Dirk Koetter Apologizes to Falcons for Tweet Trolling Super Bowl Collapse

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Dirk Koetter has issued an apology to the Atlanta Falcons after a Bucs tweet referenced the Falcons blowing a 28-3 lead in the Super Bowl.

"I want to make sure on behalf of the Bucs organization that I apologize to the Falcons for whatever that was supposed to be that went out on social media," Koetter said, per ESPN's Jenna Laine. "That's not what our organization is about."

The social media teams for the Bucs and Falcons engaged in a brief back and forth on Monday, culminating with this response from the Tampa Bay side:

"

@AtlantaFalcons We ain't worried 'bout nothing! pic.twitter.com/7rIpy9gxtE

— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@TBBuccaneers) May 22, 2017"

Koetter went on to address whoever was responsible for the tweet and where his team ended last season compared to the Falcons: "That was totally unprofessional and not smart on our part, whoever was responsible for that. Heck, we wanted to be playing in the Super Bowl, and we were home sitting on our butts while they were playing. We've got no room to make fun of anybody that was in the Super Bowl, whether they won or not."

The Falcons held a 28-3 lead over the New England Patriots midway through the third quarter in Super Bowl 51. The Patriots scored the last 31 points of the game, capped off by James White's two-yard touchdown in overtime to seal the franchise's fifth championship since 2001. 

Koetter has ties to the Falcons after serving as the team's offensive coordinator from 2012-14 before joining the Buccaneers in 2015 as offensive coordinator. Koetter was then promoted to head coach last season. 

The Bucs went 9-7 in Koetter's first season as head coach, their first winning record since 2010.