The Tampa Bay Buccaneers made it official, announcing a five-year contract for new coach Lovie Smith.
He'll be formally introduced at a press conference in Tampa next Monday.
“Today is an exciting day for the Buccaneer organization, and the entire Tampa Bay community, as we welcome back Lovie Smith,” Buccaneers co-chairman Bryan Glazer said in a statement. “We knew from the start of our search that he was the ideal man to lead our team into a new era of Buccaneer football. Lovie is an accomplished and very well-respected head coach who has enjoyed success at every level of his 30-year career.”
Smith went 81-63 with the Bears. Now, he replaces Greg Schiano in Tampa Bay.
Smith has four years as an assistant previously with the Buccaneers under coach Tony Dungy.
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Aaron Wilson covers the Ravens for The Baltimore Sun.