Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker coach Larry Foote talks with the team at Nissan Stadium. Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Key Buccaneers defensive staffer returning to Tampa Bay in 2025

Originally posted on Tampa Bay Buccaneers on SI
By Caleb Skinner | Last updated Feb 2, 2025 11:02 AM ET

Tampa Bay's 2024 season came to a screeching halt in the Wild Card round of the playoffs as the Buccaneers suffered a defeat to the Washington Commanders. While upsetting they couldn't make a deeper playoff run, there is plenty of optimism for what lies ahead in the future.

With the season complete, the Buccaneers have once again had to watch and wait to see what unfolded in the coaching carousel. One of the main moves came quickly as Liam Coen, the team's offensive coordinator this season, left the franchise for a head coaching opportunity with the Jacksonville Jaguars. While Coen was the hot name on the Bucs' staff for a promotion, there was also interest in other coaches including linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator Larry Foote.

Foote, who has been with the Bucs since 2019 when Bruce Arians became the head coach, interviewed with the Detroit Lions for their open defensive coordinator position before they ultimately decided to stay in-house with the hire, promoting linebackers coach Kelvin Sheppard. With the news breaking about a week ago, it likely meant that Foote would reprise the same role he's held with the Bucs since 2022, and that was officially confirmed by Tampa Bay Times' Rick Stroud.

#Bucs LBs coach/co-defensive coordinator Larry Foote, who interviewed for the Lions DC job, confirmed he will return to Tampa Bay for 2025. He and QBs coach Thad Lewis are helping Eli Manning coach the NFC team in the Pro Bowl.
— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) February 1, 2025

Foote has spent time as the Buccaneers' outside linebackers coach, pass game coordinator and inside linebackers coach since coming into the organization and has been a great co-star next to Todd Bowles on the defensive staff. While the play of the defense has slipped the past couple of seasons, the bones are there and they will just need to get the right guys in the right positions for things to play out how they are supposed to.

The Buccaneers' coaching staff has been raided the past couple of seasons, which means that they are doing something right. With Foote now garnering interest around the league for a promotion, don't be surprised if we start to see more and more of the staff leaving for other opportunities as we continue to move forward.