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Buccaneers Hire Longtime Steelers Coach Danny Smith as Special Teams Coordinator

The veteran coach brings five decades of special teams expertise to a phase Tampa Bay is intent on fixing after a subpar 2025.

Overview

  • Multiple outlets reported Tuesday that Smith accepted Tampa Bay’s job after interviewing for the vacancy late last week.
  • He spent 13 seasons coordinating Pittsburgh’s special teams and is widely regarded as a leading specialist coach.
  • Reports indicate he was selected over candidates such as Craig Aukerman, Anthony Levine Sr., Michael Clay and Jett Modkins.
  • His Steelers units were consistently strong, with Chris Boswell’s development credited to Smith and top-10 return-defense metrics in 2025.
  • The hire follows Mike Tomlin’s resignation, with Smith the first Tomlin assistant to take a new job, as Tampa Bay replaces Thomas McGaughey after coverage struggles that led to deliberate touchbacks late in 2025.