When new Bucs offensive coordinator Zac Robinson was introduced Tuesday afternoon at One Buc Place, it wasn’t a question of whether Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay would come up. It was just a question of when. 

Robinson comes from the McVay coaching tree, which is one of the NFL’s most impressive. Bengals head coach Zac Taylor, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell and Jaguars head coach Liam Coen are all products of McVay’s system. Raheem Morris (formerly with the Falcons) and Brandon Staley (formerly with the Chargers) are within the McVay tree as well, and that’s only those in the head coaching ranks.

There are plenty of coordinators throughout the league, both currently and in recent years, who are McVay disciples as well.

Zac Robinson, formerly the offensive coordinator with the Falcons and now the Bucs’ coordinator, is among that group. He started his coaching career in 2019 as the Rams’ assistant quarterbacks coach, then became their assistant wide receivers coach in 2020. The 2021 season saw him transition back into the assistant quarterbacks coach role, which coincided with the trade that landed Matthew Stafford in Los Angeles. The Rams went on to win the Super Bowl that year.

Bucs OC Zac Robinson – Photo by: IMAGN Images – Kirby Lee

Between 2022 and 2023, Robinson served as the Rams’ pass game coordinator and quarterbacks coach, and then, after five seasons working under Sean McVay, he branched out and took the offensive coordinator job with the Falcons. Of course, he was serving as the offensive coordinator for head coach Raheem Morris, who as we already established, is a part of the McVay tree given his stint as Los Angeles’ defensive coordinator from 2021-2023.

Now, Robinson is in Tampa, and he’s bringing a whole lot of experience, knowledge and wisdom with him – much of which he learned from his time with McVay.

“It’s been huge. I went to the Rams in 2019 and had never coached before. Sean is an open book with everything,” Robinson said Tuesday. “We meet together a ton as a staff, and you realize quickly how little you know when you go from playing to coaching. I got in there and Sean was nothing but awesome as a leader and all of those things that you guys already know and see.

“But then, in terms of the schematics, and the reasons and the ‘whys’ and the intent of the play, ‘Hey, why are we trying to attack this coverage a certain way? Why are we having to can this versus a specific look?’ All of those things over the five years I spent there – I mean, you’re getting your PhD in football.”

Bucs OC Zac Robinson – Photo by: IMAGN Images – Kirby Lee

Robinson continued.

“We had a ton of great coaches that came through there, [with] obviously guys who have head roles now, or offensive coordinator spots, or defensive coordinator spots. Sean was instrumental to my football career [and] obviously gave me my first start. I’m always indebted to him that way, but the things that you learn off the field, as well, with the leadership [were] huge. And the scheme stuff is next level – your understanding of defenses becomes greater [and greater] the longer you’re there, so all of that stuff was big for myself and the rest of the coaches who have come through there.”

Robinson had a bit of a reunion with McVay – and got the better of him – back in December when the Falcons beat the Rams 27-24 on Monday Night Football. And that was a win that actually cost the Bucs, as it erased their win-and-in scenario against the Panthers in Week 18. Sure enough, they did beat the Panthers, but losing that edge thanks to the Falcons’ win over the Rams meant missing out on the playoffs.

As fate would have it, Robinson will get to match up against McVay and the Rams again in 2026, this time with the Bucs.

Before Zac Robinson, Bucs Had Success With Another McVay Product

Zac Robinson comes to Tampa Bay looking to replicate what another former Sean McVay assistant did with the Buccaneer offense just two years ago. Liam Coen brought a lot of McVay’s teachings to the Bucs, and he had the offense rolling.

Under Coen, the Bucs scored 29.5 points per game, ranking fourth in the NFL. They were third in total offense at 399.5 yards per game, third in passing offense at 250.4 yards per game and fourth in rushing at 149.2 yards per game. Baker Mayfield had a career year with 4,500 passing yards and 41 touchdowns, while Bucky Irving ran for 1,000 yards as a rookie and Mike Evans continued his 1,000-yard season streak, stretching it to 11 straight seasons to tie the NFL record.

Former Bucs OC Liam Coen – Photo by: USA Today

All of that offensive success led Tampa Bay to 10 wins despite the defense being 16th in scoring defense, 18th in total defense and 29th in passing offense. And after the season, Coen parlayed the success he had with the offense into a head coaching job with the Jaguars. In Jacksonville, he just went 13-4 in his first season, becoming the latest McVay disciple to find success as a head coach.

So, can Zac Robinson replicate that kind of success or even come close? It would be fitting if he can, as he and Coen remain very close from their days coaching together under McVay in Los Angeles. They overlapped in 2019 and 2020, as well as 2022.

“I talk to Liam basically every day, except for when we were playing against each other,” Robinson said Tuesday. “We stay in contact about football things, our families are close, so yeah, I talk to Liam basically every day.”

So, does that mean Coen had anything to say to Robinson about the Bucs’ job? And did he try to sell his close friend on the opportunity despite the way things ended last January?

Bucs OC Zac Robinson – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

“I didn’t need to be sold on anything for this job,” Robinson said. “I was excited for this job as soon as it became available. This is a great job for a lot of the reasons I’ve already mentioned. There was no sell, I was hoping I got an opportunity to be here and I’m excited to be here.”

Robinson now has the opportunity, and Bucs fans can only hope he’ll bring some of the same magic Coen brought in 2024.

If he does, maybe it would be cause to send a gift to McVay. He is a former Bucs assistant, so maybe – even subconsciously – he’s happy to help out his old team.