Special teams was a major weak point for the Buccaneers last season, prompting the organization to part ways with special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey after the campaign.
The organization moved quickly to find a replacement, and they’ve landed one of the most experienced minds in the coaching business. According to Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network, Tampa Bay is bringing aboard longtime Steelers special teams coordinator Danny Smith to fill the same role for the Buccaneers.
Following Mike Tomlin’s departure from the Steelers, Pittsburgh’s assistants were all informed that their roles were not guaranteed with the team. While Smith wasn’t let go by the organization, he did take an interview with the Bucs, and it seems that the two sides hit it off well enough to proceed with the hire.
Smith, 72, had been with the Steelers since 2013, and was one of the longest tenured and most respected members of Tomlin’s coaching staff. He’s been coaching for over five decades and has been in the NFL since 1995, spending time with the Eagles, Lions, Bills, Steelers and Washington.
Now, he’ll bring his experience and wisdom to the Buccaneers, where he’ll be tasked with turning around one of the NFL’s worst special teams units.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Buccaneers Add Longtime Mike Tomlin Assistant to Todd Bowles's Coaching Staff.
