Poll: What could Buccaneers do with $30 million?

$30 million. That's how far the Bucs are under the salary cap — the widest margin of any team in the NFL. Would spending more have made them better this year? Well, have you seen them play? John Romano asks.

What is the team's biggest problem?

Lack of financial commitment from ownership
Inexperienced/ineffective coaching
They got old; they're rebuilding
Other (Share your comments below)

Gruden blogging from USO tour of Iraq

Former Bucs coach Jon Gruden, making a smooth transition into a new job as a commentator for "Monday Night Football" this fall, is blogging on ESPN.com about his experiences this week as part of the NFL-USO Coaches Tour to visit U.S. military personnel in Iraq.

Gruden, on tour with fellow NFL coaches Tom Coughlin, Bill Cowher, Jeff Fisher and John Harbaugh, has picked up on everything -- the huge number of "Terrible Towels" soldiers have with them in Iraq, the opulence of the converted palaces now used as hotels for visitors and the proximity of stocked ponds to fish for carp and catfish.

Gruden and Cowher took off their Super Bowl rings to let soldiers wear them during the visit, and his highest praise was for the men and women who have made him their guest in the past few days.

It's amazing what you see here. The organization and the attention to detail is amazing. The camaraderie is excellent. The pride will bring tears to your eyes. I'm really proud of these people, these warriors, these people at war here. They want to be great at what they do. They love it, and you can see it in their eyes. It's been so impressive to me. I just tip my hat to them.

-- Greg Auman, Times staff writer

Bucs promote Doug Williams

The Bucs today announced in a news release they have promoted Doug Williams to the Coordinator of Pro Scouting.

Williams’ responsibilities include coordinating the scouting and recruiting of all NFL players, while also monitoring NFL transactions and overseeing player tryouts. In addition, he is in charge of Tampa Bay’s evaluating efforts of all other professional football leagues, including the Canadian Football League.

Williams has been with the Buccaneers as a Personnel Executive since 2004.

Bucs announce new defensive assistants

The Bucs today announced in a news release that they have named Joe Baker defensive backs coach and Robert Nunn defensive line coach. They also promoted Kurtis Shultz to head strength and conditioning coach and Dwayne Stukes to assistant defensive backs coach. In addition, the club named Chris Keenan assistant strength and conditioning coach.

Details from the release:

Linehan to interview with Bucs on Wednesday

Former St. Louis Rams head coach Scott Linehan will interview for the Bucs' offensive coordinator job on Wednesday, according to Linehan's agent, David Dunn.

Linehan is considered a top candidate for the position. But there are other candidates, including Chiefs offensive coordinator Chan Gailey, former Browns offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski and Bucs quarterbacks coach Greg Olson, the Rams' offensive coordinator in 2006-07.

-- RICK STROUD, Times Staff Writer

Morris will be Bucs' next coach

Recently-named defensive coordinator Raheem Morris will be the Bucs' next head coach, replacing the fired Jon Gruden.

Personnel executive Mark Dominik will take over as general manager for Bruce Allen, who also was dismissed on Friday.

Morris, 32, has had two stints with the Bucs. He worked his way up from defensive quality control coach to defensive assistant to assistant defensive backs coach from 2002-05.

After spending 2006 as Kansas State's defensive coordinator, he came back in 2007 as defensive backs coach. He was promoted to defensive coordinator on Dec. 25.

Morris  started coaching as a graduate assistant at Hofstra, spent one season at Cornell then went back to Hofstra as defensive backs coach in 2000-01. An internship with the Jets during the fall of 2001 was his first pro experience.

Dominik has been with Bucs for 14 years, eight as director of pro personnel. He started in June 1995 as pro personnel assistant and became a pro scout in 1998, coordinator of pro personnel in 2000 then director. He previously worked in Chiefs' personnel department.

Joel Glazer interview transcript

On the thought process:
"After any season ends, especially the way this one did, we wanted to be very careful not to make decisions based on pure emotion. We gave a lot of careful thought and consideration to the whole situation. And after looking at our franchise, where it is and where we want to do, after a lot of thought, we decided it was time for the Buccaneers to make a change."

On why last year he was given a contract extension but this year a pink slip?
"Any time you have this situation, you have to evaluate the totality of the situation. It’s not one thing here or one thing there. Every year we say we owe it to ourselves and our fans to step back and try to be as objective as you can, to look at the franchise knowing where we want to go and what what we want to accomplish and ask ourselves are we on course or does a change help us effectuate where we want to go. And I think after  a lot of careful consideration, letting emotion die down, we just felt that it was time for a change."

