The Tampa Bay Buccaneers shockingly fired head coach Lovie Smith Wednesday night, and offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter is reportedly the leading candidate for the head coaching position, according to NFL reporter Ian Rapoport.
The Buccaneers had clearly improved under their second-year head coach and finished the season with a 6-10 record with rookie quarterback Jameis Winston. Many felt the Buccaneers were too impatient with Smith and should have given him a better chance in turning the franchise around. Reports have surfaced that the Buccaneers chose to fire Smith because the Miami Dolphins were reportedly interested in Koetter for their head coach position, and they did not want to lose him, according to Buccaneers reporter Rick Stroud.
The Dolphins aren't the only team interested in Koetter, as the San Francisco 49ers have reportedly requested permission to interview him on Tuesday but have not heard an answer, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. The Buccaneers were fifth in the league in terms of yards per game, and many believe that Koetter is a huge reason why this offense had such a boost during the 2015 regular season.
It's unclear where Koetter will end up in 2015, but it seems like the Buccaneers chose to get rid of Smith in hopes of replacing him with Koetter. The Buccaneers first-year offensive coordinator is clearly becoming a hot commodity around the league, and it will be interesting to see if Tampa Bay is able to lock him up.
