacancies. The Bucs are obviously looking to replace all of these coaches with new hires, but the two biggest vacancies, offensive coordinator and special teams coordinator, have remained open since the offseason.

The Bucs have taken care of one of those two positions on Tuesday. Tampa Bay hired Pittsburgh Steelers special teams coach Danny Smith, per the NFL's Mike Garafolo, ending their special teams coordinator search after the team fired Thomas McGaughey at the end of the year.

This will be Smith's fifth team since entering the NFL as a special teams coordinator in 1995.

The #Buccaneers are hiring veteran special teams coordinator Danny Smith, sources tell me and @RapSheet. Now 50 years into his coaching career, Smith is still going and still considered one of the best in the biz. On to Tampa for the 72-year-old, gum-chewing Smith. pic.twitter.com/Apn4dYj71q
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) January 20, 2026

Buccaneers hire Steelers special teams coordinator Danny Smith

Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Smith certainly brings experience. He's been coaching for 50 years, getting his start at Edinboro as a graduate assistant in 1976. He's been a special teams coordinator in the NFL for 30 years, starting with the Philadelphia Eagles and doing the same job for the Buffalo Bills, Washington Redskins and Pittsburgh Steelers. Very few coaches across the NFL in any position have seen it all like Smith has.

Smith had a decent year as special teams coordinator with the Steelers. His units ranked sixth in opponent punt return average and eighth on kickoff return average. The Steelers did struggle in kickoff return average, coming in at 28th in kickoff return average and 21st in punt return average, however, so the Bucs will hope those numbers improve.

With that settled, the Bucs now turn their attention back to their offensive coordinator position. The Bucs have interviewed former Miami Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel and Cincinnati Bengals OC Dan Pitcher for the job in recent days and will continue to do their due diligence.