On emotion at the end of the year and if it matched that of the fans
"We were extremely frustrated. The losses are as hard today as they were 14 years ago and the way the season ended obviously was terribly disappointing. But you know, it’s not just one thing. It’s four losses at the end of the season. It’s look at our franchise and see where we are and where we want to go."

On what he doesn’t see that he wishes to see:
"Our ultimate goal every year is to win a championship. And that’s always been our goal and it will remain our goal and we’re going to go about things to attain the goals we believe in. And we have core fundamental beliefs that we’ve had since the day we got here. And we thought it was important for our core fundamental beliefs that we make a change."

On the criticisms that have been thrown at the organization – not enough nurturing of young players, too many misses in the draft, no development of a young quarterback, and apparent unwillingness to spend as much in free agency as has happened at one point – and how much of that reflects on the Glazers and how much on the GM and head coach.

"I know this much. I know from our standpoint that we’re committed as we’ve ever been to doing what it takes to win and we stand ready, willing and able at any time if there are players out there who we think can help us win a championship to open up the checkbook and do it. And it would have to fit within a plan. We’ve also seen how teams can get in trouble just wildly spending money without a plan. We’ve got to have some young guys. Gotta build a team and add the players we think are going to push you over the top."

On how the day unfolded as to when Gruden was brought in.
"Bruce and Jon are consummate professionals. I want to respect what was discussed between us and them. But we had discussions today and they’ve done a lot of great things for this franchise. And this is never something that’s easy. These are very difficult decisions and very difficult times because you see how hard people work"

On whether the Glazers have learned as owners, compared the last situation, which was messy – and whether they have matured as far as how to handle things.
"You always live and learn. I live and learn and many years have passed and every year I’ve learned something new. So I’m never above saying that you learn things along the way. You always hope you’re going to learn and always try to take a step back and listen to people and make sure you’re keeping your ears open and eyes open."

On whether the replacement is already in hand
"After a lot of careful consideration – a lot of thought went into this – and in our mind there’s a plan where we want to head with this whole thing. And we’ll keep you up on that as things unfold."

On whether the canvas is not blank as of today.
"We’ve been well thought out in our mind where we want to take this franchise."

On whether the candidate they have perhaps in mind part of the decision – and if that candidate is not there is the decision made.
"I think you separate the whole situation. I think the totality of the situation – I keep saying where we were, where we are, where we want to go – there’s been a lot of time evaluating all of that. Don’t make a rash decision. And once you come to that decision, then you think about the future."

On what the Glazers were hearing from fans when it came starting to sell tickets and whether people were asking for refunds, and whether they were sensing dissatisfaction.
"What I’ve been sensing is – we’ve been feeling that the passion in this community to win and there’s a disappointment when we’re not winning. And the one thing I’m pretty proud of in this community is many years ago we used to get frustrated that we didn’t feel people’s expectations were the same as our expectations: 8-8 maybe was great because of the history of this franchise and we would get a little frustrated. One thing I’m happy about is that we’re on the same page. Fans expect a championship and we expect a championship. And we’re going to do everything we can to meet their expectations."

On what kind of time table they may be looking at and would they look for a GM first or a coach first, or is it the same person
"We have a plan in our mind and again, that will all unfold."

On whether he has any problem with a coach who functions as a GM
"We’ve been pretty happy with the setup we’ve had here. We’ve always been very comfortable with a coach and a general manager. It’s one of our fundamental beliefs."

On whether the trade for Gruden was worth it in retrospect
"You know, we won a Super Bowl. And that’s the ultimate prize in the National Football League. Jon has poured his heart and soul into this franchise. And we are very thankful to him for everything he’s done for this franchise. He will always have a special place in this franchise’s history. And we wish him nothing but the best in the future."

On whether this was one decision or two decisions
"Two decisions. It was looking at the franchise as a whole, looking at two different decisions and then making a decision that was in the best interest of the franchise hopefully."

On whether he has a feel about how soon the team can be competitive again
"I don’t want to set any immediate targets or anything like that. We want this franchise to be on a path for longevity of success, to compete year after year and have a chance for a championship year in and year out. And we don’t mind being patient to put ourselves on that plateau, whether it’s one year, the next year. There’s no exact timetable here. It’s getting it right, building it right and having a plan and a path to go forward."

