Picture Baker Mayfield in the pocket, scrambling like a NASCAR driver dodging debris on the final lap. The Bucs’ QB has thrived under pressure, but Tampa Bay’s latest curveball—a revolving door of offensive coordinators—is testing his Houdini act. Just as he finds rhythm, the playbook changes. Again. Think Brett Favre’s Packers-era chaos, minus the Wrangler commercials. The Bucs’ offense? A hit summer series that keeps swapping showrunners. Now, the plot thickens.

Tampa Bay’s GM Jason Licht spilled the beans on Up & Adams on April 1, revealing Liam Coen’s exit isn’t just a footnote. “Baker had all the faith in the world with Grizz,” Licht said, referencing new OC Josh Grizzard. But the subtext lingers: Another coordinator could bolt next year. Licht’s quip—“hopefully we don’t lose him next year to a head coaching job”—hangs like Florida humidity.

Since 2023, the Bucs have lost two OCs to head coaching gigs. Dave Canales (now Panthers HC) and Coen (Jaguars HC) each unlocked Mayfield’s swagger, propelling him to career highs. Under Coen, Tampa soared to No. 3 in rushing after a 2022 basement dweller finish. However, stability remains as elusive as a Marino ring. And there you have Grizzard…

Grizzard’s the promoted pass-game coordinator. He’s sharp, innovative, and—for now—sticking around. Licht’s banking on continuity: “These players want to come back because of the culture. Todd does an amazing job… we have a great locker room, but they want to play with Baker too.” But Mayfield is adapting to his third OC in three years. It’s like learning a new dialect mid-conversation.

Coen’s legacy lingers, but Baker Mayfield’s is used to chaos. From Cleveland’s QB carousel to Carolina’s collapse, he’s thrived in turbulence. Now, Tampa’s betting on his moxie and Grizzard’s fresh ideas. As Licht put it in early March, “Time heals everything.”

But Todd Bowles isn’t sweating—yet.

The locker room’s new mandate

At league meetings, he shrugged off Coen’s awkward exit, calling their bond “very close.” But the Bucs’ midseason slumps—4-7 in ’23, 4-6 in ’24—gnaw at him. “We got to have killer instinct,” Bowles demanded. Hence, no more coasting. No more letting games slip like a dropped Busch Light at a tailgate. Bowles’ fix?

Practice “call-it periods” to prep Grizzard for gameday. “We want to put him in every position possible before he actually has to call it in a game. Before the preseason starts, he’ll see so many different situations and so many types of things and call-it periods that I’ll make them go in situations,” he said.

Meanwhile, new hire Zach Beistline (game management guru) aims to sharpen Bowles’ in-game decisions. Remember the Lions’ playoff meltdown? Yeah, they don’t, either.

Accountability isn’t just a buzzword. After back-to-back NFC South titles, Bowles wants veterans policing the squad. “It’s not a coach thing—they can hear me talk every day, all day up on the stage, but when they start talking to each other and start holding each other accountable from a vocal standpoint…”

He stressed. Think Ray Lewis’ Ravens, minus the pregame dance. Baker Mayfield’s leadership? Critical. His gritty, ‘hold my beer’ vibe resonates—Tampa’s locker room loves him.

But talent alone won’t fix midseason fades. The defense, Licht admits, needs work. Injuries bit hard in ’24, but Bowles wants no excuses. “Blow people out,” he said. No more sweating for Week 18 for the division crown. For Bowles, 2025 is about finishing strong—no mercy, no letups. Or as Friday Night Lights’ Coach Taylor might say, “Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.”

But in Tampa, it’s more like Scarface: “Say hello to my little friend.” That friend? A killer instinct.