The Bucks will lose another coach. Longtime Tampa Bay special teams coordinator Keith Armstrong has informed the team that he is retiring, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.
#buccaneers Officials say special teams coordinator Keith Armstrong has informed the team that he plans to retire.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) January 31, 2024
Armstrong joins Dave Canales, Brad Idzik, Harold Goodwin and Joe Gilbert as coaches on the 2023 division-winning staff that left the team in some capacity.
Armstrong’s career with the Bucks
Bucs ST Coordinator Keith Armstrong and Head Coach Todd Bowles – Photo by Cliff Welch/PR
Armstrong joined the Bucks in 2019 as part of former head coach Bruce Arians’ staff. Current head coach Todd Bowles retained Armstrong when Arians retired and was promoted in 2022. Bowles retained Armstrong again in 2023, when he fired a number of other assistants following a lackluster 8-9 season and early exit from the playoffs.
During his time with the Bucks, the team achieved the highest field goal kicking success in team history.Matt Gay, Ryan Succop and Chase McLaughlin combine to convert 140 of 165 field goal attempts (84.8%) in Armstrong’s five years with the team.
But outside of the kicking game, there was some contention on special teams over Armstrong’s tenure.Tampa Bay’s kick coverage unit historically bad in some cases. Additionally, his return games were sporadic as the team struggled to find a consistent returner. Under Urmston, Tampa Bay returns Bobo Wilson, Kenjon Barner, Jaylon Durden and now Deven Tompkins.
Pro Football Focus ranked the Bucks’ special teams units 29th, 30th, 27th, 29th and 26th in each season Armstrong was at the helm.
The Bucks may have an internal replacement for Armstrong following his retirement.
Former Bucks S Keith Tandy – Photo by Mark Lomoglio/PR
Assistant Special Teams Coordinator Keith Tandy has been well-respected in Tampa Bay since his days as a player and has served in his current role for the past four years. It may be incumbent on the team to look for an outside hire given the team’s struggles in recent years, but Tandy could be an internal option.
The search for Armstrong’s replacement is just the latest coaching search for the Bucks. The biggest priority is filling the offensive coordinator vacancy, which is the first step in filling an offensive coaching staff that needs a new wide receiver coach, offensive line coach, and run game coordinator in addition to the offensive coordinator role itself. It will be.
The 2024 season is already shaping up to be a big one for Bowles, who finished 17-17 in two regular seasons as Tampa Bay’s head coach and is 1-2 in the postseason. The head coach is currently considering going into the season with a staff full of new players.
