Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Byron Leftwich begins his fourth season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2022, serving as the team's offensive coordinator.

Byron Leftwich begins his fourth season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2022, serving as the team's offensive coordinator.

In 2021, Leftwich called an offense that led the league in a number of categories including: offensive points per game (29.3), 30-plus point games (10), fewest sacks allowed per pass attempt (3.1), passing yards per game (307.6), passing touchdowns (43), passing first downs (273) and pass completions (492). The Buccaneers also finished second in the NFL in yards per play (6.06), second in first downs per game (23.8), second in third-down conversion percentage (47.1 percent) and second in red-zone efficiency (66.2 percent).

The 2021 Buccaneers offense set franchise records in points scored (511), total yards (6,901), first downs (404), passing first downs, passing yards (5,229) and third-down conversion percentage. In all-time NFL annals, the Tampa Bay offense finished with the third-most passing first downs in league history, the fourth-most passing yards, the fifth-most first downs and the seventh-most total yards.

In addition to the team accolades, Leftwich's 2021 offense featured first-team All-Pro right tackle Tristan Wirfs as well as five players selected to the 2022 Pro Bowl: Wirfs, quarterback Tom Brady, wide receiver Mike Evans, center Ryan Jensen and guard Ali Marpet. Brady led the league in both passing yards (5,316) and passing touchdowns (43) in 2021, setting single-season franchise records in both categories.

In his second season calling the plays in 2020, the Buccaneers ranked third in the NFL in points scored per game (30.8), fourth in passing yards per game (298.5), seventh in total offense (384.1), seventh in red zone efficiency (68.9%), seventh in yards per play (6.0) and 10th in first downs per game (22.9). Tampa Bay reset franchise records with 492 points scored and 59 total touchdowns, which had previously been set during Leftwich's first season as offensive coordinator in 2019. The Buccaneers also tallied a then franchise-best 42 passing touchdowns in 2020, including 40 from quarterback Tom Brady.

Leftwich helped oversee Brady's transition to Tampa Bay, where he led the Buccaneers to a Super Bowl LV victory in his first season with the team. Brady finished his first season in Tampa Bay ranked tied for second in passing touchdowns (40), second in completions (401), third in passing yards (4,633), sixth in passing touchdown percentage (6.6) and seventh in touchdown-to-interception ratio (3.33). He was the only quarterback in 2020 to finish in the top three in both passing yards and passing touchdowns. Brady set an NFL record with his 40 touchdown passes – the most by a player in his first season with a team. Additionally, Brady's 4,633 passing yards stand as the second-most by a player in his first season with a team. The tandem's success carried over into the postseason during which Brady's 10 touchdown passes, 1,061 passing yards and 81 completions all set franchise records for the most by a player in a single postseason.

Tampa Bay continued to set records during its four-game playoff run to a Super Bowl LV victory, setting single-postseason team records for points scored (123), total net yards (1,154), net passing yards (1,024), rushing yards (490), total touchdowns (14), passing touchdowns (10), and rushing touchdowns (four).

In his first year of play-calling duties for the Buccaneers in 2019, Leftwich directed an offense which led the NFL in passing offense (302.8 ypg), and ranked third in total offense (397.9 ypg), while tying for third in the league in scoring at 28.6 points per contest.

As a unit, the team established new franchise records with 458 total points scored and 54 total touchdowns. Tampa Bay totaled 353 first downs on the season, the second-most in team history.

Wide receivers Chris Godwin and Mike Evans were both selected to the Pro Bowl, after becoming the first pair of Buccaneers teammates to each go over 1,100 yards receiving in the same season. Additionally, quarterback Jameis Winston led the league in passing with 5,109 yards and ranked third in the NFL with a franchise-record 33 touchdown passes.

Leftwich played quarterback for 10 seasons in the NFL, spending time with the Jacksonville Jaguars (2003-06), Atlanta Falcons (2007), Pittsburgh Steelers (2008, 2010-12) and Buccaneers (2009). He started 50-of-60 career games, completing 930-of-1,605 passes (57.9 pct.) for 10,532 yards, with 58 touchdowns and 42 interceptions. He earned a Super Bowl ring with the Steelers following the team's victory in Super Bowl XLIII.

In 2016, Leftwich began his coaching career, working as an intern coach with the Arizona Cardinals, before being hired as the team's quarterbacks coach in 2017. The 2017 season saw Arizona become the first team to have three different quarterbacks (Carson Palmer, Blaine Gabbert, Drew Stanton) win multiple starts since 2007. In 2018, Leftwich added the responsibility of offensive coordinator to his duties during the season.

A first-round pick (seventh overall) of the Jaguars in 2003, Leftwich spent four seasons with Jacksonville, including helping the team earn an AFC Wild Card berth in 2005. Leftwich, who played collegiately at Marshall, set Mid-American Conference records for passing yards and total offense during his collegiate career, while twice being named MAC Offensive Player of the Year (2001-02). He finished sixth in voting for the Heisman as a senior in 2002 and was inducted into the Marshall Hall of Fame in 2007.