Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Zac Robinson is excited to work with quarterback Baker Mayfield. The Bucs hired Robinson to be their OC last weekend. Robinson previously worked with Mayfield for a year with the Los Angeles Rams.
“I didn’t need to be sold on anything for this job,” Robinson said of the opportunity. “I was excited for this job as soon as it came available and we were free in Atlanta. This is a great job for a lot of the reasons I’ve already mentioned, but there was no sell. I was hoping that I got an opportunity to be here and, I’m excited to be here.”
Robinson is the fourth offensive coordinator the Bucs have had in four seasons. Dave Canales ran the offense in 2023 but left to take the head coaching job with the Carolina Panthers; Liam Coen took over for Canales in 2024 to become head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars; Josh Grizzard was fired after the offense took a step back and the Bucs missed out on the playoffs and their fifth consecutive NFC South division title.
Players such as Mayfield, running backs Rachaad White and Sean Tucker, wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, tight end Cade Otton, and offensive linemen Tristan Wirfs, Cody Mauch, and Luke Goedeke all have continuity with each other through the turnover at OC.
Robinson—who served as quarterbacks coach of the Rams when Coen was offensive coordinator in 2022—said there would be some carryover between their respective systems. He said he was looking forward to working with the players and building the offense together.
Robinson recounted a story from Mayfield’s time with the Rams. L.A. claimed Mayfield off waivers from the Carolina Panthers in December of 2022 after starter Matthew Stafford went down with a spinal cord injury.
At about 10 p.m. on the Tuesday before the Rams’ Thursday night game against the Las Vegas Raiders, the staff gave him a list of 20 to 25 plays to look over. The next morning, Mayfield had taken copious notes. He later went on to lead the Rams to a 17-16 comeback win. Robinson said that moment, and the adversity the Rams went through as a team that season, proved that Mayfield was “made of all the right stuff.”
“It was a challenging season and I know Baker had been through adversity,” Robinson said. “He had great success in Cleveland and then obviously went to Carolina, and he came in right away and was meeting guys for the first time in the huddle [in] Wednesday practice, and you could just see everybody gravitates towards Baker, and that’s what you’re looking for from that position. You want that true igniter. You want the guy that elevates the rest of the group. And when you have a guy like that, you have a chance to win every single Sunday.”
Robinson praised Mayfield’s strength, instincts as a playmaker, and ability to make plays with his legs.
“I think Baker was number one pick in the draft for a reason ... there’s not a part on the field that he can’t attack ... and then you get to the instincts, the feel for the game ... and his ability to throw on the run, he’s probably the best in the league throwing on the run. He’s great in the keeper game, great in the boot game,” he said.
“So [we’re] looking to evolve that part and make sure that we’re playing to Baker’s strengths, the rest of the guys’ strengths, but that’s a huge part. The third down conversions, those are tough downs. And when you have a quarterback that can obviously extend those plays and pick up first downs with his legs, it’s huge.”
With a veteran QB like Mayfield operating the offense, Robinson said he will tailor his offense to his strengths. He still wants to make sure his players have clarity, understand the audibles, and can operate the run game. He said the experience would allow him to put more on Mayfield’s plate, but in any case, he would coach his players hard.
