“My Team, I Just Love Them.”
December 11th, 2014
Gerald McCoy said he has too much respect for his teammates to sit out
Last week, Gerald McCoy did the ultimate in leadership. Felled by a knee injury — minor or serious, depending on who you believe — he decided he couldn’t sit on the sidelines and watch the rest of the Bucs-Lions game like a fan with a field pass.
Today in his weekly press conference, GMC explained why he had to suck up the injury and get back on the field.
In short, it had everything to do with his teammates.
“’Cause I love my team and felt my team need[ed] me,” GMC said. “There is no room for error with me. Regardless of what happens, my team needs me. Not from my performance, but my mentality, my leadership ability, my presence. My team, I just love them and I just couldn’t leave them out there seeing guys competing and giving it everything they had.
“I have been out before and I didn’t have the opportunity get back out there. This time I had the opportunity to get back in so I sent back out there and competed.
“I just went back out here. I was going to play so I played.”
GMC emphasized he neither sought nor was granted clearance by trainers or medical staff to return to the field.
Look, Joe loves GMC and he did this with every ounce of good intentions. In the bigger picture, it may not have been wise. It is not like the Bucs were in a playoff push, despite how miserable the NFC South smells this season. But playing on turf with a banged up knee, that is a receipe for disaster. This is what killed Robert Griffin III’s career; he played on a gimpy knee on rotten turf in a playoff game, aggravated it and has never been the same.
It’s one thing to blow out your knee in a playoff game. It’s quite another to destroy months of your career in a meaningless game. Joe really respects and appreciates what GMC was trying to do, but someone on the Bucs bench should have stolen his helmet.
As for the final three games, or as some like to call it, the “Chase for Jameis,” GMC said, “We will get to find out a whole lot about each other.”
December 11th, 2014 at 4:59 pm
As for the final three games, or as some like to call it, the “Chase for Marcus Mariota” . . .
December 11th, 2014 at 5:01 pm
That’s nice Gerald. Your teammates would appreciate it more if you were healthy for the rest of your career as opposed to risking injury in a meaningless situation. Much love for the heart though, but sometimes you gotta use the brain.
December 11th, 2014 at 5:02 pm
Give me a break GMC faked injury so he wouldn’t be compared to Suh that game. And he was smart to do it too cause Suh was dominant. McCown was running for his life out there. On the other hand GMC was nowhere to be found. We all know who the better DT is and it’s not GMC. Give me a break with the I got to be out there with my team BS. GMC is the opposite of a leader he’s a joke.
December 11th, 2014 at 5:15 pm
I don’t see how Suh and GMC can be compared in this game, our OL is the worst in the league and theirs isn’t close. GMC was double and triple teamed on every play that I could see and Suh was not.
December 11th, 2014 at 5:15 pm
^Someone has some serious issues
December 11th, 2014 at 5:16 pm
Aunt Geraldine: please stop with the bull$$$$hit! Yes you had a tipped pass late in the game. How did that go? Right into the RB’s hands for a TD. Lol. The first time he shows up all season late in a game to make a play and it ends up in a TD for the other team. This guy is not worth $100 million. I don’t care what anyone argues. He should be getting paid Jacquies Smith money. Smith has 6 sacks in limited duty. Yes I understand he plays a different position. But his hustle and relentlessness stand out over everyone on that line. Aunt Geraldine is the highest paid DT and all he does is hold up blocks. What a rip off.
December 11th, 2014 at 5:19 pm
So let me get this straight: He faked an injury so as not to be compared to the opposite DT? Never mind the fact that he came back into the game? And Suh is the better DT because he had a good day against the worst OL in the history of the NFL, regardless of the fact that GMC is a first team all Pro and has more sacks this year? And of course he is the opposite of a leader because of all these things?
I do detect an individual who is a joke, but it isn’t GMC.
December 11th, 2014 at 5:20 pm
McCoy should sit out. the season is over. why risk further injury. we will need him next year after lovernious smith and his staff are collecting unemployment checks.
December 11th, 2014 at 5:20 pm
I’m getting out of here before the stupidity overwhelms me.
December 11th, 2014 at 5:30 pm
It was a bruise, Joe. Somebody should have stolen his helmet because he wanted to play with a…bruise? This is the problem in Washington, RG3 was never held to the same standards as other players, he was given the star treatment, and the other players seriously resent him for that. There is no reason to sit McCoy and his fat contract if he is physically able to play…and he obviously was.
A bruise cannot make a person more susceptible to structural damage.
December 11th, 2014 at 5:37 pm
GMC dude get over yourself with that gladiator Russell crow talk. Whatever leadership skills he thinks he has why isn’t it rubbing off on his teammates
As a matter of fact GMC if you were any kind of leader like sapp or Brooks there’s no way you’d give Michael Johnson a pass for his play this year, no way would he play a weak game like this with sapp in the locker room, everybody including lovie is scared to call this guy out
December 11th, 2014 at 5:40 pm
I agree with you Eczeuten. Suh was triple teamed and McCoy was singled up throughout a large portion of that game when I was watching it. Suh was able to beat double teams on a couple of occasions and McCoy could barely get by singles. He is not a $100 million player but Suh is.
GMC, after the game, talked about how he shouldnt have been out there and now is saying he needs to be out there for his team. LOL. It would be nice if we could switch McCoy for Suh.
December 11th, 2014 at 5:46 pm
buc4lyfe, completely agree with you. everyone is too scared to call this guy out and thats why we have horribly leadership starting with the HC. GMC too worried abot his own image to know how a real leader should behave and act.
December 11th, 2014 at 5:47 pm
This locker room needs a new leader for good sakes can we get it from the quarterback position, 4 generations of bad quarterback play with a decent few agent here and there. I’m tired of listening to the leader of the Christian bible revival talk like a leader, we need a hole that makes teammates uncomfortable and a star at qb leading this team, Geraldine watched too much little mermaid
December 11th, 2014 at 5:55 pm
I hear you and it desperately needs to come from the QB position but I dont see it coming any time soon.
December 11th, 2014 at 6:12 pm
I have not previously commented on McCoy, but you doubters better get used to his presence with the Bucs. This is the “franchise guy” of the Bucs. Like it or not.
December 11th, 2014 at 6:39 pm
Jamesis my arse. If that’s the case I’ll be rooting for wins instead of the number 1 pick.. Bust in waiting..
December 11th, 2014 at 8:11 pm
I still wonder whether GMC can lead a team to be a winner. He is a great guy and an incredible player, but I just don’t see a team with great leaders, and he’s one of the declared ones. So I don’t know…
December 11th, 2014 at 9:10 pm
Hopefully all these Winston articals will end the same way the Johnny Manzel did last year and Jameis is anything but a Buccaneer!
December 12th, 2014 at 12:31 am
Gerald can do nothing right for some.
Further proving that fans aren’t very smart. Lol
Carry on with the circus!!
December 12th, 2014 at 8:58 am
jameis, jamarcus(russell)….jaBUSTis ? 🙂
December 12th, 2014 at 9:13 am
Everyone wanted GMC to be a leader and he has been trying all season. What do you all want now? Jeez.
December 12th, 2014 at 5:21 pm
I’m embarrassed as a Bucs fan to see all these other “fans” bad mouth our best player. You guys shouldn’t get to call yourself fans. You idiots would drive every great player out of town cause they aren’t Warren Sapp or derrek brooks. We do need more leadership on our team though, GMC can’t hold the whole team on his shoulders if we plan on making the playoffs