Report: Tampa Bay Buccaneers finalizing contract with Lovie Smith to be next head coach
By Hayden Kane
Bringing to a close a rumor that has been in the works for a while now, Jay Glazer of Fox Sports reports that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will finalize a contract with Lovie Smith tonight to be their next head coach:
The Bucs are hiring Lovie Smith to be their new head coach, two sides are finalizing the contract tonight
— Jay Glazer (@JayGlazer) January 2, 2014
Glazer followed up the report with a not-so-subtle shot at previous head coach Greg Schiano.
Perfect hire for Bucs after what they just went through, Lovie is a grown up, no drama guy who will bring old Bucs tradition back.
— Jay Glazer (@JayGlazer) January 2, 2014
The Buccaneers are stacked on the defensive side of the ball, especially up front, something that should set Smith up for an immediate impact in his new gig. Smith was out of the NFL in 2013 after being let go by the Chicago Bears.
We heard earlier today that Smith will likely bring former Vikings coach Leslie Frazier as his defensive coordinator and Jeff Tedford as his offensive coordinator. It will be a new regime and presumably a whole new tone in Tampa Bay in 2014.