Yardbarker
Yardbarker
x
Buccaneers make internal OC decision after Liam Coen’s departure
Image credit: ClutchPoints

After Liam Coen bolted to take the Jacksonville Jaguars head coaching position, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had to find a new offensive coordinator. They now have their new hire, and it’s a familiar face within the organization, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

“The Bucs are promoting Josh Grizzard to offensive coordinator, sources tell The Insiders. A Yale alum, Grizzard spent seven years with the Dolphins before joining Tampa Bay last year as pass game coordinator. Now the 34-year-old replaces Liam Coen as OC,” Pelissero wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

The Bucs interviewed Grizzard for the vacancy, and he was the first internal candidate to interview for the position.

It was an extensive search for the Buccaneers, as they also interviewed Rams quarterbacks coach Dave Ragone, Rams offensive assistant/pass game specialist Nate Scheelhaase, Rams tight ends coach/pass game coordinator Nick Caley, Chargers pass game coordinator Marcus Brady, and Vikings assistant offensive coordinator/assistant quarterbacks coach Grant Udinski.

The hope is that Grizzard can pick up where Coen left off, and the Buccaneers will continue to have a strong offense going into next season.

Buccaneers go in different direction with Liam Coen leaving

Liam Coen, center, walks with his father Tim Coen, left, as Edna Garcia, mother-in-law, right, holds son Callahan Coen, 7 months, after speaking and being introduced as the new Jacksonville Jaguars head coach during a press conference Monday, Jan. 27, 2025 at the Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla. © Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It was a bizarre weekend for the Buccaneers after they thought that Liam Coen would return to the team to be the league’s highest-paid coordinator. Things quickly changed, as Coen decided to take the Jaguars head coaching position and Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated shared what happened behind the scenes.

“During the 5 p.m. hour [Thursday], Coen called Bowles and told him he was still dealing with his personal matter. He also told him that things had materially changed in Jacksonville, and that he was going to travel there to explore the opening,” Breer reported. “Within an hour of that phone call, a Bucs staffer got tipped off by someone in the Jaguars’ facility that Coen was already in the building.”

The Jaguars now have a head coach after trying for weeks to land someone but not having any luck. Coen showed during his time with the Buccaneers that he can get the best out of his players on offense, and the hope is that he can do that with the Jaguars. With a team that already has solid pieces on that side of the ball, it should be easy for them to get things going quickly.

As for the Buccaneers, there’s no doubt that they feel blindsided, but with Josh Grizzard, they should have some success.

This article first appeared on NFL on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads:

TODAY'S BEST

NFLPA reportedly under federal investigation
NFL

NFLPA reportedly under federal investigation

The ongoing saga with the NFL Players Association has taken another turn, as the organization is also reportedly the subject of a federal investigation. ESPN's Don Van Natta Jr. and Kalyn Kahler reported on Friday that there is an ongoing criminal investigation involving the NFLPA regarding potential misuse of funds and self-enrichment of union officials. A senior union attorney sent a memo to NFLPA officials this week informing them of the federal probe. The document states that the NFLPA is "now on notice of financial actions that may be criminal" and that the union faces "immediate threats requiring prompt actions," according to ESPN. While the document did not specify which individuals are part of the criminal investigation, the notice was sent days after executive director Lloyd Howell Jr. and director of strategy J.C. Tretter resigned from their positions with the NFLPA. Howell was accused of misusing union funds and faced other troubling allegations. Tretter resigned because he felt like he was left to take the heat for the scandal that has been unfolding, though he has denied any wrongdoing. The NFLPA is searching for an interim executive director. ESPN reports that the memo sent to union officials this week warns that potentially hiring an outside executive director might not be a wise move without knowing exactly how deep "the problems may be." Howell was the executive director of the NFLPA for two years.

