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About the Author: Matt Matera
Latest Bucs Headlines
As the Bucs work their way toward finding a new offensive coordinator, there’s also been a recent change to Tampa Bay’s defensive coaching staff. According to Greg Auman of Fox Sports, defensive assistant Mike Chiurco won’t be with the team next season.
Bucs assistant Mike Chiurco, who spent four years as assistant to the head coach and moved into a defensive role this past season, is no longer with the organization. Came in with Bruce Arians in 2019.
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) January 29, 2024
Coming in with Bruce Arians in 2019, Chiurco stayed on with the Bucs after Arians stepped down as head coach and gave way to Todd Bowles. Last season, Chiurco was named as a defensive assistant on the organization’s website.
Could Any Other Bucs Coaching Moves Be Made?
Bucs HC Todd Bowles – Photo by: USA Today
The obvious one is still to be determined, but depending on who is named offensive coordinator, that coach may want to come in and bring some of his own people with Todd Bowles’ allowance.
More than likely, the Bucs will need a new wide receivers coach because of Brad Idzik’s relationship with Dave Canales. Beyond that, could there be other changes? Even with its improvements under Canales, Tampa Bay’s offense was middle of the pack, averaging 20.5 points per game. It still had the worst run game in the league at 88.8 yards per game, but did improve over the year before.
Bowles hasn’t hesitated to remove offensive coaches before. After his first year as head coach in Tampa Bay, he fired offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich and many other assistant coaches were let go or retired as well. Then came in Dave Canales, and there was hope to have success and stability, but Canales’ development of Baker Mayfield catapulted him to a head coaching job with the Panthers.
Bucs OLB YaYa Diaby – Photo by: USA Today
When it came to the defensive side, Bowles hasn’t pulled the plug as quickly, although the Bucs did part ways assistant defensive line coach Lori Locust in 2022, plus outside linebackers coach Bob Sanders retired.
For the 2023 season, George Edwards was brought on as outside linebackers coach, and that brought mixed results. While Yaya Diaby had an exciting year with 7.5 sacks, Joe Tryon-Shoyinka was benched for his inefficient play and Shaq Barrett regressed.
We’ll see what’s to come next for the Bucs. Things are definitely going to look different from coaching perspective next season.
