After taking over the head coaching duties in 2016, Dirk Koetter started off formidable with a 9-7 record, almost taking the Buccaneers back to the playoffs after a long drought since 2007. As we all know, the team just missed the post season and was poised to make noise in 2017. That, however, did not pan out the way Koetter and the Bucs had hoped and Tampa Bay finished the 2017 campaign with a very disappointing and underwhelming 5-11 record. Naturally, this terrible performance by the Buccaneers last year is putting immense pressure on the coach and Koetter’s reputation took a massive hit. At least that is what Bill Bender thinks. Bender is a writer for Sporting News and recently released an article in which he ranked all NFL Head Coaches. Koetter sits at number 26.
Dirk Koetter seemingly had the Buccaneers ready to break through to the playoffs last season, but a 5-11 season set the team back, and it won’t be easy to climb back into contention in the NFC South. Koetter starts this season on the hot seat. – via Bill Blender, Sporting News, See article here
Blender is certainly right about Koetter being on the hot seat. If Tampa Bay does not perform well this year, this might easily be the end of Dirk Koetter’s tenure with the Buccaneers. At this point, it seems that only a winning season will guarantee him, and the rest of the coaching staff, for that matter, to keep their jobs.
