With Zac Robinson taking over as offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, quarterback Baker Mayfield is preparing for a new chapter in the team’s offense in 2026. This marks Mayfield’s fourth offensive coordinator since joining Tampa Bay.
Robinson and Mayfield previously worked together during Mayfield’s brief period with the Los Angeles Rams in 2022. At that time, after being signed off waivers from Carolina, Mayfield had only two days to learn the playbook before leading a late game-winning drive against the Raiders. Reflecting on that experience, Mayfield said on the Rondé Barber Show: “Getting to know him then and him having to tutor me on the fly on the playbook, it was him, Liam [Coen] and Sean [McVay] but it was more directly with Zac and Liam at that time and getting to know those guys. They tried to make it as easy as possible for me and go from there and we just all stayed in touch from that 2022 cup of coffee for me. Great guys and they care about winning and they try to put their guys in the best position possible, and I think that is what I realized when I got to L.A. of, ‘This is the kind of system and these are the kind of coaches that I want to be around.’ They truly adapt to the personnel and what guys strengths are and go from there.”
After his role with the Rams as quarterbacks coach and pass game coordinator, Robinson became offensive coordinator for Atlanta during the 2024-25 seasons. During this period he developed his approach to play calling—an aspect of coaching he described as requiring both preparation and adaptability.
Mayfield commented on Robinson’s development: “Calling plays is an artform,” noted Mayfield. “You can be as knowledgeable as they come but calling plays is an artform. You have to be able to get into a rhythm, know your guys and on top of that, you can have a gameplan going in and depending on how the game is going, flip to Plan B or Plan C. Being able to do that on the fly and having the learning experience is invaluable. So, he has come a long way but I think he is really comfortable in it. I think when you spend that many years in one system, learning under McVay, but then still having your own experience with the [Falcons], is invaluable. I think what he has been able to do adjusting to two very different quarterbacks as well and what that looks like, I think it is great for him.”
Robinson’s strategy for Tampa Bay includes likely increasing keepers and bootlegs—tactics designed around Mayfield’s mobility—to better exploit defenses through misdirection plays such as jet motions.
Statistical analysis shows how effective bootleg plays have been for Mayfield: In 2020, he was unique among players by attempting at least ten bootleg passes traveling at least 20 air yards according to SIS data. On those throws, he completed eight out of eleven attempts for 324 yards with two touchdowns; specifically rolling right resulted in three completions out of five attempts (137 yards), while rolling left saw five completions out of six (187 yards). These numbers reflect both his improvisational ability when throwing across his body without a stable base—a skill set expected to feature prominently in Tampa Bay’s offense next season.