The Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced today that the team has hired T.J. Yates as pass game coordinator, Ken Zampese as senior offensive assistant/pass game specialist, Chandler Whitmer as quarterbacks coach and Andrew Mitchell as assistant offensive line coach.
The club has also promoted Tim Atkins to safeties coach, Rashad Johnson to cornerbacks coach and Chad Wade to head strength and conditioning coach. In addition, the Buccaneers hired Marcus West as defensive line coach, Todd Bowles Jr. as defensive assistant and Luke Smith as assistant special teams coach.
Kefense Hynson, Brian Picucci, Anthony Piroli, Jordan Somerville and Keith Tandy are no longer with the organization.
Yates joins Tampa Bay after spending the past five seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, most recently as passing game coordinator in 2025 after serving as quarterbacks coach (2024), wide receivers coach (2022-23) and passing game specialist (2021). He previously worked two seasons with the Houston Texans as assistant quarterbacks coach (2020) and offensive assistant (2019), helping the club capture the AFC South title and advance to the Divisional Round in 2019.
In 2025, Atlanta's offense finished among the NFL's top 10 in interception rate (1.5% – seventh), sack rate (4.8% – fifth), red zone efficiency (62.0% – ninth) and goal-to-go efficiency (88.5% – second), while developing a quarterback in his first full season as a starter and navigating injuries at the position. Yates' work as quarterbacks coach in 2024 resulted in Atlanta's offense ranking sixth in the NFL in yards per game (369.8) and fifth in passing yards per game (239.3). As wide receivers coach in 2022-23, Yates oversaw the development of Drake London, who set a franchise record for the most receptions by a rookie (72) in 2022.
Prior to entering coaching, Yates spent seven seasons in the NFL as a quarterback with the Houston Texans (2011-13, 2015, 2017), Atlanta Falcons (2014), Miami Dolphins (2016) and Buffalo Bills (2017). He was originally selected by Houston in the fifth round (152nd overall) of the 2011 NFL Draft. A Marietta, Georgia, native, Yates played collegiately at the University of North Carolina, where he was a four-year starter.
Zampese brings more than 35 years of coaching experience to Tampa Bay, including over 25 seasons in the NFL. He joins the Buccaneers after spending the 2024-25 seasons with the Atlanta Falcons as senior offensive assistant. During Zampese's time with Atlanta, the Falcons posted top 10 marks offensively in yards per game (351.4 – ninth), yards per play (5.6 – 10th), rushing yards per game (128.1 – eighth), yards per rush (4.5 – ninth), passing yards per game (223.3 – ninth) and net yards per pass attempt (6.9 – ninth).
Prior to his time in Atlanta, Zampese spent four seasons with the now Washington Commanders, serving as quarterbacks coach from 2020-22 before transitioning to senior offensive assistant/game management in 2023. Zampese also served as quarterbacks coach for the Cleveland Browns in 2018, helping guide first-overall pick Baker Mayfield to a standout rookie season in which he set a then NFL rookie record with 27 touchdown passes in just 13 games, while leading all rookies in passing yards (3,725), passing touchdowns, completion percentage (63.7%) and passer rating (93.7).
From 2016-17, Zampese was offensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals, overseeing a unit that averaged 318.7 yards of offense per game. He also previously spent 13 seasons with Cincinnati (2003-15) as quarterbacks coach, working closely with Jon Kitna, Carson Palmer and Andy Dalton. Earlier in his NFL career, he spent time with the St. Louis Rams (2000-02), Green Bay Packers (1999) and Philadelphia Eagles (1998). With St. Louis, he served as wide receivers coach in 2001 before adding passing game coordinator responsibilities in 2002.
Whitmer comes to Tampa Bay fresh off a College Football Playoff National Championship with the undefeated, 16-0, Indiana Hoosiers where he served as the team's quarterbacks coach and co-offensive coordinator. Under Whitmer's guidance, Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza won the program's first-ever Heisman Trophy in 2025, finishing the season as the nation's leader in touchdown passes (41) and passer rating (182.9), in addition to throwing for 3,535 yards and finishing fourth in the country in completion percentage (72.0%) and fourth in yards per pass attempt (9.3).
He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Yale (2018), Ohio State (2019) and Clemson (2020) before entering the professional ranks as an offensive quality control coach for the Los Angeles Chargers (2021-23) and the pass game specialist for the Atlanta Falcons (2024). In addition to working with Mendoza, Whitmer has also helped develop the likes of Justin Herbert, Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields and Michael Penix Jr. He contributed to three College Football Playoff appearances with Indiana, Ohio State and Clemson.
Whitmer played quarterback at Illinois (2010), Butler (Ks.) Community College (2011) and Connecticut (2012-14). He was a named NJCAA All-America honorable mention in 2011 with Butler C.C. before logging 24 starts with the UConn Huskies.
Mitchell brings 13 years of coaching experience to Tampa Bay, most recently serving as the offensive line coach at his alma mater, Oklahoma State, in 2025. Prior to his time in Stillwater, Mitchell spent three seasons in the same role at New Mexico State (2022-24), adding an assistant head coach title in 2024, and one season at TCU as an offensive analyst (2021). From 2019-20, Mitchell was the head coach at Snow College in Ephraim, Utah, following two seasons as offensive coordinator (2017-18) during which his team led all junior colleges in scoring, averaging over 50 points per game. He began his career as a graduate assistant at both Houston (2013) and North Carolina (2014-15) prior to spending one season as assistant offensive line and tight ends coach at TCU.
