Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tim Atkins begins his eighth season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2026, and his first as safeties coach.

Tim Atkins begins his eighth season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2026 and his first as safeties 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).

In a season in which 10 different players started a game in Tampa Bay's secondary in 2024, Atkins helped steady a unit that limited its opponents to the second-fewest points per game (17.0), second-fewest yards per game (273.9), third-fewest yards per pass attempt (5.9) and the sixth-lowest opponent passer rating (87.2) in the NFL from Weeks 12-18 following the team's Bye Week. In addition, Buccaneers defensive backs combined to tie for the fourth-most forced fumbles (six) and fourth-most fumble recoveries (four) in the NFL in 2024.

In 2023, Atkins was a member of a secondary staff that oversaw a first-team All-Pro season from safety Antoine Winfield Jr., in which he amassed 122 tackles (six for loss), 12 passes defensed, eight quarterback hits, 6.0 sacks, six forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and three interceptions. Tampa Bay's defense finished the year ranked seventh in scoring defense (19.1), while allowing the sixth-fewest opponent touchdowns (34).

During Atkins' first season as the assistant secondary coach for the Buccaneers in 2022, Tampa Bay finished sixth in the NFL in fewest passing yards allowed per attempt (6.65) and 10th in fewest total passing yards allowed (3,461). The 2022 opponent total marked the fewest passing yards allowed by the Buccaneers since the 2010 season when they allowed 3,216 yards. In addition, the Buccaneers defense combined for a total of 58 passes defensed, 10 interceptions, and held opponent quarterbacks to a 63.9 completion percentage. Antoine Winfield Jr. tied for second in the NFL among safeties in both sacks (4.0) and tackles for loss (seven).

In Atkins' final season in charge of quality control efforts for the Buccaneers in 2021, Tampa Bay finished third in the NFL in fewest rushing yards allowed per game (92.5), seventh in fewest yards per play allowed (5.16), fifth in goal-to-go efficiency (62.1 percent) and 10th in red zone efficiency (52.5 percent). In addition, the Buccaneers led the NFL in quarterback hits (123), ranked tied for fifth in takeaways (29), seventh in sacks (47.0), eighth in tackles for loss (81) and tied for eighth in forced fumbles (16).

During Tampa Bay's 2020 title season, Atkins contributed to a defense that led the league in rush defense (80.6 rush yards allowed per game) for the second-consecutive season, while also ranking sixth in total yards allowed per game (327.1) and eighth in points allowed per game (22.2). Additionally, the Buccaneers defense allowed the fifth-fewest first downs (19.9) and tallied the seventh-most sacks per pass attempt (7.78%).

In his first year in Tampa Bay, Atkins led quality control efforts for a defense that finished first against the run and fifth in takeaways. In addition, Tampa Bay's defense made a noticeable second-half turnaround as it lowered its yards per game allowed average from 371.6 yards per game through the first eight games to 316.3 over the final eight games, which ranked eighth in the NFL from Weeks 9-17.

Atkins followed Buccaneers Head Coach Todd Bowles to Tampa Bay, who he worked under for three seasons (2016-18) as defensive quality control coach for the New York Jets. Prior to his time with the Jets, Atkins charted games for the Cleveland Browns for two seasons (2014-15) and served as a Buffalo Bills defensive assistant from 2011-12. That followed a one-season stint with the UFL's Florida Tuskers (2010). Atkins broke into the NFL as a defensive assistant for the Miami Dolphins from 2006-08 before becoming a defensive graduate assistant at Florida Atlantic University (2008-09). He also coached on the collegiate level for Whittier College as wide receivers coach (2005) and safeties coach (2004).