The Tampa Bay Buccaneers expected to lose defensive coordinator Mike Smith to a head coaching position this offseason. Instead, they signed him to a contract extension, and the veteran coach promised to stay with the Bucs for at least the next couple of years.
Here’s what Mike Smith was quoted as saying in the team’s official announcement of the contract extension.
While I did have a chance to speak with a few organizations about head coaching opportunities earlier this offseason, it became very clear to me that I am in an ideal situation here with the Buccaneers. For the next couple years, I am fully committed and focused on my role with Dirk and the organization and will not be pursuing head coaching opportunities during this time.
Of course, that promise may not be worth all that much if some team shows up next January with a $10 million per year offer or something similar, things might change rapidly. This is the NFL, after all.
It’s an interesting development, though. You rarely see coordinators or assistant coaches promising not to pursue a head coaching position. It’s not clear how much the Bucs paid Smith to stick around, but it’s likely to be way up there. Like when they paid Monte Kiffin more than some head coaches received, to stick around forever. That worked out pretty well.