Jan. 14, 2026, 2:13 p.m. ET

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers continued their search for a new offensive coordinator this weekend, conducting a virtual interview with Detroit Lions passing game coordinator David Shaw for the open offensive coordinator position. Shaw, 53, brings decades of coaching experience to the table, including a notable run as Stanford’s head coach from 2011 to 2022 before returning to the NFL in 2025 with the Lions.

In his first season with Detroit, Shaw played a key role in an offense that showed balanced success across multiple statistical categories. The Lions finished the 2025 season with 28.3 points per game and 373.2 yards per game, ranking fifth in both categories league‑wide. Detroit also ranked third in yards per play (5.97) and third in passing yards per game (253.1), while putting up one of the league’s better passing efficiency marks with a 1.37% interception rate. They also finished eighth in red‑zone offense.

Those numbers reflected an offense that could sustain drives and generate chunk plays while limiting turnovers, a combination that helped the Lions finish 9–8 and remain competitive in a tough NFC North dogfight. Key offensive contributors included quarterback Jared Goff, who enjoyed one of his most efficient seasons, and a receiving corps led by Amon‑Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams, both of whom surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in 2025.

Shaw’s experience isn’t limited to the professional ranks. As Stanford’s head coach, he developed multiple NFL draft picks and oversaw prolific offenses featuring future stars like Andrew Luck and Christian McCaffrey. That blend of college and pro coaching gives him a wide range of perspectives on offensive design and play‑calling.

Compared to the Buccaneers’ 2025 offense, Shaw’s Lions unit demonstrated both higher efficiency and consistency. Tampa Bay averaged 325.4 yards per game, ranking 21st in the NFL, and scored 20.1 points per game, placing 25th. Passing production lagged as well, with the Bucs’ quarterbacks combining for 229.3 yards per game, versus Detroit’s 253.1, and Tampa Bay turned the ball over more frequently, posting an interception rate of 2.8% compared to the Lions’ 1.37%. In other words, Shaw oversaw one of the league’s more balanced and efficient offenses, while the Bucs struggled to sustain drives and convert scoring opportunities.

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From a numbers perspective, Shaw’s offenses have consistently ranked near the top in efficiency metrics, red-zone scoring, and turnover avoidance. For Tampa Bay, bringing in a coordinator with that track record could directly address the Bucs’ 2025 shortcomings by helping the team sustain drives, improve scoring efficiency, and reduce mistakes, while providing a blueprint for a more consistent and competitive offense moving forward.