When it comes to the offensive side of the football, getting a stamp of approval from former Bucs Super Bowl-winning head coach and Ring of Honor inductee Bruce Arians says a lot.
Arians worked with the likes of Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck in Indianapolis, Ben Roethlisberger in Pittsburgh, Carson Palmer in Arizona, and Tom Brady in Tampa Bay throughout his coaching career. His experience and track record speaks for itself, as the two-time NFL Coach of the Year had an 80-48-1 record in the regular season leading the Cardinals and Bucs.
Sharing his thoughts on the team hiring new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, who had the same role in Atlanta for the past two seasons, he pointed to Robinson’s own experience calling plays with the Falcons as something that will make his transition to Tampa Bay smoother.
Bucs OC Zac Robinson, pass game coordinator TJ Yates and QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
“I don’t think there is any doubt he’s going to help a lot,” Arians said. “When you have at least three years of experience at the job, it’s so much easier. He knows what he wants to do. He’s failed. He knows how to correct it. He’s got the answers to the test. That gameplan he put on Thursday night against us last year was outstanding. To me, that’s when I would have gone straight to him, too [laughs]. I didn’t get asked about it, but I thought it was a great hire for us. I think Zac’s got a great, great future.”
Arians’ admiration for quarterback Baker Mayfield is obvious, as the two would have been a perfect fit considering the former’s “no-risk-it, no-biscuit” offensive approach and the latter’s fiery personality. With that being said, how the running game can support Mayfield and the rest of the unit is something we went into detail about. Arians noted that if Robinson can help the rushing attack get back to 2024 levels when it ranked in the top 5 in the NFL it will provide balance to the offense and make the play-action passing game even more effective.
Adding running back Kenneth Gainwell to the backfield is a big reason why Arians believes that can happen. Gainwell totaled over 1,000 yards from scrimmage in his lone season with the Steelers last year, rushing for 537 yards and five touchdowns and catching 73 passes for 486 yards and three more scores through the air.
Bucs Kenneth Gainwell – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
“I thought he was the best offensive acquisition of the offseason,” Arians said. “I’ve always had a great admiration for him. We tried to draft him a couple of years back when he came out. The ability to pass block – he’s not the biggest guy in the world but he can pass block, so he doesn’t have to come out of the ballgame…
“Kenny, he brings explosiveness to the offense. So, if Bucky does go down … I was a big Rachaad White fan, don’t get me wrong, I drafted him. I think we got a great replacement for him. Great in the passing game, great in the running game. Adds that spark, so I thought it was a huge acquisition. Getting back to a duo – and then Sean [Tucker]. Sean, he’ll blossom in this offense.”
Add it all together, and Bruce Arians explained all the reasons why he is pumped about what Robinson and his previous play-calling experience can do for the Bucs offense in 2026.
Do his words change how you view the team heading into this season? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.
Watch Legendary Bucs HC Bruce Arians On The Pewter Report Podcast
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