Lionel Vital will remain with Atlanta Falcons, won't become Buccaneers GM

Dec 9, 2012; Tampa FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers helmet is seen during a game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers cleaned house this offseason and are int he final stages of installing a new regime. That all started with the hiring of Lovie Smith, but a general manager still needs to be found and Lionel Vital will not be the guy to change that.

According to Atlanta Falcons beat writer D. Orlando Ledbetter, the Falcons will be hanging onto Vital as their director of player personnel and he won’t be jumping ship to the Buccaneers.

#Falcons dir of player personnel Lionel Vital just to the AJC that he's staying with the team. He'd interviewed for the Tampa Bay GM spot.
— D. Orlando Ledbetter (@DOrlandoAJC) January 20, 2014

Tampa Bay was hot on Vital’s trail, going as far as to interviewing him twice. Now that he’s remaining with the Falcons, the Bucs are going to have to look at the other names on their list when it comes to filling the general manager role.

Lovie Smith is expected to have pretty significant control over the team, but that doesn’t mean he’s getting Bill Belichick type power.

A general manager will be hired in Tampa Bay, it just won’t be Lionel Vital.

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Lionel Vital will remain with Atlanta Falcons, won’t become Buccaneers GM

By Josh Hill | Jan 20, 2014