The Bucs continue to push forward with finding new coaches to reinvigorate the team. Parallel to their interviews with Brian Callahan and Zac Robinson for their open offensive coordinator position, the team announced on Saturday that they have completed their first interview for their vacant special teams coordinator role. That interview was with Jett Modkins, who is currently the assistant special teams coach with the Detroit Lions.

We’ve completed an interview with Detroit Lions Assistant Special Teams Coach Jett Modkins for our special teams coordinator position.

— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) January 10, 2026

Bucs Special Teams Was Atrocious In 2025

Bucs special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey was one of several coaches the team let go of earlier this week. His unit was one of the worst in the NFL in 2025, ranking 29th in average field position allowed on kickoffs. The unit also gave up three blocked kicks and two blocked punts, while their punting unit ranked towards the bottom of the league in EPA/punt for the third consecutive season.

Final punter rankings of the 2025 season:

Congrats to everyone on another great year! pic.twitter.com/djcmM4P1lt

— Puntalytics (@ThePuntRunts) January 5, 2026

Pro Football Focus’ special teams team grade rankings had the Bucs 30th overall. By any measure, the team was horrendous. It became so bad that by the end of the year head coach Todd Bowles admitted they were kicking off to force touchbacks to the 35-yard line rather than risk a return they weren’t confident they could cover properly.

Jett Modkins’ Resume

Jett Modkins has spent the past five years in Detroit working with one of the better units in the league. Last year Detroit ranked eighth in average starting field position following a kick return and the Lions’ punter Jack Fox ranked ninth in EPA/punt. PFF had the Lions with the sixth-best unit in the league in 2025 and no worse than 14th since 2022. That year the public grading site had Detroit’s special teams as the best unit in the league.

Lions assistant ST coach Jett Modkins – Photo by: IMAGN Images – Junfu Han

Given his time in the assistant role it would seem he is ready to break out onto his own and the Bucs are wise to bring him in from a coaching environment that has sprung several promotions in the past few years. The team announced that the interview was a virtual one. The Lions are out of the playoffs so the team can bring him in for an in-person interview at any point if they liked his first blush.

Hear Jett Modkins Speak

Here is an interview he did with the Lions’ team channel from a few years ago.