Baker Mayfield is staying put in Tampa Bay, and he’s getting a familiar face in his corner as the Buccaneers look to rebound from a frustrating 2025 season.
After three years of steady progress under center, Mayfield’s fourth campaign with the Bucs will come with a new voice in his headset. Tampa parted ways with offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard following a late-season collapse that kept them out of the playoffs for the first time in Mayfield’s tenure. Now, they’re turning to Zac Robinson - a name that might raise a few eyebrows, especially in Norman.
Yes, that Zac Robinson. The former Oklahoma State quarterback who spent his college days going toe-to-toe with Mayfield’s beloved Sooners is now tasked with helping the ex-Heisman winner rediscover his best football. It’s a Bedlam reunion of sorts - only this time, the two rivals are on the same sideline.
Robinson’s résumé is impressive in its own right. A dual-threat standout at Oklahoma State from 2005 to 2009, he racked up over 8,000 passing yards, nearly 1,900 on the ground, and totaled 88 touchdowns. He was electric in Stillwater, making the Cowboys' offense one of the most dangerous in the Big 12 during his run as starter.
After a brief NFL career that included stops with the Patriots, Seahawks, Bengals, and Lions, Robinson transitioned into coaching in 2019, joining Sean McVay’s staff with the Los Angeles Rams. He started as an assistant quarterbacks coach, then moved to assistant wide receivers coach in 2020, before returning to the quarterbacks room in 2021 - the year the Rams won the Super Bowl. By 2022, he was promoted to pass game coordinator and quarterbacks coach, which is when his path first crossed with Mayfield’s in a meaningful way.
That December, Mayfield landed in L.A. on short notice, thrust into action after just two days with the team. Robinson vividly remembers the whirlwind week and the impression Mayfield made right away.
“We gave him kind of a menu of plays - maybe 20, 25 - and this was around 10 p.m. on a short week,” Robinson recalled during his introductory press conference in Tampa. “He digested it all.
And then he went out there and led a comeback on Thursday Night Football. That told me everything I needed to know.
The talent was obvious. But the work ethic, the competitiveness - he’s made of all the right stuff.”
Robinson called that brief time with Mayfield “invaluable,” and it’s clear the admiration goes both ways. Mayfield reportedly advocated for Robinson to get the job, and it’s not hard to see why. The offense Robinson brings has deep roots in McVay’s system - the same system that helped revive Mayfield’s career late in 2022 and again in 2024 under former Bucs OC Liam Coen, another McVay disciple.
That 2024 season, in particular, was a high point for Mayfield, who posted career-best numbers under Coen. The scheme fits his strengths: play-action, bootlegs, quick reads, and the freedom to make plays on the move. Robinson, who’s been calling plays for the Falcons the past two seasons, brings that same DNA - and he knows exactly how to tailor it to Mayfield’s skill set.
“When you have a guy like that, you have a chance to win every Sunday,” Robinson said. “He’s probably the best in the league throwing on the run.”
Now, the two are reunited in Tampa, with a clear mission: get the Bucs back to the postseason and reclaim control of the NFC South. The pieces are there - a quarterback with something to prove, a coordinator who believes in him, and a system that’s already shown it can bring out the best in Mayfield.
It’s a full-circle moment, forged in rivalry but built on mutual respect. And if Robinson can tap into the version of Mayfield we saw in flashes with the Rams and during his best days in Tampa, this partnership could be exactly what the Buccaneers need to turn the page in 2026.