Add an in-house candidate to the growing list of coaches who have interviewed for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' open offensive coordinator position: current Bucs' Quarterbacks Coach Thad Lewis. Lewis became the sixth confirmed interviewee on Wednesday, and the first from Todd Bowles' own staff.
The Buccaneers had previously interviewed four candidates from other teams, beginning with a virtual meeting with Detroit Lions Wide Receivers Coach Antwaan Randle El last Friday. This week, the team has had in-person meetings with former Cleveland Browns Offensive Coordinator Alex Van Pelt, current Houston Texans Quarterbacks Coach Jerrod Johnson and former Philadelphia Eagles Offensive Coordinator Brian Johnson.
Lewis, who has also had interview requests from multiple other teams, just finished his first season as the Bucs' quarterbacks coach. He began his NFL coaching career in Tampa in 2020 as part of the Bill Walsh coaching fellow program, serving as an offensive assistant for a team that would go on to win Super Bowl LV. He was hired the following season as an assistant wide receivers coach, a post he filled for two seasons while working with the likes of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin.
In 2023, Lewis worked closely with quarterback Baker Mayfield, who earned a Pro Bowl invitation in his first year as Tampa Bay's starter. After a muddled 2022 season in which he was first traded from Cleveland to Carolina and later waived and claimed by the Rams, Mayfield regained the form that made him the first overall pick in the 2018 draft. With Lewis's help, Mayfield recorded career highs in passing yards (4,044) and touchdown passes (28) while throwing only 10 interceptions.
Prior to joining the coaching ranks as an offensive analyst with Chip Kelly's UCLA squad in 2018-19, Lewis spent parts of eight seasons (2010-17) as a quarterback in the NFL, seeing time with the Rams, Browns, Lions, Bills, Texans, Eagles, 49ers and Ravens. He made six career starts, one with Cleveland in 2012 and five with Buffalo in 2013.
The Buccaneers are seeking to replace Dave Canales, who spent one season as the team's offensive coordinator before being hired as the Carolina Panthers' new head coach last week.
