Pictures from Mike Smith's first season as the Buccaneers' Defensive Coordinator.
When the Buccaneers gathered in the locker room for the final time following the 2016 season, the team's defensive players were unsure of the fate of their leader and defensive coordinator, Mike Smith. A popular name for several head coaching vacancies, Smith was slotted to interview for a handful of positions, and the Bucs knew they could potentially be heading into 2017 with a third defensive play-caller in as many seasons.
On Friday, the Bucs announced that Smith had withdrawn his name from consideration for an outside head coaching position and signed a multi-year agreenement to remain in Tampa Bay. One of the first players to voice his excitement was defensive captain and five-time Pro Bowler, Gerald McCoy. McCoy was one of a handful of players and media to take to Twitter when the news broke.
During his final press conference of the year, McCoy was transparent in his feelings for Smith, not only as a coach, but as a person.
"I love Smitty, man, just as a person," he told reporters. "He's a great man. Smitty's always at Chapel. He's just a great guy. It was a joy to play for him. He has tons upon tons upon tons of knowledge about this game and he just loves this game.
The Buccaneers' final snap counts for the 2016 season, according to Football Outsiders.
G Ali Marpet - 1,204
OT Donovan Smith - 1,179
QB Jameis Winston - 1,123
CB Vernon Hargreaves - 1,113
LB Lavonte David - 1,111
S Bradley McDougald - 1,094
LB Kwon Alexander - 1,091
CB Brent Grimes - 1,040
OL Kevin Pamphile - 1,014
OT Demar Dotson - 989
C Joe Hawley - 983
WR Mike Evans - 951
DT Gerald McCoy - 854
S Chris Conte - 829
TE Cam Brate - 820
WR Adam Humphries - 720
S Keith Tandy - 661
DE Will Gholston - 657
DE Robert Ayers - 617
DE Noah Spence - 595
WR Russell Shepard - 588
TE Brandon Myers - 578
LB Daryl Smith - 548
DT Clinton McDonald - 532
DT Akeem Spence - 479
CB Alterraun Verner - 425
DT DaVonte Lambert - 424
TE Luke Stocker - 403
RB Jacquizz Rodgers - 397
CB Jude Adjei-Barimah - 385
LB Adarius Glanton - 332
RB Doug Martin - 322
WR Vincent Jackson - 313
CB Josh Robinson - 305
RB Peyton Barber - 295
WR Freddie Martino - 278
OT Gosder Cherilus - 278
WR Cecil Shorts - 268
TE Alan Cross - 266
DE Ryan Russell - 246
RB Charles Sims - 238
DB Ryan Smith - 229
LB Cameron Lynch - 223
OL Evan Smith - 214
CB Javien Elliott - 212
DE Howard Jones - 194
OL Caleb Benenoch - 156
K Roberto Aguayo - 144
P Bryan Anger - 137
LS Andrew DePaola - 133
RB Mike James - 110
DT Channing Ward - 90
C Ben Gottschalk - 90
LB Josh Keyes - 88
DT Sealver Siliga - 71
RB Antone Smith - 71
DT John Hughes - 66
TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins - 52
WR Josh Huff - 50
CB Johnthan Banks - 44
S Major Wright - 32
OT Leonard Wester - 28
QB Mike Glennon - 15
FB Austin Johnson - 8
RB Russell Hansbrough - 3
DE Jacquies Smith - 2
WR Donteea Dye - 2
"He's one of those coaches who, when things don't go right, he doesn't point fingers. If I didn't make a play, Brent Grimes didn't make a play, Lavonte David didn't make a play and it's blatant that we should have made that particular play, he blames himself. A coach like that, you always want to go out and give your all for. We all love him. Everybody loves him. Nobody has a bad thing to say about him."
McCoy also knows the benefit of remaining in the same system for another year.
"Consistency is always something that will help you improve, keeping the same [pieces]," McCoy said. "Whether it's scheme or players or coaches, keeping them around is how you build. When things go in and out, that's when it's tough."
McCoy won't have to worry about that anymore.
