Greg Schiano has said that Josh Freeman will continue as starting quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2013.

The Bucs head coach had previously suggested that the 25-year-old would face competition for his job next season.

However, Schiano has now told reporters: "Josh Freeman is our quarterback. And I believe that Josh Freeman, with Josh Freeman, we'll be able to accomplish our goals.

"At the end of the season, the day after the final game, I probably said something that got a lot more attention than I meant for it to do. Every year I've been a head coach, I step back and I evaluate every phase of our program. And it starts with me, so that takes a while.

"And then I went through every assistant coach, and then, as a staff, we went through every single player, and a series of evaluations, but the one thing I believe in, as coaches or players, our whole life, we went through competitive athletics, and that competition is healthy."

The Buccaneers finished the 2012 season with seven wins and nine losses, three wins more than in 2011.