Todd Bowles praises Josh Grizzard’s early approach as Buccaneers OC

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are using the preseason not only to evaluate players, but also to see how offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard handles his new responsibilities.

The Buccaneers have put Grizzard in charge of managing a rotation of quarterbacks and depth players, forcing him to adapt to different scenarios each week.

Head coach Todd Bowles praised Grizzard for how he has handled the challenges so far, pointing to the variety of situations the coordinator has faced.

On the field or in the booth?

Aug 16, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard watches the action against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the second half at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images | Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

For Tampa Bay, it is a chance to watch how he adjusts to game flow while balancing player development and situational calls.

“That’s hard because the first unit hasn’t been out there a long time,” Bowles said. “As far as who’s in the game and how he manages them – obviously we got a rookie quarterback that we got to manage as well… The play calling is a little different. Each situation in each game has been different for him. Tennessee, we hadn’t had to go into those things; Pittsburgh, we had to go into two-minute, four-minute, whatever you may call it. The situations are different for him and he’s handling it different ways, but he’s been fine.”

So far, Grizzard has coached from the sidelines during games. That approach might change soon. Tampa Bay’s coaching staff is weighing whether Grizzard should call plays from the booth in the preseason finale against Buffalo, giving him a different vantage point.

“We discussed it and we’re still debating on it,” Bowles noted. “I think he might like it down there, but he hasn’t made a decision yet.”

A key preseason for growth

For Grizzard, this preseason is about gaining confidence in his role and learning how to adapt in real time. Bowles has made it clear that just like players, assistant coaches benefit from live reps.

Grizzard, who replaces Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen as Tampa Bay's offensive coordinator, gets back all 11 starters on offense. That includes two-time Pro Bowl quarterback Baker Mayfield, Pro Bowl wide receivers in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin and NFL All-Pro offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs.

With one more preseason game on deck, Tampa Bay will get another look at how Grizzard manages his offense. Whether on the sideline or in the booth, his play-calling and adjustments will remain under the spotlight as the Buccaneers finalize preparations for Week 1.

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