Report: Former Steelers LB Larry Foote Likely to Be Buccaneers’ Co-Defensive Coordinator

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are expected to promote former Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Larry Foote to co-defensive coordinator, according to a report by Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

Foote, currently Tampa’s inside linebackers coach, could share defensive coordinator duties with defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers, Rapoport said. Former Bucs defensive coordinator Todd Bowles was promoted to head coach following the retirement of Bruce Arians on Wednesday evening.

Foote got his start in coaching under Bowles and Arians with the Arizona Cardinals in 2015, as the team’s assistant linebackers coach. He was promoted to linebackers coach in 2016 and them moved to Tampa with Arians and Bowles in 2019 as outside linebackers coach, and was part of Tampa’s Super Bowl LV-winning staff. He moved to inside linebackers coach earlier this offseason.

Inside linebacker is where Foote played in his 13-year NFL career, 11 of which were with the Pittsburgh Steelers after the club drafted him out of Michigan in the fourth round of the 2002 draft.

Foote became a starer for the first time in 2004 and was an integral part of the team’s defense for Super Bowl XL and XLIII victories. He spent one season in Detroit in 2009, but returned to the Steelers in 2010 for another four seasons. He finished his career with Arizona in 2014.

In total, Foote played in 187 games, starting 134, and made 818 tackles, record 25 sacks, recovered nine fumbles and caught four interceptions in his NFL career. All but 29 of those games came with the Steelers.

If Foote is in fact promoted to co-defensive coordinator, he will join fellow former Steelers player Byron Leftwich as a coordinator in Tampa. Leftwich has been the team’s offensive coordinator since 2019.