Why the Buccaneers should pursue Kliff Kingsbury at OC

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers missed the playoffs for the first time since 2019 in 2025, and now they are getting their postmortem exits out of the way. With the season now finished, the Glazer family will examine all aspects of the franchise with potential changes on the horizon.

While it appears that head coach Todd Bowles will retain his position as the head man, there is bound to be some shuffling amidst the rest of the current coaching staff. One of the more mentioned names to be on the outs this offseason is first-year offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard, and a new hot name has emerged — Kliff Kingsbury.

Kingsbury has spent the past two seasons as the Washington Commanders' offensive coordinator, but recently decided to split with the organization. While it appears he will be searching for a head coaching gig, we wanted to share three reasons why the Buccaneers should target him as their next OC.

New offensive scheme could bring fire back to offense

Oct 13, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

The Bucs' offense currently differs drastically from that of what Kingsbury likes to run. Mainly, the Bucs currently run mostly outside zone while Kingsbury likes run inside, but also that Kingsbury prefers his quarterback in the shotgun, rather than under center.

While some could see this as a large reason why not to target the young signal caller, a new offense could bring a spark to an offense that could have very much used it in 2025. The Bucs' offense continually ground itself into the ground this season, so maybe with an adjusted offensive scheme to get away from the McVay/Shanahan type, the team could produce results as long as the players can make the adjustment seamlessly.

While this isn't a given, sometimes a change of scenery — in this case, offensive scheme — is the best for everyone and could net the results that Bucs' fans have wanted since the departure of Liam Coen.

Repair relationship with Baker Mayfield & maximize his potential

Baker Mayfield Kliff Kingsbur — Oct 28, 2017; Norman, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) shakes hands with Texas Tech Red Raiders head coach Kliff Kingsbury Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The relationship between Bucs QB Baker Mayfield and Kliff Kingsbury is widely known. After leading the Texas Tech Red Raiders to a 5-0 start to the 2013 season with Kingsbury as head coach and Mayfield as a walk-on QB, Mayfield suffered a knee injury and then never returned as the starter once healthy.

That, amid a scholarship issue, led Mayfield to leave for Oklahoma, where he would later win the Heisman trophy. Both have publicly mentioned that they are on good terms, but a working relationship would take more than just that.

If Mayfield and Kingsbury can let bygones be bygones for good, then there is no question that the two could uncork his potential after a lackluster season that saw all his major statistics dip from a season ago.

Kingsbury has become synonymous with helping improve quarterback play, and his combination of spacing concepts, pre-snap motion, quick-game answers against the blitz and ability to attack the middle of the field could open things up for Mayfield, who could then just use his gunslinging acumen to hit deep balls.

Redzone creativity

Nov 2, 2025; Landover, Maryland, USA; Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

The Bucs struggled mightily in the redzone this season, converting a touchdown only 54% of the time and settling for field goals more times than reaching pay dirt. Meanwhile, Kingsbury with the Commanders in 2025, despite not having plenty of weapons, was tied for fourth in the league in redzone efficiency, scoring a touchdown on 65.2% of their trips.

His efficiency is well-noted across the football world with an acumen for running shot plays off misdirection and creating mismatches for wide receivers and tight ends.

Being able to score six instead of three would have gone a long way for Tampa Bay this season, likely not even putting them in a position to write an article such as this. While definitely an upgrade here, one concern with Kingsbury is his struggles making adjustments as the season unwinds.

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