The Buccaneers were blocked from talking to an assistant coach about a possible coordinator job for at least the third time this offseason.
Jason La Canfora of NFL Network reports the Bucs were denied permission by the 49ers to talk to defensive backs coach Ed Donatell about Tampa’s defensive coordinator job.
This is a case of the chickens coming home to roost for the Bucs organization. The team used to be infamous for not letting their assistants out of their contracts to go elsewhere, and now they are getting the same treatment from other clubs.
Bucs coach Greg Schiano was also denied the chance to talk to two offensive coordinator candidates before he hired Giants quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan on Friday night.
The defensive coordinator position may be especially hard to fill with Butch Davis apparently joining the Bucs staff with a yet-to-be-determined title. Teams like the 49ers may be less willing to let an assistant leave if it’s only for a coordinator job in name only, when Davis will really have more power.