Koetter Hired to Revive Tampa Bay's Offense

Lovie Smith said the Tampa Bay Buccaneers wanted to be thorough in their search for someone to lead their offense, but to find the answer as soon as possible. They managed to do both and hit upon the right man for the job less than two weeks into the new year. On Thursday, the Buccaneers announced they have agreed to terms on the hiring of Dirk Koetter as the team's new offensive coordinator.*

Tampa Bay didn't have to look far to find Koetter; he spent the last three years in the same position for the division-rival Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons, currently in the midst of a search for a new head coach after releasing Mike Smith from his contract on December 29, granted permission for the Buccaneers to interview Koetter for the lateral move.

"I'm very excited to welcome Dirk to our staff," said Buccaneers Head Coach Lovie Smith. "With over three decades of experience at both the college and the NFL level, Dirk has a proven track record as a top offensive coordinator. During his time in Atlanta, he led one of the most productive offenses in the league and I believe he will enjoy similar success here with the exciting young players we have on offense. It became very apparent early in our conversations that we share some of the same philosophies regarding the offensive side of the ball and I look forward to working with Dirk as we begin preparing for the 2015 season."