Former Bucs GM: Chucky Should Coach

December 26th, 2017

Former colleague chimes in.

The rock star has spoken.

Former Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik, also a former colleague of Chucky’s when both worked for Tampa Bay, has offered his opinion on whether or not Chucky decides to return to the coaching ranks.

Not only does Dominik, who obviously knows Chucky personally, have an idea when he will coach, but he offered three teams that will open the door for Chucky, if he wants to return.

Dominik seems to lean towards at Chucky returning at some point, but perhaps not this offseason. And it isn’t so much what team Chucky coaches, but what quarterback Chucky wants to coach.

“There are going to be four or five teams with a blank check,” Dominik offered. “I really think Jon will pick the quarterback he likes best. This will never be about the money. He has money. It is about the best fit for him and his life and the quarterback on your roster.”

Dominik suggested Chucky’s youngest son being a senior in high school complicates things. He believes Chucky is yearning to wait until his youngest son graduates from high school before he goes back to the sidelines.

Interestingly enough, it was prized JoeBucsFan.com columnist Ira Kaufman who first suggested this very same scenario last winter after talking to people close Chucky when he was inducted into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame. Ira also sat at Chucky’s table with the Gruden family and Mike Tirico.

As for three teams Dominik believes are in play for Chucky right now, it would be the Cowboys, the Raiders and your Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

You can hear Dominik’s full thoughts below. Audio courtesy of SiriusXM NFL Radio.

97 Responses to “Former Bucs GM: Chucky Should Coach”

  1. Waterboy Says:

    As long as the Glazers aren’t stupid enough to give him full control. If that’s the blank check he’s asking for let another team give it to him.

  2. AlteredEgo Says:

    So…it will be Dallas…..
    check QB
    check roster
    check…double check bank account
    check multiple SB’s
    check wailing Bucs

  3. Son of Kobe Faker Says:

    Deuce is a strength coach

    Jay is hc of wash

    Seems like the whole family loves football

    2 more sons getting into the family business

    “My father taught me everythong i know”

    Son of Kobe Faker

  4. mark2001 Says:

    Altered… So maybe Texas needs another football team? San Antonio Bucs?

  5. derrickbrooksforGM Says:

    I’m really ok with Koetter. The defense lost 4 games. The dumb ass GM cost 1 game. Not Koetter’s fault. Jameis looks great again, he’s the real deal. Can Mike Smith and bring in DB as president to make sure Dumb ass GM doesn’t draft retarded like his usual self.

  6. mark2001 Says:

    Ray Jay would be a great spot to start the worlds largest Flea Market…right Altered?

  7. DB55 Says:

    The only other franchise I could see him going to is NY. The Mecca of sports with a 2x SB mvp at the helm. The Brady-slayer.

    But he seems to get a boner whenever he talks about Jameis so idk but we shall see.

  8. Waterboy Says:

    Dallas won’t fire Garret but that would be a better fit for Gruden, they have a great Al Davis type of GM already in place. So Gruden’s job will strictly be coaching and nothing more.

  9. Greg Says:

    Cowboys aren’t ever going to fire Jason Garrett so they’re out. Raiders are a surprise contender. Very similar situation to Bucs but LA is very expensive place to live and no state income taxes here plus he already has a house in Tampa. I think this time around the Bucs owners will give him a lot more control. People forget free agents actually came here FOR Gruden. He got great players to come here at a time the Glaziers weren’t spending money. Doesn’t mean that’s the players he would target currently when the owners actually have been spending money!

  10. DB55 Says:

    Db4gm

    Wasn’t it suggested just last week that Aguayo was the glaziers pick? I’ve always said the lil glazier is the worst micro-manager in the world but was assured that the glaziers do not involve themselves in personnel decisions. Jeez I wonder what I would know if I had a press credential?

  11. BucFanFromOH Says:

    What is wrong with that girls hand in the pic? Elbow down looks like a fake arm lol, especially the hand.

  12. AlteredEgo Says:

    D5…Chucky gets a boner talking about every player….that is his game….Gruden has not lost a football game since he left the Bucs….it’ll play out …IMO…if I were he…I’d go to college….mold able players….huge rosters….the X’s and O’s have not changed since he left the NFL sidelines…but the mentality and egos of the player have….Tampa is a rebuilding franchise and next year is not near the top of completing the rebuild

  13. Greg Says:

    If memory serves (Which is not always the case) I believe when Gruden was in control AND the glaziers were spending money we got Simeon Rice, Joe Jerevicious, Keenan McCardell, Ricky Dudley, Michael Pittman, Ken Dilger, and O-Line help in one offseason… Just sayin.

  14. Joe Says:

    DB:

    Bucs are not owned by glasscutters.

  15. Jmarkbuc Says:

    Pretty sure Rice was already here.