On the difference between this time and the last time they made a coaching change – last time they had made the playoffs, so is it fair to say that just making the playoffs this year might not have changed what happened today?
"Again, we look at the totality of the situation. This isn’t one game, one play. You had to win one more game. It was looking at the whole situation and making a decision."

On the fact that it’s quite a change from last year (when Gruden received an extension) and whether there were some specific things they were unhappy with.
"You look at where your team is today and you look at a lot of the decisions that have to made in the offseason and where we want to go with things. And then you kind of think things through: Well, keep going – what happens? And building a championship team, heaven knows it’s not easy. There’s a time and a place to make certain decisions and we just felt this was one of those times."

What they're saying about Gruden, Allen firings

Bucs LB Derrick Brooks

Shortly after Jon Gruden and Bruce Allen were fired, Brooks called into 620-WDAE's "Steve Duemig Show" to defend Gruden, urging fans to appreciate Gruden's "body of work."

Listen to WDAE audio

Bucs C Jeff Faine

"It's a very uncomfortable situation. I was a free agent they really wanted here. I had an open door to go and talk to (Gruden and Allen). Now, it's going to be a different coach and maybe a different system. I was really anticipating this offseason. I still am, but I just hope it's not going to be a rebuilding process. That's like starting all over again."

 Bucs WR Antonio Bryant

“I’m very surprised, you know I felt very comfortable, especially in the environment,” Bryant said on The Monty Show on Sporting News Radio.  “It’s a family atmosphere and everybody got along well, and it’s shocking, but that’s the nature of the business.”

Asked whether Bryant feels a strong sense of loyalty to Gruden, Bryant said, “I feel a sense of loyalty to anything that is Buccaneer. John Gruden was definitely a Buccaneer, he gave his all in everything. He was very devoted and a passionate guy about the game. I’m still a Buccaneer until March 1st and just the opportunity that he gave me, the organization, the ownership and the Glazers, I trust their decision in knowing that they feel they made the decision to do the right thing.”

Bucs WR Michael Clayton

"How do you build a championship team with all the inconsistency? You have to do it the right way. I've always been a person who feels like you reap what you sow. You have to treat people fairly.''

When asked what he wished Gruden would've done differently, Clayton said, "It's about showing more confidence in your players. He was kind of a turncoat. He'd tell you one thing and then do something else.''

Bucs co-chairman Joel Glazer
"We will be forever grateful for Jon bringing us the Super Bowl title and we thank Bruce for his contributions to our franchise,'' Glazer said in a statement released by the team. "However, after careful consideration, we feel this decision is in the best interest of our organization moving forward.''

Adam Schefter, NFL Network
''Bruce Allen said, 'December did us in.' So clearly there is a feeling between Bruce Allen and Jon Gruden that the Buccaneers finish down the stretch when they lost to the Oakland Raiders and cost the Buccaneers a playoff spot ultimately cost Jon Gruden and Bruce Allen their jobs.''

Keyshawn Johnson, ESPN
“I thought Jon did a pretty good job from an offensive standpoint. He inherited a pretty good football team from Tony Dungy. The team he took over was good. He (inherited) a quarterback, he picked up a running back, a pretty good wide receiver and the team, overall, was intact. Defensively, the team was outstanding and he didn’t have to do a lot. When he had to pick his own offensive players, he struggled. If he has all the pieces in place, he’s a good X’s and O’s coach. … He’s always going to have run-in with players. “I like the thought of Raheem Morris taking over as a head coach. He’s like a young Mike Tomlin, a young Tony Dungy. The players respect him. ’’

Jay Glazer, Fox Sports
“Gruden seemed shocked when he told his staff of his firing, assistant coaches (said).  The future of the assistants was not immediately clear. Gruden met with ownership earlier this week, and came out of the meeting feeling as if he had one more year to right the Bucs’ ship, the assistant coaches said. However, ownership did not meet with Gruden or Allen immediately after the season, a sign that they were more than disappointed with the Bucs’ late-season demise.”

Shaun King, ESPN
“I wasn’t surprised. I thought it might have come a year or two too late. I think Jon came in touted as being an offensive guy and this team has struggled to find offensive consistency.’’

Pat Yasinskas, ESPN
“For all those Tampa Bay fans who have been saying the Glazer family no longer cares about the Buccaneers because they’re too busy with their English soccer team Manchester United, think again. The Glazers just blew $25 million out of the front door of One Buccaneer Place when they fired coach Jon Gruden and general manager Bruce Allen. No matter what you want to say about the Glazers, they care — deeply — about the Buccaneers. And they’re going to have to cough up several more million to get a new coach and general manager.”

