Rob McCartney enters his 13th season with the Buccaneers and second as director of player personnel. In addition to overseeing the pro scouting department, McCartney advises General Manager Jason Licht throughout the draft process and in free agency. Before his promotion in 2022, McCartney served as the team's director of pro scouting.
As director of pro scouting, McCartney oversaw the Buccaneers pro personnel staff and advance reports, along with the evaluation of opponents, pro leagues, free agents, and trade prospects. Prior to becoming the director of pro scouting – a role that he held since 2015 – McCartney was the Buccaneers pro scouting coordinator, a title he held for one season.
This offseason, McCartney contributed to a series of value signings as Tampa Bay navigated challenging salary cap restraints. He assisted in the team's acquisitions of free agent quarterback Baker Mayfield, defensive lineman Greg Gaines, safety Ryan Neal, guard Matt Feiler, running back Chase Edmonds and kicker Chase McLaughlin.
In the 2022 offseason, McCartney played a key role in acquiring several free agents, including wide receivers Russell Gage and Julio Jones, defensive lineman Akiem Hicks, and tight end Kyle Rudolph. McCartney also evaluated guard Shaq Mason, who the Buccaneers acquired via trade from the New England Patriots.
In 2021, McCartney was named to the Tampa Bay Business Journal's 40 under 40 list, celebrating individuals under the age of 40 who have achieved notable success, demonstrated exceptional leadership, and made significant contributions in their respective fields.
During the 2020 offseason, McCartney was involved in bringing in quarterback Tom Brady and tight end Rob Gronkowski. Other veteran players to join the Buccaneers during the 2020 season were running back Leonard Fournette and kicker Ryan Succop. Despite a global pandemic, Tom Brady would lead the team to an 11-5 record and a Super Bowl victory. Brown, Fournette and Gronkowski would each go on to score touchdowns in Super Bowl LV, while Succop set a regular season franchise record for the most points in a single season (136).
During the 2019 offseason, he scouted outside linebacker Shaquil Barrett and defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh. Barrett went on to have a Pro Bowl year, setting the franchise sack record with an NFL-best 19.5, while Suh started all 16 games for Tampa Bay, helping the team register the No. 1 rush defense in the NFL. The pair continued their success into the 2020 season, starting all 20 games, including four playoff games. Barrett and Suh helped the Buccaneers finish as the No. 1 rush defense for the second consecutive season.
In 2018, McCartney contributed to the signing of free agent center Ryan Jensen and the acquisition of outside linebacker Jason Pierre-Paul from the New York Giants. Jensen has gone on to start 65 games since joining the Buccaneers and was an integral part of the club's Super Bowl LV Championship team. He earned his first career Pro Bowl nod in 2021. In three seasons with the Buccaneers, Pierre-Paul averaged 0.73 sacks per game – eighth-most in the NFL during that stretch. Pierre-Paul earned a Pro Bowl berth in 2020 after posting a team-high 9.5 sacks and a career-best four forced fumbles.
McCartney spent the 2014 season as a national scout, following two seasons as a pro scout, a title he earned after being elevated from a pro personnel assistant.
While working as a national scout, McCartney was responsible for scouting top college prospects east of the Mississippi River. As a pro scout, McCartney assisted Tampa Bay's pro personnel department, including organizing player workouts.
McCartney came to Tampa Bay after working as a player personnel intern for the Pittsburgh Steelers organization from 2009-10 and as a summer intern in the player personnel department from 2006-08.
McCartney graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2009 with a Bachelor of Science degree in sport and entertainment management. Rob and his wife Kristi reside in Tampa, along with their daughters, Madison and Charlotte.