    The rest of those guys were journeyman, by and large

  16. lambchop Says:

    Jerruh Jones has a bromance with Jason Garrett. To a degree, if you don’t piss off Jerruh or challenge him, he is loyal to a fault. He has given coaches and players a lot of his time and patience over the years.

    If it is Dallas it won’t be this offseason. Dallas would have to tank to a top 5 pick for Jerruh to fire Jason Garrett. The Cowboys were dogged by Zeke’s on again/off again suspension. So, there is no way in heck Jason is going to get fired for this lousy season.

    If the Glazers want Chucky back and they think it won’t happen this offseason, watch for the Glazers to keep Koetter one more year or just decide to move on from the fantasy and go after someone like Bruce Arians.

  17. mark2001 Says:

    Sorry guys…Gruden to college is ridiculous. You think he has some issues with dealing with 25 to 30 year old young men…try 18 year old kids. He doesn’t want to be “daddy” at their home away from home. And he doesn’t want to kiss mom and daddy’s backside to help get junior to sign at his school.

  18. AlteredEgo Says:

    pretty sure Rice was already here too….I remember seeing him at training camp @ the old Pigeon Poop stadium..they had blocking dummies set up in front of the stands and DL’s & LB’s weaved thru them batting and swatting as treat for the crowd….the G’Boyz were walking among smiling and glad handing….

  19. Son of Kobe Faker Says:

    Theres 1 person that will be the deciding factor

    Mrs jon gruden

    She isnt a young wife going across the country as her young husband is trying to make a name for himself

    She aint moven…..except to 1 buc place where her husband and son(s) will be working

    Son of Kobe Faker

  20. Pelbuc Says:

    As long as our dumbass GM gets fired, things should improve. Aguayo, re-signing Martin and bringing in Baker and many more blunders doomed this team. Licht is clueless on player evaluation.

  21. lambchop Says:

    The Raiders make the most sense as he has a team on the cusp of going deep into the playoffs. And he could pull a LeBron and come back and make good on a job he left incomplete. What a story book ending to his coaching career.

    He would have to work miracles and need a couple of seasons to get the Bucs ship back on course. And he doesn’t have a set defense here in Tampa.

    The more I think about it, the more I realize the Tampa reunion is a pipe dream. This is a shipwreck with the next coach inheriting a colossal mess. Next year is going to be a rebuilding year. New DL, new OL pieces, new RB, hopefully some new CBs and maybe a S. Doug Martin gone, TJ Ward gone, Demar Dotson on the bench, maybe DJax traded.

  22. lambchop Says:

    Oh yea, Chris Fatty Baker gone.

  23. Jason Says:

    Jerry Jones fired Jimmy Johnson because of ego and people think Jon Gruden would fit there. Plus criteria requires a great quarterback after yesterday Dak Prescott is never going to be referred to as a great quarterback.

  24. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    Rock Star….my a$$….Dominick “The Disaster”

  25. BringBucsBack Says:

    Whatever Dumbanic says to do; do the opposite.

  26. AlteredEgo Says:

    Gawd…it is a Hot Mess…

  27. 813bucboi Says:

    the bucs will be his choice…..

    you have to be nuts if you think jerry and jon can get along for an entire nfl season…..jerry likes puppets…..jon is far from that…..

    raiders?…nah….

    gruden loves Winston….loves tampa….and the glazers would give gruden all the time in the world to turn things around….GO BUCS!!!!

  28. lambchop Says:

    The only coaches that would be attracted to this job would be a coordinator ready to take on a HC job. How lousy is that? We’ll be back to being the NFL coaching training grounds unless the Glazers go after a really promising coordinator. They would have to pay big bucs to get an experienced HC to come here. The Giants job would be more attractive, the Cardinals job (if rumors are true) would be more attractive, the Raiders job (I don’t see Jack Del Rio being fired this go around) would be more attractive. Out of the Bengals, Browns, Bears, and Bucs jobs, I’d say the Bengals are in a better position with a solid group of players and an owner who has a long leash, even the Browns job with all the high draft picks would be attractive. The Bears also have a good core group of players with a talented young QB. We will be the ugly duckling left to scrape the bottom of the talent pool.

  29. Oxycondoms Says:

    Anyone thing gruden improved his skills in terms of acquiring players with his gruden camps and with his travels in the booth he spent a lot of time taking a closer look at current players ie potential free agents also admiring different assistant coaches play calling as well. He may have improved his weaknesses while he was gone . He won a super bowl basically got Oakland there also a couple times if it weren’t for the tuck rule and him leaving his last year to improve on that who in the hell can the Bucs Get that’s better and that’s wants to coach for the glazers unless it’s an up and coming coach like the rams pulled off but I don’t trust that the glazers have the smarts to realize those that type of potential

  30. Greg Says:

    Bucs couldn’t win on the road, Bucs couldn’t beat Philly, Bucs couldn’t win under 40 degrees. All those things were mental blocks Gruden shattered his first season. After a decade of losing I think we need someone like that

  31. Oxycondoms Says:

    Next time I’ll proof read

  32. ScottyinFatAntonio Says:

    Whatever the Rockstar says, say or do the exact opposite and you will be fine. There is a reason why he is still not a GM.