Clark Judge, CBSSportsline
“I understand the Glazers’ frustration; what I don’t understand is why make this move now. I mean, they could have done this after the club completed its collapse in late December. So why now? And why take Allen with Gruden. I guess that’s what is next. Something must have happened, or something must have been said or someone must have come up with an idea for a seismic change. And by that I mean that maybe, just maybe, the Bucs go after one of the experienced free-agent coaches out there or a prominent college coach. Maybe the temptation was too much for the Glazers to resist because they just opened the door for a head coach who wants authority over personnel.''

Pete Prisco, CBSSportsline
“Jon Gruden never understood that it’s the quarterbacks that drive NFL teams. And it cost him his job.
“Gruden was arrogant enough as a coach to think his schemes could overcome the lack of a quality quarterback. In 2003, the Bucs won a Super Bowl with Brad Johnson at quarterback.
“That led to Gruden believing he could win with anybody there. The reality is that it took an amazing defense to win that season.
“It wasn’t Johnson.
“The timing of the Gruden firing leads me to believe the Bucs are up to something big. I doubt they would fire a coach at this stage of the game without having a plan. With general manager Bruce Allen also getting fired, it leads me to believe they are targeting a big-name coach they will pay a ton of money to have personnel control.
“Maybe Mike Shanahan? Maybe Urban Meyer? Maybe Bob Stoops? Maybe Pete Carroll?
“If I were Meyer and the Bucs came to me an offered me $8-million a season and total control, how could I turn that down? What’s left to challenge me on the college level? Of course, I’d have to change my offensive system.
“I’m telling you. There’s something at work in Tampa. Something big.
“No matter the hire, that person better take a lesson from Gruden’s tenure there. You can’t win consistently with scrap-heap quarterbacks.”

Can Inman, Oakland Tribune
“Attention Al Davis: Bring back Jon Gruden and Bruce Allen. Your former dynamic duo just got fired Friday by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“This may be a pipe dream. Bridges may have been burned (not publicly). And, still, this certainly is a rich, rich concept.
“Al should welcome them back to Oakland. He should make whatever concessions are necessary. Money. Personnel control. Invisibility by The Al. Rename the Coliseum in their honor.
“Odds are highly, highly likely it won’t happen, but, eh, it’s fun to dream.
“This is definitely the most exciting coaching carrousel since all those coaching moves of January 2002. Remember when the Glazers interviewed then-49ers coach Steve Mariucci to become their coach, only to turn around that same night and swing the deal with the Raiders for Gruden.
“Hey, maybe it’ll be Mariucci’s turn, at last, in Tampa Bay. No, wait, maybe they’ll pillage the Raiders and steal Tom Cable this time. Oh, this is rich. Rich!”

Dennis Dillon, SportingNews.com
“Gruden’s biggest problem has been to find a quarterback on whom he could rely. He’s had a bunch of them -— and he’s supposed to be a quarterback guru. 
“By now the Glazer family expected to go deeper into the playoffs. Remember, the NFC South is a tough division, with the Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints and, this season, the rapid turnaround by the Atlanta Falcons. 
“The timing of this firing is curious, coming three weeks after the season. Other teams made moves earlier or in the final steps of hiring new coaches. The question is, why didn’t the Buccaneers make this decision sooner?”

Bucs fire Jon Gruden and GM Bruce Allen

In the stunner of the off-season, the Bucs have fired head coach Jon Gruden and general manager Bruce Allen.

Co-chairman Joel Glazer said Friday night his family was 'extremely frustrated,' by the Bucs' failure to reach the playoffs four times in the past six years.

Tampa Bay was the first team in 15 years to start 9-3 and fail to reach the playoffs, losing their last four games in a row. That historical collapse also included blowing a 10-point fourth quarter lead to the 4-11 Oakland Raiders in the regular-season finale at Raymond James Stadium.

"We were extremely frustrated,'' Glazer said. "The losses are as hard today as they were 14 years ago and the way the season ended obviously was terribly disappointing. But, you know, it's not just one thing. It's four losses ast the end of the season. It's look at our franchise and see where we are and where we want to go.''

Glazer said Friday night the family waited several weeks to pull the trigger on Gruden and Allen because they didn't want to make an emotional decision after missing the playoffs. The Bucs have not named any successors.

But indications Friday night were that the Glazers planned to name defensive coordinator Raheem Morris head coach and pro personnel director Mark Dominik the general manager.

