After two years of the Atlanta Falcons' offense consistently failing to meet expectations, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers fell for the bait hook, line, and sinker. After it became clear that Kevin Stefanski had no desire to retain OC Zac Robinson, the Bucs still decided to make him their next play-caller.
The news that the 39-year-old is turning heel to join the Falcons' division rivals came just hours after they hired Stefanski's right-hand man Tommy Rees to be the new OC. In one of the league's biggest mysteries, these two teams love to trade coaches, but this is a deal that the Dirty Birds win.
Not everyone is in love with the Rees hire, but at least they're finally cutting ties with the Raheem Morris era. After Robinson was announced to be leaving, it came out that passing game coordinator TJ Yates is one of the assistants who will be joining Robinson's offensive staff in Tampa Bay.
While there is a ways to go on staffing, expect senior offensive assistant Ken Zampese and passing game coordinator TJ Yates to join Robinson and the #Bucs. https://t.co/jsaIGhz20t
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 22, 2026
Ian Rapoport also reported that senior offensive assistant Ken Zampese would also follow Robinson to Tampa Bay, but Yates is the more notable departure. He's Robinson's right-hand man and someone who ownership has basically been tethered at the hip to since Terry Fontenot was hired.
Yates has been on the coaching staff since 2021 and he's failed in every role they've given him. He spent 2025 as the passing game coordinator and took over as receivers coach after Ike Hilliard was fired midseason. Morris and Arthur Smith tried way too hard to make it work when it never would.
Falcons fans should be eternally grateful that Zac Robinson and TJ Yates are headed to Tampa Bay
The 38-year-old has inherited four different roles in five seasons on the coaching staff, but even his short stint as Matt Ryan's teammate didn't change his fate. In all likelihood, he wouldn't have been retained by Stefanski anyways, so this isn't something that any Falcons fan should be crying about.
While Hilliard was fired midseason as a scapegoat for Robinson's miscues, Yates took on his role, and the receivers got even worse. Aside from Drake London, Atlanta did not have a single other starting-caliber NFL wide receiver on the roster after Darnell Mooney took a huge step back from last season.
Additionally, the relationship between London and Yates was less-than-stellar, as video surfaced of them getting into a verbal altercation in Week 18 which Raheem Morris wasn't even able to diffuse.
He did a solid job coaching up Michael Penix Jr. last season, but the seven-year NFL veteran didn't do a great job after being promoted. The passing attack took a step in the wrong direction this season, and a large part of the third-down and red zone woes were due to his horrendous gameplanning.
The Falcons wanted and needed a complete reset on the offensive staff under the two-time Coach of the Year, and that's what they'll get. Everything is now set up to cater to Stefanski's vision, which bodes well for the future of the offense.