The Facts: Following up on a previous item. ... The Buccaneers made the surprise fire of the offseason late Wednesday night, firing Lovie Smith after a four-win improvement from the previous season. And they could be staying in-house for a replacement, though it won't come without some degree of hoops to jump through. According to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, the eventual promotion of offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter seems inevitable, using the word "coronation," to describe what's about to happen.

Diehards Line: He reports that the Dolphins were interested in Koetter, which sparked this process. The 49ers have also requested an interview and have yet to receive a response. Clearly, the Bucs place a high value on Koetter continuing his work with rookie quarterback Jameis Winston, even if it meant firing a guy to keep him. Of course, as PFT notes, they still have to go through another process, finding a minority candidate to sit for a Rooney Rule interview. If what Stroud suggests is accurate, it will be a sham, and one that some candidates may not feel inclined to go through.