Joey Fitzgerald enters his third season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2024 as defensive quality control coach.
In 2023, the Buccaneers defense finished fifth in the NFL in rush defense (95.3), seventh in scoring defense (19.1) and tied for seventh in sacks (48.0). Fitzgerald assisted Defensive Line Coach Kacy Rodgers in overseeing the development of rookie defensive lineman Calijah Kancey, who finished the season with 26 tackles (10 for loss), 12 quarterback hits and 4.0 sacks. Kancey's 10 tackles for loss tied for second among all rookies, trailing only teammate Yaya Diaby.
In Fitzgerald's first season in 2022, Tampa Bay finished tied for fifth in fewest opponent first downs per game (18.5), sixth in lowest third-down conversion rate (36.9%), tied for seventh in sacks (45.0), ninth in fewest passing yards allowed per game (203.6), tied for ninth in fewest total yards allowed per game (324.3) and 10th in fewest yards allowed per play (5.14).
Most recently, Fitzgerald worked as the quarterbacks coach at Northwestern State (2021) following a two- year stint as wide receivers coach at the University of Louisiana Monroe (2019-20). The Fort Lauderdale native previously served as recruiting specialist at the University of Florida in 2018 – a program that went 10-3 on its way to a Peach Bowl victory that season.
He has also previously held offensive roles at Southeastern Louisiana (2017), University of Virginia's College at Wise (2016) and Eastern Kentucky (2015).
While in graduate school, Fitzgerald began his coaching career as a defensive intern and graduate assistant at Florida Atlantic from 2009-12, working with the defensive backs and linebackers, prior to spending two years at Mississippi State (2013-14) as a graduate assistant and offensive quality control coach. Fitzgerald played quarterback at Hampden-Sydney College from 2005-08, during which his team claimed the 2007 Old Dominion Athletic Conference Championship.
A native of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Fitzgerald graduated from Hampden-Sydney College with a bachelor's degree in psychology. He later earned a master's degree in education from Florida Atlantic in 2012 and a master's degree in teaching from Mississippi State in 2014. He and his wife, Lori, have two sons, Jaxon and Brady, and one daughter, Riley.
