(Charles LeClaire-USPRESSWIRE)
New Buccaneers head coach Dirk Koetter aggressively denied a coup led to Lovie Smith losing his job in Tampa Bay.
Koetter was elevated from offensive coordinator to replace Smith after two seasons. Because the San Francisco 49ers and Miami Dolphins also showed interest, rumors began that Koetter forced the Buccaneers’ hand to let go of Smith and make Koetter head coach.
“I would say that’s total, 100 percent B.S.,” Koetter said on NBC Sports Radio. “I think that in all 32 buildings around the NFL, I know there’s leaks everywhere but unless you’re on the inside of a building you have no idea what’s really going on inside those buildings. Every job I’ve ever had in my life I think you’ve got to be able to look at the man in the mirror and know if you did your job or not. I can promise you 1000 percent that from where I stand and what information I was privy to, there was nothing of the sort.”
Koetter was the choice of the Glazer Family because of his resume with quarterbacks. That includes 2015 No. 1 overall pick Jameis Winston, who will benefit from the continuity of working under Koetter in the same system in 2016. Koetter previously coached Matt Ryan with the Atlanta Falcons during his highly successful early pro seasons.
All things considered, Koetter said taking over for Smith remains uncomfortable.
“It’s awkward in the beginning because I was surprised as anybody when the announcement was made that coach Smith wasn’t going to be retained,” Koetter said. “I have the utmost respect for Lovie Smith and I’m a firm believer as an assistant coach that loyalty is the number one characteristic that you should have. But that was a decision that wasn’t made by me and at that point. At that point, even though I was under contact with the Bucs there was a couple other teams that reached out to me about being a head coach. So that opportunity was there as a possibility and then when the possibility presented itself to possibly be head coach of the Bucs as well. At that point it becomes more about business and more about, you know, there’s nothing I can do about the first part of it.”
