Buccaneers appoint Zac Robinson as play-caller for 2026 season
The Buccaneers have cycled through four play-callers in four seasons, hiring Robinson to revitalise the offence and restore Mayfield’s form after a difficult second half of 2025.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have appointed former Atlanta Falcons play-caller Zac Robinson as their new offensive coordinator for the 2026 season. The move follows a challenging second half of the 2025 campaign for quarterback Baker Mayfield, with the organisation seeking to restore his previous performance levels. Robinson is expected to implement a spread-heavy scheme characterised by pre-snap motion, play-action, and zone-scheme rushing.
This appointment marks the fourth change in play-calling leadership for the Buccaneers over the past four seasons, following tenures by Josh Grizzard, Liam Coen, and Dave Canales. Robinson, a former quarterback who began his coaching career with the Los Angeles Rams under Sean McVay from 2019 to 2023, brings a philosophy that previously utilised high levels of pre-snap motion. During his time with the Falcons, he led the league in pre-snap motion while maintaining a pass rate below 55 per cent.
The structural shift aims to address inconsistencies in both the passing and running games that impacted Mayfield late last year. Robinson’s offensive approach with the Falcons shifted towards utilising the strengths of his personnel, notably increasing running back target share from 15.8 per cent in 2024 to 22.9 per cent in 2025. Similarly, tight end formation usage rose from 11.2 per cent to 45.7 per cent over the same period, indicating a potential increase in target shares for tight ends and running backs in Tampa Bay.
However, the transition presents challenges for the Buccaneers’ current running back group, which includes Kenneth Gainwell, Sean Tucker, and Bucky Irving. These players have historically struggled with zone-scheme rushing, with Irving averaging 3.9 yards per rush on zone runs in the previous season. While the team has maintained a low pass rate historically, remaining below 56 per cent for the past two seasons, Robinson’s scheme is projected to increase reliance on quick, easy throws to receivers such as Emeka Egbuka, Chris Godwin, Jalen McMillan, Tez Johnson, and rookie Ted Hurst.
The pace of play under Robinson also slowed by over two seconds per play in 2025 compared to 2024, suggesting a methodical approach to the offence. Despite the frequent changes in leadership, the Buccaneers have attempted to maintain continuity for Mayfield, who is expected to be comfortable with Robinson’s requirements. The success of this new era will depend on whether the personnel can adapt to the zone-scheme rushing demands or if the team pivots to gap-scheme runs to better suit the current roster.
