Tampa Bay Buccaneers

John Spytek enters his second season as Assistant General Manager and ninth with the Buccaneers, having spent 21 total seasons in the NFL. Prior to being promoted to Assistant General Manager, Spytek spent two seasons as the Vice President of Player Personnel.

John Spytek enters his second season as Assistant General Manager and ninth with the Buccaneers, having spent 21 total seasons in the NFL. Prior to being promoted to Assistant General Manager, Spytek spent two seasons as the Vice President of Player Personnel.

As Assistant General Manager, Spytek works closely with Buccaneers General Manager Jason Licht regarding the NFL Draft, key free-agent acquisitions and all other personnel decisions. Spytek oversees the day-to-day operations of the college and pro scouting departments for Tampa Bay. He is responsible for administering free agency preparation and evaluating talent throughout the NFL and other professional football leagues. Since joining the Buccaneers in 2016, Tampa Bay has clinched four playoff appearances, six playoff victories, three NFC South division titles and a Super Bowl championship. The team's six playoff wins since 2016 are tied for the fifth-most in the NFL during that span.

Tampa Bay's 2024 offseason was headlined by the re-signings of a number of successful draft picks and free agents from Spytek's time with the Buccaneers, including quarterback Baker Mayfield and safety Antoine Winfield Jr. Mayfield – a 2023 free agent signing by Tampa Bay – was named to his first Pro Bowl and earned the PFWA Most Improved Player award, leading the Buccaneers to an NFC South division title and a spot in the NFC Divisional Round. Additionally, the team was able to navigate the salary cap to re-sign franchise cornerstones in linebacker Lavonte David and wide receiver Mike Evans. Spytek also assisted in the decision to bring back safety Jordan Whitehead in free agency, who was a starting member of the secondary on Tampa Bay's Super Bowl LV championship team, in addition to adding cornerback Bryce Hall, offensive linemen Ben Bredeson and Sua Opeta and wide receiver Sterling Shepard.

Over the course of the 2023 offseason, Spytek helped maneuver a challenging salary cap situation with a series of value signings and extensions for key free agents. In addition to re-signing outside linebacker Anthony Nelson, Spytek contributed to the re-signing of cornerback Jamel Dean and linebacker Lavonte David, two of the top free agents in the NFL heading into the 2023 offseason. Beyond that, Spytek was integral in the signings of free agent quarterback Baker Mayfield, defensive lineman Greg Gaines, running back Chase Edmonds and kicker Chase McLaughlin. In his first season, McLaughlin was named first-team All-Pro by Pro Football Focus after setting a new single-season franchise record for field goal percentage (93.5%), converting 29-of-31 field goal opportunities in 2023. Spytek was a key contributor in the selections of the team's 2023 draft class, which led the NFL in total snaps by a rookie class (5,560). First-round defensive lineman Calijah Kancey and third-round outside linebacker Yaya Diaby combined for 59 pressures, 22 tackles for loss, 20 quarterback hits and 11.5 sacks.

During the 2022 offseason, he played a role in the trade for guard Shaq Mason, and the signing of free agent wide receiver Russell Gage Jr., Pro Bowl defensive lineman Akiem Hicks, and Pro Bowl safety Keanu Neal. The Buccaneers also re-signed cornerstone pieces on offense and defense following back-to-back playoff appearances, including cornerback Carlton Davis III, wide receiver Chris Godwin, and center Ryan Jensen.

In 2021, the Buccaneers tied a franchise record with nine total Pro Bowl players selected, including eight either drafted or signed during Spytek's time with Tampa Bay.

Following Super Bowl LV, the Buccaneers brought back all 22 starters, including re-signing free agents Ndamukong Suh, Shaquil Barrett, and Leonard Fournette. Tampa Bay became the first team in the salary cap era to return all 22 starters the season following a Super Bowl victory.

The 2020 offseason saw Spytek assist in acquiring then six-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback Tom Brady and four-time All-Pro tight end Rob Gronkowski. In the 2020 regular season, Brady helped guide the team to an 11-5 record, while setting the franchise single-season touchdown pass record, with 40. Brady also oversaw an offense that established franchise records for points scored (492) and total touchdowns (59). Gronkowski ranked 10th in receiving yards among tight ends (623) and tied for sixth in receiving touchdowns by a tight end, with seven.

In the 2020 NFL Draft, Spytek was part of the front office that drafted Tristan Wirfs and Antoine Winfield Jr., both of whom started all 16 games and earned PFWA All-Rookie Team honors. Wirfs and Winfield Jr. each received their first Pro Bowl selections following the 2021 season, and Wirfs was also named first-team All-Pro in just his second NFL season. Winfield Jr. later garnered first-team All-Pro honors in 2023.

During the 2019 offseason, the Buccaneers signed defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and outside linebacker Shaquil Barrett, both of whom were key contributors for Tampa Bay over the ensuing three seasons. Suh helped lead a Buccaneers defensive line that was a key factor in Tampa Bay's consecutive seasons (2019- 2020) as the No.1 ranked run defense.

Barrett has earned two Pro Bowl selections in the past four years (2019, 2021), and earned second-team All-Pro honors in 2019 after leading the NFL in sacks, with 19.5 – establishing a new franchise record. Barrett's 40.5 sacks since 2019 are tied for the fourth-most in the NFC and rank fifth in Buccaneers history. Barrett also registered 3.0 sacks in the 2020 NFC Championship game, helping the Buccaneers advance to Super Bowl LV.

The 2019 NFL Draft saw Tampa Bay select linebacker Devin White with the fifth overall pick. In three seasons, White – named a team captain in 2020 and 2021 – has earned second-team All-Pro and multiple NFC Defensive Player of the Month awards, as well as PFWA All-Rookie selection and multiple NFC Rookie of the Month awards. Following his third season, White earned his first Pro Bowl selection.

Spytek worked with Licht in acquiring Jason Pierre-Paul from the New York Giants in 2018. In three seasons with the Buccaneers, Pierre-Paul averaged 0.73 sacks per game – eighth-most in the NFL during that stretch. Pierre-Paul earned a Pro Bowl berth in 2020 after posting a team-high 9.5 sacks and a career-best four forced fumbles.

Prior to joining Tampa Bay, Spytek spent three seasons with the Denver Broncos, where he worked as Southwest area scout in 2013, before being elevated to national scout, a position he held for two years (2014-15). The Broncos' 37 regular season and 42 overall wins were the most in the NFL over that three- year span, culminating in a Super Bowl 50 victory on February 7, 2016.

Before joining the Broncos, Spytek spent three seasons (2010-12) as the Cleveland Browns' director of college scouting. While with the Browns, Spytek assisted in drafting six players who earned PFW/PFWA All- Rookie Team honors and five players who were selected to a Pro Bowl.

Spytek began his player personnel career working as an intern with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2005, earning a full-time college scouting assistant position in 2006 and spending three years as a college/pro scout from 2007-09. His first job in the NFL was as an operations intern with the Detroit Lions in 2004.

In his career, Spytek has worked with a number of top-level executives and coaches, including John Elway, Andy Reid, Mike Holmgren, Tom Heckert, John Harbaugh & Gary Kubiak.

John and his wife, Kristen co-founded the National CMV Foundation in 2014 to educate families about congenital CMV, a virus that ultimately claimed the life of their 21-month old daughter, Evelyn, in 2014. The couple are also parents to Jack and Thomas.

A native of Pewaukee, Wisconsin, Spytek played linebacker at the University of Michigan from 1999-2002, earning a bachelor's degree in general studies and a master's in sports management.