Glazer indicated they have already settled on a plan going forward but won't prepared to reveal it Friday.

"After a lot of careful consideration -- a lot of thought went into this -- and in our mind there's a plan where we want to head with this whole thing,'' Glazer said. "And we'll keep you up on that as things unfold.'' 

"I think after a lot of careful consideration, letting emotion die down, we just felt that it was time for a change.

Glazer said he met with Gruden and Allen personally to inform him the Bucs had decided to go another direction, one year after signing both to three-year extensions.

"Bruce and Jon are consummate professionals,'' Glazer said. "I want to respect what was discussed between us and them. But we had discussions today and they've done a lot of great things for this franchise. And this is never something that's easy. These are very difficult decisions and very difficult times because you see how hard people work.''

One possibility is promoting Dominik to the GM position with defensive coordinator Raheem Morris as head coach. Recently fired Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan would also seem to be a strong possibility.

ESPN quoted a source saying Gruden was 'blindsided,' by his firing Friday. Gruden was not at his north Tampa home or Reddington Beach condo Friday night. Allen came to the door of his Avila home in Tampa but had no comment.

Gruden was 57-55 as the Bucs head coach but failed to win a playoff game after the Super Bowl season, going 45-51 after his debut.   

Last week, Allen said the Glazers were 'unsatisfied,' and that they 'live in a world of championships.'

The list of coaching candidates available include Shanahan, former Steelers coach Bill Cowher, former Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren and Dungy, who rertired Monday from the Indianapolis Colts to return to his family in Tampa.

The Bucs also have Morris, 32, their recently-named defensive coordinator who was a candidate for the Denver Broncos head coaching job. If the Glazer family believes Morris is going to eventually be a successful head coach -- following in the footprints of Steelers coach Mike Tomlin -- he would be the speculative favorite.

Glazer indicated Friday that the team planned to continue their structure of separating the GM and coaching duties.

"We've been pretty happy with the setup we've had here,' Glazer said. "We've always been very comfortable with a coach and a general manager. It's one of our fundamental beliefs.''

The Bucs have $46-million under the salary cap, which should be attractive to prospective coaches and general managers.

Players were understandably stunned by the timing of the news of Gruden's dismissal Friday, but not entirely surprised.

"How do you build a championship team with all the inconsistency?' receiver Mike Clayton said.

"You have to do it the right way. I've always been a person who feels like you reap what you sow. You have to treat people fairly.'

When asked what he wished Gruden would've done differently, Clayton said, "It's about showing more confidence in your players. He was kind of a turncoat. He'd tell you one thing and then do something else.''   

Earlier Friday, the Bucs announced the hiring of Joe Barry as linebackers coach.

Gruden won three NFC South titles with the Bucs and became the youngest coach, at age 39, the youngest coach to win the Super Bowl.

The Bucs traded two first-round picks, two second-round picks and $8-million to the Oakland Raiders for Gruden.

But a rift between Gruden and then-general manager Rich McKay developed in 2003 and ended with McKay accepting a similar position with the Atlanta Falcons with a few weeks remaining in the season.

Gruden was responsible for the hiring of Allen, whom he had worked with at Oakland. But Allen's strength was salary cap management, not player personnel, and the talent level may have dipped as a result.

The Glazers obviously felt that Allen and Gruden had enough draft picks and salary cap room to improve the team and a 9-3 start buttressed that belief. But about the time defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin announced he was leaving at the end of the season to join son Lane at the University of Tennessee, the Bucs defense fell apart.

"Our ultimate goal every year is to win a championship,'' Glazer said. "And that's always been our goal and it will remain our goal and we're going to go about things to attain the goals we believe in. And we have core fundamental beliefs that we've had since the day we got here. And we thought it was important for our core fundamental beliefs that we make a change.''

Barry returns as Buccaneers' linebackers coach

Joe Barry will return as the Bucs' linebackers coach, the team announced today in a news release.

Barry, who was most recently the Detroit Lions defensive coordinator from 2007-2008, spent the 2001-2006 seasons on the Bucs' staff as linebackers coach. In 2002, Barry was part of a defense that helped the Bucs capture their first ever world championship in Super Bowl XXXVII.

In six seasons with the Bucs, Barry helped guide a defense that ranked first in the league on two occasions (2002 and 2005) and in the Top 5 four times. Under Barry’s direction, linebacker Derrick Brooks made six consecutive Pro Bowl appearances (2001-2006) while linebacker Shelton Quarles made his lone Pro Bowl appearance while working with Barry in 2002.