How Brentson Buckner Advises Rookies

May 14th, 2018

Philosophy revealed on radio

It’s a safe bet that Bucs first-round pick Vita Vea is being advised to shut up, pay attention and work his butt off.

Joe has plenty of philosophy share — from defensive line coach Brentson Buckner himself.

The change agent on the Buccaneers defense certainly seems to be Buckner, the only significant new hire on that side of the ball.

Visiting the airwaves of 98.7 FM last year in Phoenix, where Buckner was a veteran d-line coach for the Cardinals, he was asked about how he advises rookies when it comes to joining veteran teammates.

Joe’s got the verbatim response below.

“I tell them to be seen not heard. Gather your respect from going out there and working hard and those guys are going to see it and they gonna give you all the credit you need,” Buckner said of how he counsels rookie defensive linemen.

“I don’t want nobody coming in, talkin’, gettin’ up and giving one of them rah-rah speeches they did because they was a captain at their college team the year before. Come in here and earn your respect by going and grindin’. And that’s what we do. You grind. And once you grind those vets will come talk to you because they respect the grind. They respect you out there doing what you’re trying to do, fighting tooth and nail to get better, hustling to the ball and being physical. And then they’ll come to you and welcome you with open arms. But if you want to ostracize yourself, get to talking. Before you know it, you’ll be talking to yourself.”

What an incubator Vea has been dropped into. He’s got a trenches-veteran-turned-seasoned-coach in Buckner, and he’s surrounded by grinders and work-ethic freaks like Jason Pierre-Paul, Gerald McCoy and Noah Spence, in addition to veteran maulers like Vinny Curry, Beau Allen and Mitch Unrein.

If Vea can’t thrive in that environment, then Joe won’t know what to say.

56 Responses to “How Brentson Buckner Advises Rookies”

  1. Lol Says:

    I really hope Buckner turns this D Line around.. been on a milk carton for about a decade now

  2. Rod Munch Says:

    I’m pretty sure Vita is already a lost cause, in lots of photos the guy is smiling and as we know from the McCoy haters if you smile that means you’re a bust, even if being a bust means you’re a 3x All-Pro and 6x Pro Bowl. Yeah, it’s all over, we might as well cut the guy and get someone who is angry all the time and never smiles because that is the key to success in the NFL!

  3. JROCK Says:

    I think Buck will be a strong candidate for a coordinator job or maybe even HC next year, whether it’ll be with the Bucs remains to be seen.

  4. O U812 Says:

    CAN WE GET THIS GUY TO COACH UP WINSTON ? I LIKE THE SHUT UP AND PLAY MESSAGE!!!!

  5. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    Vita looks like a grinder…not a talker….in the pressers and interviews so far he seems to be quite humble….I think we are fine there…..

    As for the DBs…..I’d be fine with the rookies talking it up a bit and firing up our backfield….it needs some fire.

  6. Howard Cosell Says:

    If the Bucs look solid through the 1st four games of the season then Howard will get a little excited, but not until then

  7. Bucnjim Says:

    He can smile all he wants until kickoff! If he is smiling and grab assing with the other team on game day well I doubt that fits into Buckner’s idea of tough player.

  8. JAB83 Says:

    Big Will G should show marked improvement in that incubator as well…

  9. Locked In Says:

    he looks a lot shorter than I thought he was

  10. unbelievable Says:

    “I don’t want nobody coming in, talkin’, gettin’ up and giving one of them rah-rah speeches they did because they was a captain at their college team the year before. Come in here and earn your respect by going and grindin”

    Damn, can we get this guy to coach all the positions are our team? Lol.

  11. Rod Munch Says:

    Locked – He’s a legit 6′ 4″ and 347lb according to the measurements at the combine. Sapp I think was only 6′ 1″ so I don’t think height has much to do with success at DT. One interesting thing in looking up Sapp’s combine numbers, assuming what I found are legit, he was only 281lbs – he played at right around 305lb in Tampa if I remember right, but apparently bulked all the way up to 334lbs with the Raiders when he was in a 3-4 – and he put up 10 sacks that season. I had no idea Sapp had gotten that big – and it wasn’t just that he was getting old and out of shape, he came to camp the next year with the Raiders at 285.

  12. Playboycarti Says:

    anyone else see the ronald jones press conferences? one of the joes has some of the biggest man titties, so much credibility lost

  13. JabooBuc Says:

    Locked In: while i know you are probably joking based on the picture Joe provided with this article, I did see a couple of other pics from mini-camp that made me think he is nowhere near as big as advertised.

    They are all big at this level and he did not stand out in the pics i saw. Joe, am i missing something? Does he stand out to you?

  14. Stanglassman Says:

    Did the Buc entire team practice today? I didn’t see it on the schedule but they have pictures on Bucs website of a rainy day practice with May 14 date.

  15. Horse Liver Says:

    Brentson Buckner is the most important offseason move, maybe ever in Bucs history besides hiring Gruden. If Smitty’s secondary empties its bowels on the bed in 2018, I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see Buckner as the Bucs new DC.

