The Buccaneers’ early-season spiral could have sent Tampa Bay in a much different direction than the one it’s on now.
After dropping from 6-2 to 8-9 and missing the playoffs last year, the franchise moved on from offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard and brought in Zac Robinson, who had previously worked with Baker Mayfield during their time together with the Los Angeles Rams in 2022. But Robinson’s first stretch in Tampa Bay got rocky fast. The 2026 Buccaneers slid to 1-5 after Mayfield suffered a dislocated thumb on his throwing hand in a Week 3 loss that left the team at 0-3.
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler in a piece updated Wednesday morning, Robinson was under real pressure during that skid.
“My sense is that Tampa Bay offensive coordinator Zac Robinson was on thin ice after the team’s 1-5 start,” Fowler wrote. “The offense was off-balance, and an uptick was necessary.
Coach Todd Bowles and Robinson huddled up to crystallize the offense’s identity. Robinson, to his credit, leaned into the running game, the team’s strength behind a stout offensive line.”
That adjustment showed up quickly once Mayfield returned to the lineup. In a 43-13 win at the Carolina Panthers on Oct. 25, he completed seven of 11 passes for 64 yards and a touchdown, while Tampa Bay piled up 258 rushing yards and three scores on the ground. The next week, the Buccaneers followed with a 16-0 win over the Atlanta Falcons, rushing for 324 yards in windy, rainy conditions as Mayfield didn’t attempt a pass.
Fowler also said the losing could have triggered an even bigger shakeup. “Had Tampa lost to Carolina to fall to 1-6,” Fowler continued, “selling at the trade deadline would have been on the table. Now, the Bucs suddenly look like the division’s best team once again -- with a playcaller who made key adjustments.”
One name Fowler specifically mentioned in that scenario was defensive tackle Vita Vea, whom the Buccaneers could have considered moving before the Nov. 10 NFL trade deadline. But Fowler added that the “Bucs are not expected to move” Vea now.
Tampa Bay heads into its bye after facing the 6-2 Chicago Bears on Sunday night. DraftKings Sportsbook listed the Buccaneers as six-point road underdogs as of Wednesday morning.
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