Bucs general manager Jason Licht is set to interview Dallas defensive backs coach Kris Richard for Tampa Bay’s head coach vacancy after Saturday’s playoff game between the Cowboys and the Seattle Seahawks. The news was first reported by Ian Rapoport.
The Bucs fired head coach Dirk Koetter after three seasons on Sunday night after Tampa Bay’s 34-32 loss to Atlanta.

Licht also has interviews scheduled with Kansas City offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy and Minnesota defensive coordinator Kris Richard.

All three are among the hottest names in the coaching candidate buzz right now and are African-Americans, which would satisfy the obligation to adhere to the NFL’s Rooney Rule, which states that NFL teams with head coaching vacancies must interview a minority candidate before making a hire.

The fiery Richard is a disciple of Seattle’s Pete Carroll, whom he played safety for at USC and coached for with the Seahawks. Richard was Seattle’s cornerbacks coach in 2010, the team’s defensive backs coach from 2012-14 and the defensive coordinator from 2015-17 when he replaced Dan Quinn.

The 39-year old Richard oversaw the Seahawks’ dreaded “Legion of Boom” secondary, and is the defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator in Dallas this season working under Rod Marinelli, although the Cowboys’ secondary hasn’t been nearly successful.