The Falcons have a new reason to smirk at Tampa Bay, and it starts with Zac Robinson.
Atlanta’s former offensive coordinator has landed the same job with the Buccaneers after a rough year in Atlanta, where his offense never really found its footing and became a major reason the staff was cleared out this offseason. Now he’s headed to a division rival, and Falcons fans are already waiting to see how it plays out.
Robinson arrived in Atlanta with a strong reputation after helping shape the Rams’ offense, and there was plenty of optimism when Raheem Morris brought him in. That didn’t last.
He struggled to adjust to opposing defenses and, according to the source material, stuck with a scheme that didn’t fit his players. The Falcons eventually moved on from the entire staff.
That’s why the reaction to his move to Tampa Bay has been so sharp. The Buccaneers, who have won the division title four of the last five seasons, are betting that Robinson can be an upgrade over Josh Grizzard.
Falcons fans aren’t buying it. They see a familiar setup headed to a team that may not have the same margin for error Atlanta gave him.
The biggest issue in Atlanta was predictability. With Bijan Robinson, Drake London and Kyle Pitts all in the mix, the Falcons had enough playmakers for an offense to look dangerous.
Instead, the unit became easy to read. The source material says even casual fans could tell run from pass, and that opposing defenses knew what was coming at key moments, including against the 49ers.
There was also the matter of how the quarterback situation was handled. Michael Penix Jr. was used almost exclusively from shotgun and pistol, which limited what the offense could do. The source material notes that with Kevin Stefanski in place, Penix has already been practicing under center, even though he is not fully healthy yet.
The numbers back up the frustration. Robinson’s offense ranked 19th in passing yards, 8th in rush yards and 24th in EPA per play in 2025. Tampa Bay’s offense finished 20th, 21st and 20th in those same categories.
That’s what makes this hire such a strange fit from Atlanta’s point of view. The Buccaneers are a pass-first team, and that’s the area where Robinson had the most trouble in Atlanta. Without a Bijan Robinson-type engine to lean on, the pressure figures to come fast.
For the Falcons, the whole thing feels like a problem they’ve already lived through. For Tampa Bay, it’s just getting started.
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