The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are closing in on finalizing their offensive coaching staff under new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson - and the final piece of the puzzle might just be a familiar face.
According to reports, the Bucs have interviewed Indiana co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Chandler Whitmer for their vacant QB coach position. Whitmer is coming off a banner year with the Hoosiers, helping guide them to a historic 16-0 season and their first-ever national championship. That kind of success doesn’t go unnoticed - especially when you’re working directly with a Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback.
At just 34 years old, Whitmer has already built a coaching résumé that blends both college and NFL experience. This past season at Indiana, he worked closely with quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who not only won the Heisman but also looks like a strong candidate to go No. 1 overall in the upcoming NFL Draft.
Mendoza’s numbers were eye-popping: a 72% completion rate, over 3,500 passing yards, and a 41-to-6 touchdown-to-interception ratio. That kind of production speaks volumes about the synergy between quarterback and coach - and it’s no surprise Whitmer’s name is now circulating at the pro level.
What makes Whitmer an even more intriguing candidate for Tampa Bay is his previous connection to Robinson. The two worked together in Atlanta in 2024, when Whitmer served as the Falcons’ pass game specialist and Robinson was the offensive coordinator. Even if it was just one season, that kind of familiarity can go a long way when building a cohesive staff - especially in a system as timing- and detail-oriented as Robinson’s.
Before his stint in Bloomington, Whitmer’s coaching journey included stops at Ohio State and Georgia as a graduate assistant, followed by a three-year run with the Chargers as an offensive quality control coach. That blend of high-level college and NFL experience, combined with his recent success developing a top-tier quarterback, makes him a logical fit for a Buccaneers team looking to solidify its offensive identity.
And let’s not forget - Whitmer’s been in the QB room himself. As a former college quarterback, he knows the position from the inside out.
He played at Butler Community College before transferring to UConn, where he started 28 games and threw for over 5,000 yards. While his playing days didn’t land him in the pros, they clearly laid the foundation for a coaching career built on understanding the nuances of quarterback play.
Tampa Bay has already made several key hires this offseason. After parting ways with offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard and quarterbacks coach Thad Lewis, the Bucs brought in Robinson to lead the offense. That move kicked off a reshuffling of the offensive staff, including the departure of assistant offensive line coach Brian Picucci to Jacksonville and the retirement of veteran offensive analyst Tom Moore.
But the Bucs have moved quickly to fill those gaps. T.J.
Yates, who worked under Robinson in Atlanta, is coming aboard as the new pass game coordinator. Ken Zampese, another member of that Falcons staff, is joining as a senior offensive assistant.
And Andrew Mitchell has been hired as the new assistant offensive line coach.
With those hires in place, it looks like Tampa Bay is moving on from previous pass game coordinator Kefense Hynson, signaling a full transition to Robinson’s vision for the offense.
That leaves just one major piece still on the board: quarterbacks coach. And with Whitmer’s résumé - recent success at the college level, NFL experience, and a prior working relationship with Robinson - he checks a lot of boxes.
The Bucs are clearly building a staff that aligns with Robinson’s offensive philosophy, and if Whitmer is added to the mix, it would mark another step toward creating a cohesive, quarterback-friendly environment in Tampa. Whether he ends up getting the job or not, his interview is a strong indicator of the kind of profile the Bucs are targeting: young, innovative coaches with a proven ability to develop talent and a track record of adapting across multiple levels of the game.
Stay tuned - the final piece of Tampa Bay’s offensive staff could be falling into place soon.