The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in the market for a new quarterbacks coach this offseason, and their search has led them to an intriguing candidate with both college success and NFL experience under his belt. Chandler Whitmer, most recently Indiana’s co-offensive coordinator, has interviewed for the role, according to multiple reports.
Whitmer’s name might not be a household one just yet, but his résumé is quietly impressive. He played a significant role in the rise of Fernando Mendoza at Indiana this past season - and that’s not just coach-speak.
Mendoza didn’t just have a good year; he won the Heisman Trophy and led the Hoosiers to a national championship. That kind of development doesn’t happen in a vacuum, and Whitmer was right in the thick of it, helping shape one of college football’s most electric quarterback performances.
At just 34 years old, Whitmer’s coaching journey has already taken him through some of the most respected programs in the country. He got his start as a graduate assistant at Georgia in 2019, then moved to Clemson in 2020 in the same role.
From there, he transitioned to the NFL, spending three seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers as an offensive quality control coach. In 2024, he took on a pass game specialist role with the Atlanta Falcons before returning to the college ranks in 2025 to join Curt Cignetti’s staff at Indiana.
Whitmer’s rapid rise through the coaching ranks speaks to his football IQ and adaptability. He’s worked with both college quarterbacks and NFL signal-callers, giving him a well-rounded perspective on what it takes to succeed at the next level. That’s exactly the kind of voice the Buccaneers may be looking to add to their offensive room.
If Tampa Bay brings Whitmer aboard, he’d be stepping into a pivotal role - working with Baker Mayfield, who has reasserted himself as a legitimate starting quarterback in the league. Mayfield’s resurgence has been one of the more compelling storylines in recent seasons, and pairing him with a sharp, up-and-coming coach like Whitmer could help unlock even more from the Bucs' offense.
Of course, nothing is official yet. But the fact that Whitmer is getting this kind of look from an NFL team - particularly one with playoff ambitions - says a lot about how he's viewed inside league circles. For a franchise looking to keep building on recent momentum, bringing in a coach with Whitmer’s trajectory and quarterback development chops could be a smart move.