The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are betting big on a familiar face with fresh ideas. Zac Robinson is taking over as offensive coordinator, and while he’s not a household name just yet, his track record-and connection with Baker Mayfield-should have Bucs fans paying close attention.
Let’s start with the résumé. Robinson spent five years under Sean McVay in Los Angeles, absorbing one of the league’s most innovative offensive systems.
He later ran the show in Atlanta as the Falcons' offensive coordinator, where he showed a knack for adjusting his scheme to fit the quarterback under center. That adaptability is going to be key in Tampa, where Mayfield is coming off a tough season and needs a reset.
This isn’t Robinson’s first rodeo with Mayfield, either. The two crossed paths in 2022 during Mayfield’s whirlwind stint with the Rams.
After being cut by Carolina, Mayfield landed in L.A. and, just three days later, led a dramatic Thursday night comeback win. Robinson, then the Rams’ passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach, played a big role in prepping Mayfield for that moment.
It was a short-lived pairing, but one that clearly left an impression.
Fast forward to now, and the two are reunited-this time with far more at stake.
Mayfield’s 2025 campaign was, by just about every measure, a disappointment. He posted 3,693 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, 11 interceptions, and a 63.2% completion rate.
Not awful numbers on the surface, but a sharp drop from his 2024 Pro Bowl season, when he threw for 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns. That kind of regression raises eyebrows, especially when it follows what looked like a career resurgence.
Dig into the advanced stats, and one key difference jumps out: average depth of target. In 2025, Mayfield was pushing the ball further downfield more often-something that sounds aggressive in theory but didn’t translate to consistent success. Whether it was by design or necessity, the deeper shots weren’t landing the way they did a year prior.
That’s where Robinson’s influence could make a real difference. In Atlanta, he molded the offense around his quarterbacks’ strengths.
With Michael Penix Jr., he leaned into velocity and arm strength. With Kirk Cousins, the game plan was more about timing and rhythm.
That kind of flexibility could be exactly what Mayfield needs-a system tailored to what he does best, not what looks best on paper.
And let’s not overlook the mental side of things. Mayfield has now had 11 offensive coordinators in nine NFL seasons.
That’s a staggering number. For context, Matthew Stafford thrived in L.A. under McVay thanks in large part to continuity and trust.
Mayfield hasn’t had the luxury of either. Every year, it’s a new playbook, a new voice in his headset, a new set of expectations.
That kind of instability takes a toll, especially for a quarterback trying to establish long-term success.
Robinson, coming from the McVay coaching tree, brings a system that Mayfield has at least some familiarity with. That’s a good starting point. But more importantly, he brings a chance to finally stabilize the most volatile part of Mayfield’s career: the offensive structure around him.
The stakes couldn’t be higher. Mayfield is entering the final year of his three-year, $100 million deal.
Another down year could spell the end of his time in Tampa-and potentially Todd Bowles’ as well. The clock is ticking, and Robinson’s arrival feels like a last-ditch effort to salvage what once looked like a promising partnership between quarterback and franchise.
There’s no guarantee it works, of course. But if Robinson can tap into the version of Mayfield we saw in 2024-and build an offense that plays to his strengths-the Bucs might just have one more run in them.