Aaron Boone Makes Feelings Clear After Yankees’ Big Trade
MLB

Aaron Boone Makes Feelings Clear After Yankees’ Big Trade

The New York Yankees didn't come into the season with the strongest third base situation, and it only got worse over time. They converted traditional second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. to the hot corner after getting him at the Trade Deadline last season and installed a timeshare with him, DJ LeMahieu, Oswald Peraza, and Oswaldo Cabrera there in 2025. However, the latter player broke his ankle on May 12, and the Yankees released the now 37-year-old LeMahieu on July 10. Chisholm was primarily back at second at that point, so this left Peraza and Jorbit Vivas as their only true remaining third basemen. With Peraza hitting .147 and Vivas hitting .164, it was clear what the team's biggest need was. That's why it acquired veteran third baseman Ryan McMahon from the Colorado Rockies on Friday. New York manager Aaron Boone gave his thoughts about the 30-year-old before Friday's bout with the Philadelphia Phillies, via SNY. "I know there's real offensive potential there. I know he's had real offensive success, as well as some struggles there over the last calendar year or two," he said. "It seems like over the last month he's really started swinging the bat like he's capable of. He can impact the ball, he can control the strike zone, he's had some swing-and-misses that have probably hurt him a little bit." "But then he can really defend over there," he continued. "The handful of times that we've played against them that I watch him, you're like, 'That's what it should look like over there.' He moves really well and has that prototypical good third base thing." McMahon is slashing .217/.314/.403 with 16 homers and 35 RBI over 100 games this season. He also has a .978 fielding percentage and six errors. Right-handed pitcher Will Warren (6-5, 4.91 ERA) will start for the Yankees against Phillies right-hander Taijuan Walker (3-5, 3.75 ERA) on Friday.

Top NHL Analyst Provides Update on Canucks Possible Offer Sheet for Two Star Players
NHL

Top NHL Analyst Provides Update on Canucks Possible Offer Sheet for Two Star Players

Top NHL analyst Stephan Roget of 'Canucks Army' believes the Canucks could definitely offer sheet Mason McTavish or Marco Rossi, but they likely won't. Offer sheets remain one of the less common NHL deals, so a midsummer offer sheet from the Vancouver Canucks would remain highly unlikely. The player must be a restricted free agent (RFA) to be offer-sheet eligible, and come mid-July, there are not many remaining who are. Two of them are strong possibilities for whom the Canucks would consider making an offer sheet: Anaheim Ducks' Mason McTavish and Minnesota Wild's Marco Rossi. And offer sheets are a two-part process. Your team has to first make an offer. And then there has to be acceptance of a player before his current team is in a position to counter. That is uncertainty enough. Any offer sheet from the Canucks would have to be at least $11.7 million per year The Canucks would only be able to give Mason McTavish or Marco Rossi at the absolute highest compensation level, above $11.7 million annually. That would cost four protected first-rounders across five drafts to the Canucks. While both Rossi and McTavish would certainly appreciate an offer of this nature, whether either is truly worth this kind of investment of this size, especially for Vancouver, a club not comfortably in a playoff position, is questionable. 'As it stands, the Canucks are still eligible to make offer sheets to McTavish and Rossi - but only certain offer sheets. 'Whether it's realistic to expect a mid-summer offer sheet from the Canucks, is no'. - Stephan Roget Bottom line: While theoretically, a Canucks summer offer sheet is conceivable, too high a price, in cap space and future equity, makes it extremely unlikely, per NHL analyst Stephan Roget of 'Canucks Army.'

Surprise Chicago Bears WR balling out at training camp
NFL

Surprise Chicago Bears WR balling out at training camp

The Chicago Bears have a rookie wide receiver turning heads at training camp. It’s not Luther Burden III, as the No. 39 pick in April’s draft has missed the first three practices of training camp for a soft tissue injury that had him out of practice since rookie minicamp in May. Burden was expected to fight for the WR3 job this summer. The Chicago Bears have a rookie WR turning heads Undrafted rookie free agent JP Richardson could be making his case for a 53-man roster spot. Per multiple beat reporters, the TCU standout has impressed through the first three days of camp. “Undrafted free agent wide receiver JP Richardson has put together three solid days of camp,” wrote Courtney Cronin of ESPN. “The TCU product hauled in two catches with the third-team offense on Friday after making a one-handed catch down the sideline on the first day of practice.” Richardson caught 175 passes for 1,940 yards and 11 touchdowns during his four years in college. He spent two seasons at Oklahoma State before transferring to TCU. Richardson has yet to work with Caleb Williams Per Zack Pearson of Bear Report, the six-foot, 180-pound receiver has been a top target of backup quarterback Tyson Bagent. Richardson has yet to show what he can do with Caleb Williams. “A player I keep finding myself noting in my notebook is undrafted wide receiver JP Richardson,” Pearson wrote. “He’s been getting open frequently and quarterback Tyson Bagent continues to find him on the field. Richardson hasn’t gotten any reps with the first or second team yet, but that could change.” Richardson will be a player of interest to watch when the Bears play in the preseason. Chicago will host the Miami Dolphins on Aug. 10 to kick off the preseason.

Customize Your Newsletter

Yardbarker +

Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!