In an unexpected move, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers fired head coach Lovie Smith late Wednesday night according to multiple reports, surprising players and staff alike.

Smith finished his second year with the Bucs, going 2-14 in 2014, and 6-10 in 2015. He took over a team beginning a rebuilding process.

With the number one overall pick in the 2015 draft, Smith and the Bucs selected quarterback Jameis Winston who started 16 games this season, showing promise for the future.

According to an espn report, Smith met with his coaching staff Wednesday morning. Everything appeared to be status quo heading into the offseason.

Tampa Bay All-Pro linebacker Lavonte David expressed his displeasure of the decision on his twitter account.


"After careful consideration, we informed Lovie that we have decided to make a change. I want to thank Lovie for his hard work and dedication to the Buccaneers during his time here. This decision was difficult on a variety of levels. I am disappointed that we were not more successful these past few seasons, but we are committed to doing what is necessary to give our fans the winning team they deserve. As we move forward, General Manager Jason Licht will oversee the process for finding our next head coach."

 

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