  33. Doctor Stroud Says:

    Spandau Ballet-lovin’ ex-GM Mark Dominik is probably projecting his own wish of becoming a GM again. Gruden’s return to coaching would be his best shot of returning to a front office somewhere, even if it is starting out as a coffee boy. True!

  34. 813bucboi Says:

    AlteredEgo Says:
    December 26th, 2017 at 3:09 pm
    Tampa is a rebuilding franchise and next year is not near the top of completing the rebuild

    we’re not rebuilding….we’ll be retooling with competent coaches!!!!!!…..funny how the members of the dirk fan club say he’ll go everywhere but tampa….

    face it….dirk is a goner…..you can get up with @realist and help him pack his sh!t!!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!

  35. lambchop Says:

    @813bucboi,

    As an announcer and with his piece on QBs coming out of the draft, Gruden has not said one bad thing about any QB in the league. He “loves” them all.

    What makes you so sure he would rather work with Winston and not Carr? If I had to choose a QB for the Bucs, Carr > Winston. Simple.

  36. stevbobucfan Says:

    I am with other buc fans I would not give Gruden or any other coach full control of personal. This is what happen to Gruden last time. it wasnt his coaching but the people he brought in through free agency and the draft. I like Gruden liked his offense but complete control I don’t think is good. I would like to see the bucs bring in O’Brian to work with J.Licht if he leaves Houston and Koetter is let go. look like he may not be in Houston next year, it seems he does a decent job with QBs and I think not sure but I think he and Licht has work together before but all in all Koetter, Gruden or O’Brian would be ok but the defensive staff need to be replaced. bad defensive calls, poor tackling and players that seem to be out of position is all on the defensive staff

  37. JabooBuc Says:

    Derek Carr is not Jameis Winston. Gruden can Winn multiple championships with JW. As much as this team needs lineman, both defense and offense, imagine if they were to draft Barkley and had Gruden.

    Offense would be scary.

  38. DB55 Says:

    Joe

    Glass cutters? Excuse my ignorance I’m not sure what you mean by glass cutters.

  39. crazy Says:

    Jason, Dominick wants your job… Update your resume, such as it is.

  40. AlteredEgo Says:

    G’Boyz may put the franchise up for sale…perfect time to entertain offers with the Panthers on the block too….bidding war….NFL is at a tipping point

  41. Eric Says:

    Carr looked awful last night and Oakland is a hell hole. Plus personal income tax.

    Dak has also stunk and Jerry Jones loves Garrett.

    Stay home Gru, Jameis is setting records, just needs some small adjustments to protect the ball. Evans, Brate, Howard……………..Chucky has to be drooling.

    That ESPN gig may not hold, lots of layoffs. Get some more Glazer cash.

    I’m hoping Rock Star got something right for the first time in his life.

  42. 813bucboi Says:

    Lamb

    simple…..gruden and Winston share the same type of passion…..share the same type of competitive spirit….

    you choosing carr over Winston?….LOL….didn’t he go in the second round?…..im taking Winston all day and it aint because he’s a national champ, Heisman trophy winner and former #1 overall pick……GO BUCS!!!!

  43. mark2001 Says:

    lamb…the more I think about it is that if the Bucs don’t sign a coach of the stature of Gruden, I won’t see another Championship in Tampa during my life time. Sadly, I probably only have another 25 to 30 years left.

  44. EA Says:

    Only Chucky can break the ” Curse of Chucky”. One more week to go.

  45. WyomingBucsFan Says:

    Gruden has intimated he did not have full control over player personnel when he was here. Look it up!
    I sure hope he is brought back so he can turn this train wreck of a team around.

  46. not there yet Says:

    Koetter is a good coach I guess but his overall management of games the team and it’s players says he’s below average at best and not for to be head coach, if he was only a coordinator then I still wouldn’t want him another year. If gruden wants total control that’s a deal breaker for me and in that case I’d go with either coordinator of the Patriots. Schwartz would be an ok pick as well as my preference is to either have a coach offensive coach like gruden that would submerge himself into the quarterback and offense or a defensive mind that would do the same on that side of the ball but get our QB all the help he needs. Keeping koetter is out of the question

  47. DB55 Says:

    Gruden might be the only coach out there that can beat bellicheat. Gruden and Carroll but we know how that ended.

