Top 5 Candidates To Be the Next Tampa Bay Buccaneers Head Coach

By Brad Berreman

The surprise firing of this year’s NFL head coaching cycle came Wednesday night, with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ dismissal of Lovie Smith. A fairly late decision to fire Smith indicates there is a plan to replace him, so here are five candidates to become the Buccaneers’ new head coach.

Top 5 Candidates To Be the Next Tampa Bay Buccaneers Head Coach

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Tom Coughlin — Coughlin is a long-shot to be sure, but upon resigning as head coach of the New York Giants this week, he has suggested he isn't necessarily done coaching. Coughlin's long-term viability at age 69 is a question, but that may not matter to Tampa Bay's ownership.

Josh McDaniels — McDaniels is a hot head coaching candidate, with interviews and interest from virtually every team with an opening. He would appeal to the Buccaneers as an offensive mind, which also makes him the opposite of Smith, who has a defensive background.

Chip Kelly — Kelly interviewed with the Buccaneers a few years ago before deciding to go back to Oregon. Now available again, he is the type of offensive-minded candidate Tampa Bay should be seeking as they focus on Jameis Winston's continued development as a franchise quarterback.

Jimbo Fisher — Fisher can surely have the Florida State job as long as he wants it, but reports of talks with LSU a couple months ago suggest he would leave Tallahassee for the right situation. Reuniting with Jameis Winston in Tampa Bay could be among those opportunities.

Dirk Koetter — The Buccaneers' offensive coordinator has been mentioned as a potential candidate for the Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers and Miami Dolphins head coach openings, which seems to have spurred Tampa Bay's move to dismiss Smith. It may simply come down to a token satisfaction of the the Rooney Rule before Koetter is promoted to head coach in Tampa Bay.

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