The Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced today that Mike Smith has been replaced as the team’s defensive coordinator. Mark Duffner, who had previously served as the team’s linebackers coach, has been elevated to defensive coordinator.
“I have the utmost respect for Mike Smith as a man and as a football coach,” said Buccaneers Head Coach Dirk Koetter. “These decisions are always difficult, but our top priority here is to ensure that we do everything possible to help this team succeed. As I have said in the past, the issues we have had as a team are never one person’s fault. During good times, as well as the bad, it is a collective effort between the coaches and the players. We all understand that this is a result-based profession and our results to this point have not met our standards. I want to thank Mike for all the hard work and passion he has displayed here on a daily basis and I wish him well moving forward.”
Thanks to Buccaneers Communications for the quotes. To hear everything that was said at One Buc Place, click below.