#Bucs QBs coach Thad Lewis is interviewing today for Tampa Bay’s OC job, source said. The top in-house candidate. He’s also had OC requests from Buffalo, Las Vegas, Tennessee and Cincy.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 31, 2024
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have done well to look outward during their offensive coordinator search, and now, they’re looking inward.
The NFL’s Ian Rapoport announced Wednesday that the team is set to interview quarterbacks coach Thad Lewis for their offensive coordinator job. Lewis has been a hot candidate in the cycle across the league, being asked to interview for the Las Vegas Raiders, the Cincinnati Bengals, the Tennessee Titans and the Buffalo Bills.
Lewis was Baker Mayfield’s quarterbacks coach in 2023 and oversaw one of the best years the signal-caller has had, with Mayfield throwing for 28 touchdowns and 4,044 yards while completing over 64% of his passes. He has not called plays, like former Bucs OC Dave Canales hadn’t before doing so last year, but he’s been a coach for far less time — while Canales had coached in the NFL for 13 years prior to calling plays for Tampa Bay, Lewis has only been an NFL coach since 2021.
Additionally, the team is set to interview another in-house candidate. The Bucs are also interviewing tight ends coach John Van Dam, who as it stands right now is the longest-tenured coach at one position on staff since taking on the role in 2022.
The Buccaneers will interview tight ends coach John Van Dam for their vacant offensive coordinator position later this week, source says. An internal candidate, Van Dam has been with the Bucs since 2020 and has been crucial in Cade Otton's development.
— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) January 31, 2024
Under Van Dam, Tampa Bay’s tight ends caught 55 passes for 515 yards and five touchdowns.
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