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The coaching staff on NFL teams needs to be filled with talented coaches from top to bottom.
Sure, the head coach usually gets most of the credit, or most of the blame, for how his team performs. However, the coordinators and positional coaches have a tremendous impact on the team and often forge closer and more personal relationships with the players than the head coach.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a few new faces on the coaching staff this year. Head coach Todd Bowles is already on the hot seat to begin the season, and he will need the staff he has assembled to get the most out of each player this year if he wants his future to remain in Tampa.
Zac Robinson is Bowles' new offensive coordinator, and he has already been named the Bucs' "most intriguing newcomer" for 2026.
However, one of the offensive coaches under Robinson will be looking to make a name for himself this season.
That would be new Bucs' quarterbacks coach Chandler Whitmer, who came to Tampa this year after helping top overall pick Fernando Mendoza and the Indiana Hoosiers win their first-ever National Championship.
Jordan Rodrigue, a senior writer for The Athletic, picked one assistant Coach from all 32 NFL teams whom she expects to have a breakout season in 2026. Whitmer was her choice for the Bucs.
Even though Whitmer coached at the collegiate level last season, he does have NFL coaching experience, as Rodrigue notes. She believes that Tampa's new duo of offensive coaches, Robinson and Whitmer, will generate a lot of buzz around the league.
"While plenty of league curiosity surrounds new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, Whitmer will probably also draw a lot of his own after spending the last season as the co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach of College Football Playoff champion Indiana … and No. 1 overall draft pick Fernando Mendoza. Whitmer, now paired with Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield, has also previously worked with Kirk Cousins (in Atlanta, as pass game specialist under Robinson) and Justin Herbert (with the Los Angeles Chargers, as offensive quality control)."
Whitmer's time in the NFL gave him a chance to work with an established veteran like Cousins and a young star like Herbert. He will be able to use those experiences to help Bucs' QB Baker Mayfield maximize his talent. Mayfield has a lot on the line in 2026 and now has a new position coach to learn from.
While Robinson and Whitmer are both new to Tampa, they have worked together in the past with the Atlanta Falcons. That familiarity should help each other's transition to their new team.
As Mayfield's future in Tampa is at a crossroads, how he performs under Whitmer will have a huge impact on the amount of money he receives in his next contract, whether from Tampa or any other team.
Whitmer is only 34 years old, so the former UConn Huskies' starting QB has his whole coaching career in front of him. The combination of Whitmer and Mayfield has the potential to greatly improve an offense that was ravaged by injury last season.
Rodrigue is expecting Whitmer's coaching career to take off in 2026. He has landed in a great spot for that to happen.
Whitmer may not be a household name yet, but that could change with the Bucs and Mayfield having a great 2026 season.
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Sure, the head coach usually gets most of the credit, or most of the blame, for how his team performs. However, the coordinators and positional coaches have a tremendous impact on the team and often forge closer and more personal relationships with the players than the head coach.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a few new faces on the coaching staff this year. Head coach Todd Bowles is already on the hot seat to begin the season, and he will need the staff he has assembled to get the most out of each player this year if he wants his future to remain in Tampa.
Zac Robinson is Bowles' new offensive coordinator, and he has already been named the Bucs' "most intriguing newcomer" for 2026.
However, one of the offensive coaches under Robinson will be looking to make a name for himself this season.
That would be new Bucs' quarterbacks coach Chandler Whitmer, who came to Tampa this year after helping top overall pick Fernando Mendoza and the Indiana Hoosiers win their first-ever National Championship.
Jordan Rodrigue, a senior writer for The Athletic, picked one assistant Coach from all 32 NFL teams whom she expects to have a breakout season in 2026. Whitmer was her choice for the Bucs.
Whitmer Has NFL Coaching Experience
Even though Whitmer coached at the collegiate level last season, he does have NFL coaching experience, as Rodrigue notes. She believes that Tampa's new duo of offensive coaches, Robinson and Whitmer, will generate a lot of buzz around the league.
"While plenty of league curiosity surrounds new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, Whitmer will probably also draw a lot of his own after spending the last season as the co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach of College Football Playoff champion Indiana … and No. 1 overall draft pick Fernando Mendoza. Whitmer, now paired with Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield, has also previously worked with Kirk Cousins (in Atlanta, as pass game specialist under Robinson) and Justin Herbert (with the Los Angeles Chargers, as offensive quality control)."
Whitmer's time in the NFL gave him a chance to work with an established veteran like Cousins and a young star like Herbert. He will be able to use those experiences to help Bucs' QB Baker Mayfield maximize his talent. Mayfield has a lot on the line in 2026 and now has a new position coach to learn from.
While Robinson and Whitmer are both new to Tampa, they have worked together in the past with the Atlanta Falcons. That familiarity should help each other's transition to their new team.
Final Thoughts
As Mayfield's future in Tampa is at a crossroads, how he performs under Whitmer will have a huge impact on the amount of money he receives in his next contract, whether from Tampa or any other team.
Whitmer is only 34 years old, so the former UConn Huskies' starting QB has his whole coaching career in front of him. The combination of Whitmer and Mayfield has the potential to greatly improve an offense that was ravaged by injury last season.
Rodrigue is expecting Whitmer's coaching career to take off in 2026. He has landed in a great spot for that to happen.
Whitmer may not be a household name yet, but that could change with the Bucs and Mayfield having a great 2026 season.
Join our ROUNDTABLE community! It's free to join. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members. Download the free Roundtable APP, and stay even more connected!
Continue reading...
