Lovie Smith reportedly will be hired as coach of Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are finalizing a deal to make Lovie Smith their next head coach, according to a report by Fox’s Jay Glazer.

Smith, fired by Chicago after the 2012 season, was a linebackers coach in Tampa from 1996-2000 before becoming defensive coordinator for St. Louis.

The Buccaneers fired coach Greg Schiano and general manager Mark Dominik on Monday.

The Bears fired Smith after a 10-6 season in which Chicago missed the playoffs for the fifth time in six years. That 2012 team started 7-1.

Tampa Bay started 0-8 this season but went 4-4 down the stretch.

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