The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have leaned heavily on their offense over the last few years, and that identity will now carry on under new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson. It’s still too early to know how that move will pan out, but quarterback Baker Mayfield, who has worked with Robinson during his stint with the Los Angeles Rams, offered an honest assessment of him based on his own experience. 

“…Having worked with him [Robinson] before, understanding his process, how much he puts into it, and just honestly his football knowledge,” Mayfield said via reporter Rob Maaddi. “…I trust him, and I know how hard he works. I know how much he can grasp the offense and teach everybody, and so, for me, it’s really important to have a guy like that. He just demands excellence out of you.”

Last month, the Buccaneers brought Zac Robinson in to run the offense as offensive coordinator under head coach Todd Bowles. He had served in the same position for the past two seasons with the Atlanta Falcons.

Baker’s association with him dates back to 2022, when they were with the Rams. That year, Robinson served as a pass-game coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

Where Does Falcons Still Lack Elite Talent?

Let Tony do the scouting, you just make the pick.

Pick your positions. Get Tony’s top 5:

C

CB

DE

DT

FB

G

ILB

OLB

P

PK

QB

RB

S

T

TE

WR

View Tony’s Picks

Though the partnership lasted only one year, it left a powerful impression on the Bay’s signal caller. While talking about the new OC, Mayfield acknowledged that familiarity doesn’t always guarantee success. But his confidence stems from how quickly Robinson helped him ‌learn the offense.

He joined the team mid-season, but the coach still shaped him in a limited window. Now, Tampa Bay hopes that the mix of teaching and play-calling experience translates quickly.

The team didn’t do well offensively in the 2025 season. After a 6-2 start, they couldn’t win two games in a row. Many key offensive players went down with injuries, including Tristan Wirfs (knee), Luke Goedeke (plantar fascia), and Cody Mauch (knee). In his first eight games, Mayfield delivered a clean performance with thirteen touchdowns and just two interceptions. 

He hauled in the same number of touchdowns in the remaining nine games. However, he ended up adding nine more interceptions to his stat sheet. Speaking on the Up and Adams podcast, Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians said the injuries affected Mayfield. For the record, the player suffered multiple issues, including a shoulder and knee sprain and an oblique strain.

Arians also noted that the team repeatedly blew second-half leads during the last stretch of the campaign. Had they not made mistakes, they would have won the divisional title. Now, with Robinson running the offense, Tampa is ready to align with his vision amid other changes.

Baker Mayfield’s OC shares his vision for Tampa Bay’s offense

Zac Robinson may be new to Tampa Bay, but he’s been keeping tabs on the team’s offense. While leading the Falcons over the past two seasons, he closely studied Tampa’s roster. That preparation helped him to form ideas about how to utilize Baker Mayfield, the offensive line, and young talents such as running back Bucky Irving and wide receiver Emeka Egbuka.

Robinson thinks the O-line is built the “right way,” and that the group is the best in the league when at its peak. Moreover, he will focus on inside zone schemes while keeping Tristan Wirfs, Luke Goedeke, and Graham Barton in prominent roles. Meanwhile, Robinson has more stability at the quarterback position with Mayfield. 

It’s contrasting to his time in Atlanta, where he rotated between Kirk Cousins and Michael Penix Jr. Praising his ability to throw accurately during the run game, the OC believes Mayfield will be suitable for movement-based concepts. 

“He’s great in the keeper game, great in the bootleg game,” he said. “I’m looking to evolve that part and make sure that we’re playing to Baker’s strengths and the rest of the guys’ strengths. That’s a huge part. The third-down conversions—those are tough downs—and when you have a quarterback that can obviously extend those plays and pick up first downs with his legs, that’s huge.”

Robinson doesn’t want to take away the quarterback’s edge, but he does want smarter decisions in open space. He wants to let Mayfield play freely while knowing when to slide, get down, and protect himself. If Robinson’s vision clicks, Tampa’s offense could finally find the answer it has been looking for since the second half of the 2025 campaign.