The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are officially dipping their toes into the deep end of the offensive pool.

Tampa Bay completed an in-person interview Friday with former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel for their vacant offensive coordinator position, a move that signals the organization is aiming high — and thinking creatively — after a quick breakup with Josh Grizzard following just one season.

The meeting took place at the Bucs’ training facility, which feels appropriate given McDaniel’s reputation as a football savant who prefers whiteboards, sharpies, and detailed explanations over generic coach-speak. If you’re looking for someone who can diagram a run concept and explain why it emotionally matters, McDaniel might be your guy.

McDaniel served as Miami’s head coach from 2022–25, calling plays throughout his tenure and overseeing one of the league’s more consistently explosive offenses. Across those four seasons, the Dolphins ranked eighth in the NFL in total offense (348.0 yards per game) and passing yards (232.8), while also finishing sixth in yards per carry (4.54). That balance matters — especially for a Tampa Bay team still figuring out its offensive identity week to week.

Before Miami, McDaniel was part of Kyle Shanahan’s staff with the San Francisco 49ers, where he helped shape the modern Shanahan offense — heavy on motion, spacing, and putting defenders in constant conflict. You know, the kind of stuff that makes defensive coordinators age faster.

The interest in McDaniel isn’t limited to Tampa. He’s already interviewed for head coaching vacancies with Atlanta, Cleveland, Tennessee, and Baltimore, and even drew interest from Detroit for its offensive coordinator opening. In short: the league still believes in the brain, even if the head-coaching results in Miami didn’t lead to sustained postseason success.

Tampa Bay is clearly casting a wide net. McDaniel becomes the seventh known candidate the Bucs have interviewed, joining names like Todd Monken, Mike Kafka, Brian Callahan, David Shaw, Israel Woolfork, and Zac Robinson.

What stands out is the variety. This isn’t a box-checking search — it’s an exploration. The Buccaneers appear to be weighing experience versus innovation, play-calling chops versus leadership presence, and how each candidate might maximize the roster they already have.

McDaniel would bring instant credibility and a clear offensive vision. Whether Tampa wants a former head coach running the offense — or prefers a rising assistant still climbing — remains the big question.

One thing’s clear: the Buccaneers aren’t looking for “fine.” They’re looking for different.