After starting his collegiate playing career at Snow College (2006-07) – earning All-America honors and a start in the NJCAA national title game – Mitchell transferred to Oklahoma State, becoming a teammate of Buccaneers Offensive Coordinator Zac Robinson (2008-09). He then spent time professionally with the Cincinnati Bengals, Seattle Seahawks and Jacksonville Jaguars.
Atkins assumes the role of safeties coach after spending the past four seasons (2022-25) as the team's assistant secondary coach following three seasons (2019-21) as defensive quality control coach. Working primarily with the safeties over the past four years, Atkins has overseen Pro Bowl (2021, 2025) and All-Pro (2023) campaigns from Antoine Winfield Jr. Under Atkins' guidance, Winfield Jr. is one of just two players since 2022 with 350+ tackles, 25+ passes defensed and 10.0+ sacks. In addition, Atkins aided Tykee Smith to a breakout performance in 2025, in which Smith was the only player in the league to amass 100+ tackles, 10+ passes defensed and at least three takeaways – while leading all safeties in passes defensed (13).
Since 2022, Buccaneers safeties lead the league in sacks (16.5), while ranking second in the NFL in tackles for loss (41), forced fumbles (12) and fumble recoveries (nine). Across his Buccaneers tenure (2019-25), Atkins has contributed to a Tampa Bay defense that ranks in the top 10 in rushing yards per game allowed (94.5 – first), yards per rush allowed (4.0 – first), sacks (318 – third), turnovers forced (169, fifth), point margin (+368 – sixth), third-down conversion rate allowed (38.3% – ninth) and red zone efficiency (55.6% – ninth).
Johnson has spent the previous four seasons with the Buccaneers after originally joining the team as a Bill Walsh Coaching Fellow during the 2022 offseason. He was then hired full-time as a defensive assistant following the conclusion of training camp that year before later being promoted to assistant secondary coach in 2023. Johnson has primarily worked with the cornerbacks over his four seasons in Tampa Bay and took over the lead role with the team's nickel cornerbacks in 2023. During that span, Johnson has played a key role in the development of Christian Izien, Zyon McCollum, Jacob Parrish and Tykee Smith.
In 2025, Parrish, the team's third-round selection, played in all 17 games for the Buccaneers as both a nickel and outside cornerback, becoming just the fourth rookie defensive back since 2010 to record 75+ tackles, multiple interceptions and multiple sacks. In 2024, Johnson contributed to Smith's versatile rookie campaign during which he spent time at both safety and nickel cornerback and was 1-of-4 players across the NFL with three-or-more forced fumbles, five-or-more passes defensed and two-plus interceptions. With mentorship from Johnson, Izien – an undrafted college free agent pickup for Tampa Bay in 2023 – is 1-of-3 undrafted players over the past three seasons with 150+ tackles, three-or-more interceptions and three-or-more forced fumbles.
Prior to entering the coaching ranks, Johnson enjoyed an eight-year playing career in the NFL as a defensive back with the Arizona Cardinals (2009-15) and Tennessee Titans (2016). He played collegiately at Alabama (2004-08), earning consecutive first-team All-SEC honors in his final two seasons and an All-America selection as a senior.
Wade served as the assistant strength & conditioning coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers the previous 12 seasons. He is currently the second-longest tenured Buccaneers coach in franchise history, behind former defensive coordinator and Ring of Honor member Monte Kiffin (1996-2008). Wade was a member of the coaching staff for the Buccaneers Super Bowl LV Championship season in 2020.
He joined the team following 18 years (1996-2013) at the University of Nebraska. During that time, Wade served as the assistant strength coach and strength coach for the men's and women's basketball teams, as well as helped coordinate workouts for the football team.
Wade graduated from Nebraska Wesleyan University with a bachelor's degree in sports management and minor in psychology (1996). He also was a member of the football team for two years (1992-94). Wade earned the designation of Master Strength and Conditioning Coach from the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association in 2013.
West joins the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after four years with the Buffalo Bills, most recently serving as their defensive line coach following two seasons as the assistant defensive line coach. He was promoted to defensive line coach following the 2023 season when the Bills tallied 54 sacks, which were fourth-most in the NFL. He helped the Bills defense finish 2022 ranked first in the AFC with 17.8 points per game allowed and ranked second in the NFL with 286 points allowed.
Prior to his four seasons with the Bills, West spent time at the collegiate level, serving as the assistant head coach/co-defensive coordinator/defensive line coach at Charlotte from 2019-21. In his first season at Charlotte, the defense set school records in sacks (36) and tackles for loss (86) and finished the season with a school-record seven wins. West helped coach All-American defensive end Alex Highsmith, who ranked in the nation's top five with a school record 14.0 sacks and 21.5 tackles for loss. West had previous stints at Wartburg (2008), Chattanooga (2009-15), Austin Peay (2016-17) and Minnesota (2018).
He played collegiately at Memphis (2002-05) and played professionally briefly with the Indianapolis Colts in 2006. He also spent time with the Amsterdam Admirals in NFL Europe and Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League in 2007.
Bowles Jr. joins Tampa Bay after playing football collegiately at Long Island (2024-25) and Rutgers (2022-23). Prior to college, he attended Jesuit High School in Tampa, where he won a regional title as a junior.
Smith previously served with the Pittsburgh Steelers as a quality control coach in 2025. In his one year with the Steelers, he helped Pittsburgh earn a playoff berth by winning the AFC North division. Before that, he spent nine years at Duquesne, serving as a defensive assistant (2016-17) and wide receivers coach (2018-24). During his time with Duquesne, he helped coach the Dukes to three Northeast Conference Championships (2016, 2018, 2023).
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