    Or even HC.

  16. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    Vea is on his knees in this pic…..begging to be whipped and thrashed…..

  17. Reality-is-a-Beotch Says:

    Every year same BS false hope without merit. Everyone went crazy with Jay hayes hire too. I hope Buckner is renting every coach during the failed career of GMC that has tried to be tough or get the line to play more aggressively has been ran out of town. These facts can not be denied even by the most optimistic fan. You cant win or play tough when your highest paid defender is the softest player in league history.

    Unless Buckner neuters GMC with the blessing and SUPPORT of glazers this team will not contend regardless of coaching, draft picks or free agent signings. You are only as tough as your softest player. No roster with GMC on it will ever be considered tough.

  18. DayOnePaul Says:

    LeeRoy smiled a lot too, til his hand hit the dirt. Prove it through the whistle.

  19. Defense Rules Says:

    @Locked In … “he looks a lot shorter than I thought he was.” Loved it! No reply necessary; Rod didn’t get it.

  20. '74 Says:

    Locked In – props for the real LOL! If I was drinking a beer, it would be on the wall via my nostrils!

  21. '74 Says:

    Locked In dropped the mic on that one! Votings over – you win!

  22. Dave Pear Says:

    Locked in,

    Now, that’s funny.

  23. Destinjohnny Says:

    I like it

  24. Rodney Says:

    Rod munch that made me smile I guess I suck at my job to bow thanks a lot LMAO

  25. Rodney Says:

    Horse liver I said the same thing on a post the other day. I think on the down low Buckner was brought in n told if smitty doesn’t get this defense playing well Buckner will be the next DC

  26. Reach87 Says:

    Fact is McCoy, starting DT for the Tampa Bay Bucs, is NOT soft. McCoy is a 3 time All Pro. He grinds and goes hard at practice and in every game. Reminds me of Leroy Selmon in that he is a gentleman. The soft thing has zero basis into characterizing him as a football player. No matter how often some on here say it, call him a her, or joke about ice cream. Soft players don’t last one season in the NFL, let alone start, let alone get top pay, let alone go to the Pro Bowl, let alone be All Pro. Fact is McCoy is not soft, and we should root for him (vice seeking sophomoric opportunities to throw shade on him) because he is on our team and goes hard. Moronic. Sad. PS: Nowhere in the above did I say he was the best DT in the league or a future HOF’r. Those things are debatable. The soft dig is made up whooey.

  27. Licht’s Out Says:

    Perhaps in a face saving move, Smitty can be switched to “consultant” and continue to hang in the coaches box with his headset turned off.

  28. Doug Says:

    Tell that to Jameis.

  29. Cobraboy Says:

    As long as Vea doesn’t eat “W’s” he’ll be fine…

  30. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    Buckner kind of makes me wish Swaggy was still here…..would love to see Buckner climb up into his fat a$$

  31. DB55 Says:

    Even Leroy Selmon played in the playoffs. Ijs

    Swaggy Baker has twice as many P.O. games as McIceCream

    And almost everyone on the dline has a SB ring, so let’s see what excuses you guys come up with this year.

  32. Joel Says:

    Go sign Russell Sheppherd

  33. Joel Says:

    All McCoy is is rah rah speeches. 1 or 2 more seasons left of him and his bloated contract.

  34. Jimmy T Says:

    Leave it to O U812 to throw Jameis in this argument. Give it a break please. As a rookie on a bad team he played well & that is when Doug Martin & Sims had great years. They went 9-7 in his second year & it was a team effort & Jameis was CLEARLY HURT last year yet he still threw less interceptions & his completion % was higher than previous. Football is the ultimate team sport, case in point Blake Bortles. Lay off Jameis, he is the least of our problems!!!!!!

  35. Eric Says:

    Why the over the top gushing over Buckner?

    Arizona dline coach for five years. That’s it.

    Can find people with similar credentials all over the league.

  36. Trench War Says:

    Kind of sounds like he has some Schiano philosophical overtone to his method. The same method of teaching that was maligned by the media not so long ago. Tough love was chased out of town for ice cream and empathy. Imagine if we had given Schiano a chance? All this talk about needing to get nasty now would have already been here.

    When Ol’ Lovie Dovie came in we lost that edge. Now, strangely we are embracing the “in your face” method again. Buckner has it and it stands out unlike the rest of the position coaches which tells me our coaching staff uses a softer approach. How’s that been working out?

  37. Bobby M. Says:

    Great hire

  38. Mike Johnson Says:

    Luv Buckner. He should be our DC.

  39. firethecannons Says:

    Love the hire of Buck, just what this team really needs.

    Somehow though Buck was not able to get Robert Nkemdiche to perform. The kid has been a wasted first round draft pick (2016)for the Cardinals.

