Byron Leftwich thrives in second season as Buccaneers’ coordinator

Tom Brady was drafted three years before Byron Leftwich and outplayed him in Leftwich’s only postseason start as a player.

Now they are working together to try to bring Tampa Bay a Super Bowl title when they face the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.

Leftwich, who played quarterback in the NFL from 2003 to 2012, is in his second year as offensive coordinator for a Buccaneers team that has been in the top three in scoring both seasons.

It was a bit of a process for Brady to find his footing in his first year outside of New England, particularly during an ugly November, but once he and Leftwich hit their stride, the offense has been on a roll.

The Buccaneers have averaged 34.3 points during their current seven-game winning streak.

One of the biggest keys to the success was Brady’s willingness to be coached by someone who is younger than he is and had far fewer credentials as an NFL quarterback. Brady is 43 and Leftwich 41.

“What’s been the most amazing thing about this whole thing is his approach to it,” Leftwich said. “He came in and told me from day one just coach me, let me know what you want.

“He wants to be coached hard. He wants you to let him know when he’s not doing the right things, and that’s the easy part for me because you want to help. You want to put the player in the best position to have success.”

Leftwich has quickly risen through the ranks as a coach, largely as a result of the belief Bucs coach Bruce Arians has shown in him.

Arians hired Leftwich as a coaching intern in 2016 when Arians was the Arizona Cardinals’ coach and promoted him to quarterbacks coach in 2017.

Leftwich remained in that role under Steve Wilks in 2018, earning the title of interim offensive coordinator when Mike McCoy was fired midway through the season.

Arians brought Leftwich to Tampa when he took the job in 2019. The Bucs were first in passing offense and third in total offense in Leftwich’s first season as coordinator with Jameis Winston at quarterback. Brady and Leftwich, who calls plays, combined to finish second in passing offense and third in scoring this season at 30.8 points per game.

Arians said he thinks Leftwich, a first-round pick out of Marshall, is ready to take the next step as a coach.

“I was very, very pissed Byron at least didn’t get an interview (for a head coaching position) this year,” Arians said. “For the job that he’s done — I get way too much credit, and so does Tom Brady. I think next year people will see he took Jameis Winston — who broke every single record here for scoring and passing — and now Tom has broken both.”

It might only be a matter of time for Leftwich, who is on track to have more success as a coach than as a player.

Leftwich did win a Super Bowl ring as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ backup quarterback and was on the roster for another Super Bowl appearance. He was the starter in Jacksonville in his first four seasons, during which he ran into Brady in his only postseason start.

The Patriots beat the Jaguars 28-3 in the 2005 wild-card game. Brady threw for 201 yards and three touchdowns, and Leftwich threw for 179 yards and an interception.

“Byron has done an incredible job,” Brady said Monday. “We have a great relationship. He’s got a great work ethic, a great football IQ.”

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on Twitter.