The Atlanta Falcons could be looking to a division rival for their offensive coordinator position. According to Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports, the Falcons have scheduled an interview with Buccaneers wide receivers coach Bryan McClendon.
McClendon is familiar with coaching in the Georgia area, as he started his coaching career with the Georgia Bulldogs. After his playing days as a wide receiver for Georgia were over, he slowly moved up the ranks of former head coach Mark Richt’s staff, going from graduate assistant in 2007 to running backs coach in 2009, then to assistant head coach, wide receivers coach and pass-game coordinator in 2015. He even took over as the interim head coach for the 2015 TaxSlayer Bowl when Mark Richt left to coach the Miami Hurricanes.
In 2016, the South Carolina Gamecocks hired him to be their co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach, and he was promoted to the offensive coordinator in 2018.
Unfortunately, he was demoted to just wide receivers coach at the end of the 2019 season, with South Carolina’s offense scoring just one touchdown in the last 12 quarters of their season.
The Oregon Ducks then hired him to be their pass-game coordinator and wide receivers coach, and he even got another chance to be an interim head coach for the 2021 Alamo Bowl when Mario Cristobal left to coach the Miami Hurricanes.
McClendon went back to Georgia in 2022 to be the wide receivers coach, and he was part of the staff that defeated the TCU Horned Frogs in the national championship. In 2024, the NFL finally took notice of McClendon’s talents, and the Buccaneers hired him to be their WR coach.
His tenure with Tampa Bay has been extremely successful. With the star wideout duo of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin dealing with injuries, 2025 first-round pick Emeka Egbuka became a quality option in the passing attack. Meanwhile, seventh-round rookie Tez Johnson had 322 yards and five touchdowns
One of the Falcons biggest issues was wide receiver depth last season. Drake London was the only receiver in 2025 who had over 500 yards. With he and Darnell Mooney occasionally missing games due to injuries, the Falcons had to rely on practice squad wide receiver David Sills V to play significant snaps. Wide receiver coach Ike Hilliard was fired after the Falcons’ loss to the Panthers to address the wide receiver coaching.
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Unfortunately, it didn’t work. The Falcons scoring offense was ranked 24th with just 20.8 points per game in 2025, and with head coach Raheem Morris fired at the end of the regular season, offensive coordinator Zac Robinson was let go as well. Former Browns offensive coordinator Tommy Rees is the favorite for the job, but new head coach Kevin Stefanski and the Falcons are considering all their options.
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