  40. Jeffbuc Says:

    Db55 I think it was you was bashing are defensive line. And using an nfl.com top ten pass rushers list as proof cause none of our defensive lineman were on there. Well they just released there top ten defensive tackles in the nfl. Donald was number one bet you can guess who was number 2. Yup just mr softy himself. So I guess you will say the author from the article is an idiot and doesn’t know what he is talking about. I may be wrong though and it was someone else who was taking about willie mginnest list. If it wasn’t you then it is directed at whoever it was who said it.

  41. Capt.Tim Says:

    Lmao
    All the pisters here, ready to award Buckner as our new DC
    Based entirely on a couple post by Joe- implying that Buckner was” mean”
    Its hilarious

    The same guys who think that a “mean” coach and “mean” players are the Bucs solution, would quit their jobs like sobbing lil girls if their boss was “Mean” to them!!

    To get to the NFL- you are already an intense, focused competitor.
    And a world class athelete. You have been out performing your oppenents your entire life.
    That is EVERY NFL player.

    You can take your “meanest” player to ever play, and put him against the happiest, most Friendly player to ever play in the league.
    You know he wins?
    The most talented.
    All this “attitude” is such B.S. this isnt your sandlot football game.
    These guys have played this game at the highest level, their entire lifes.

    Talent. And Talent alone decides the outcome in the NFL.
    There seems to be a running narative here- that a nice player cant be a good player.
    Its BS
    Leeroy Selmon- the greatest Buccaneer, was an extremely nice person.
    Reverend Reggie White ruled The game for years- nice person.

    Dick Butkus was a great plyer. Very intense.
    He was a great player- because he was more talented than his opponents.
    Not because he was mean

    So yes, lets hire a DC based on his being mean.
    Personally- I dont recall the Cardinals Defensive line striking fear in the hearts of OCs.
    I hope Buckner has more to his game than attitude

    We need a Great line coach, who can teach technique and strategy.
    If we just want someone mean, I’ll see if my 2nd grade teacher is available

  42. IsrBuc Says:

    What he said is word for word with Ian Backles in his poadcast. Same thing exaclty.

  43. 1sparkybuc Says:

    Whatever we have HAS to be better than last season. Mediocre would be a monumental improvement. I believe we can expect something better than mediocre. If our rookie RB makes any impact at all, our offense should be respectable. Worst to first has a history in the NFCS. It might be a stretch, but it’s not impossible. Curious to see who else gets added to this roster over the coming months. This team is already interesting to watch. Hopefully the next step is fun.

  44. Alaskan Abdominal Snowman Says:

    So what would Buckner say to McCoy after he picks an opponent up? Something tells me that ish isn’t gonna fly.

    I’m not a Gerald basher. I just think Buckner is emphasizing attitude on the DLine.

  45. Buc believer Says:

    To bad we didn’t have Buckner 8 years ago. Maybe GMC would be much more of a doer than a talker.

  46. blind melon Says:

    I look forward to being entertained.

  47. Tampa Bay Demon Says:

    @Reach87

    Fantastic comments on Gerald McCoy, man. — This is someone that should be appreciated by all Bucs fans for being the warrior that he has been for us, and a true performer. He is also someone that all of Tampa Bay can be proud of, as a representative of us.

  48. jmarkbuc Says:

    Eric,

    Did you see Arizona maul us on our last two trips there? Buckner had a hand in that.

    Love the Attitude from Buckner #WALKTHEWALK

  49. Buccaneer Bonzai Says:

    Buckner and Sapp would not have gotten along, lol.

  50. Buccaneer Bonzai Says:

    JROCK Says
    “I think Buck will be a strong candidate for a coordinator job or maybe even HC next year, whether it’ll be with the Bucs remains to be seen.”

    He’s all talk thus far, you know. He’s doing exactly what he is telling rookies not to do.

    Whil I think (hope) he’ll do well for the bucs, I always hate it when players and coaches are given props before they actually do anything for us.

  51. Capt.Tim Says:

    Jmark

    Who hasnt mauled the Bucs??
    Tates right up there with taking candy from babies

  52. Matt in Bradenton Says:

    @Playboycarti is your life really so miserable that you feel the need to point out the physical appearance of one of the Joe’s? and tie that to credibility? That’s weak, and pretty crappy thing to do. I’m no “body shaming” liberal speak, but when I read that, I felt bad for Joe. Let’s keep the comments about our team, and even their reporting, but not physical appearance. Joe’s, thank you for all you do.

  53. Joe Says:

    Why the over the top gushing over Buckner?

    Desperation?

  54. Jimmy Says:

    Playboycarti:

    Just gonna guess Annie Sabo doesn’t know who Hardy Nickerson is.

    She’s hot as hell but not sure wanna get Bucs info from her.

  55. Trench War Says:

    Playboycarti

    ignorant @ss

  56. Jmarkbuc Says:

    Capt
    As I remember, AZ mauled us so bad in 16 that we were all looking for redemption in 17. Then they mauled us even worse in 17, knocking JW out of the game. So while you’re not wrong, AZ certainly had our number