  48. Rod Munch Says:

    WyomingBucsFan – Gruden says lots of things – but fact is he threw a hissy fit and ran to the Glazers to get Rich McKay fired after McKay refused to sign a bunch of really old washed up players, including Andre Rison who couldn’t even break a 5.0 40-time. After McKay was fired he personally got Bruce Allen hired, who at the time was being billed as a cap specialist. Allen was just Gruden’s stooge and mainly worked getting contracts done – but there is no doubt who was calling the shots. That’s why it’s laughable when Gruden talks about how he wished he had a young QB to work with in Tampa – he didn’t want one or he’d have drafted one. All the QBs I’ve heard that worked with Gruden, in particular Chris Simms, says he hated young QBs and always wanted vets – and that’s why he didn’t anyone – yet signed every FA QB he could find and even did stuff like trade for Jake Plummer after he retired.

  49. Dave Pear Says:

    DB,
    Glazier=glass cutter.

  50. Steven007 Says:

    DB, a person who cuts glass is known as a glazier. You misspelled Glazer.

  51. SB Says:

    No way Chucky goes to Dallas. He wants FULL control and no way Jerry gives him that.

  52. Steven007 Says:

    Pear beat me to it, sorry for the repeat info.

  53. AlteredEgo Says:

    R Munch just dropped a Reality Bomb…….

  54. AlteredEgo Says:

    DB,
    Glazier=glass cutter
    D5 missed that in edicutt class

  55. DB55 Says:

    I still don’t get it. It’s okay though my best man graduated from Harvard I refer to him for all my etiquette questions.

  56. TouchDownTampaBay Says:

    Uh Greg, Las Vegas is pretty cheap to live and the Raiders will be there soon enough.

  57. AlteredEgo Says:

    B5
    Glaziers :: Job Description. Install glass in windows, skylights, store fronts, and display cases, or on surfaces, such as building fronts, interior walls, ceilings, and tabletops. Confer with customers to determine project requirements or to provide cost estimates.

  58. TouchDownTampaBay Says:

    Really not sure where you comment about LA was coming from anyway. Did you take a trip in the way back machine?

  59. Broy34CantWaitForTheGrudenAnnouncement Says:

    First of all Cowboys aren’t firing Garrett- Jerry Jones already announced it. More crap from alteredego aka the grinch who stole joebucsfan comment section
    Second of all Prescott had his true colors shown and he’s not good. Those who knew football on this site all said it. Look at he archives. Best o line best running back played well. Best o lineman gone best runnning back gone and he’s trash
    Third of all Gruden wants to coach the Bucs and it’s been established
    Fourth of all Jon Gruden is the only person that could be named head coach that will singlehandedly sell tickets and bring us back. That’s what the glazers want
    The deed is done it’s just 6-8 days from being announced. I’ll take bets. I’ve been saying it for a month or two. It. Is. Happening.

  60. DB55 Says:

    Steve

    Gotcha misspelling ha! Good one! You guys are so funny!

  61. WyomingBucsFan Says:

    Rod Munch is speculating like all fans do. No reality there at all. Gruden is a pure football man and you fans should be fortunate he is even considering a return to this team.

  62. Son of Kobe Faker Says:

    Ron munch

    Simms is equivalent to houston yates, gabbert, foles mcoy

    Who would want that. I would be afraid if did want that young trash…like simms

    Which young qb was succesful after they left gruden?

    Grudog is indeed a qb guru…who never than the arm talent that jameis has

    Jameis footwork , balance, mechanics is a mess. He is going to have to undo the sloppy mechanics and get his accuracy and arm delievery even better

    Gruden will teach the game to jameis, so that he will be like a coach on the field and the game will even be more slower ala rich gannon

  63. Broy34CantWaitForTheGrudenAnnouncement Says:

    Hey Rod can you cite your sources on that please and thanks.your Winston takes are spot on but don’t act like you’ve been behind the scenes. Please and thanks 🙂

  64. derrickbrooksforGM Says:

    DB55 Says:
    December 26th, 2017 at 4:42 pm
    I still don’t get it. It’s okay though my best man graduated from Harvard I refer to him for all my etiquette questions.

    Um… Harvard… of the Ozarks… cause you are and will always be a DBAG55 brudda.

  65. Son of Kobe Faker Says:

    Raiders?

    They gave jack del rio a extension after they went 12-4 and into the playoffs

    Del rio aint going no where…lol

    This sh!t must be from the jim harbaugh posters …lol

  66. Tackleblockwin Says:

    I can’t see Gruden and Jerry Jones getting along lol. The Glazers are laid back, much less of a problem for him day to day.

  67. Eric Says:

    Talk all the smack you want about Chucky, but no way Koetter will ever come close to his accomplishments.

    Eleven years coaching, only three losing seasons, five division titles, 8-6 playoff record, and Super Bowl Champs. Pretty damn good.

    You can stack all the losers together that the Glazer boys have hired since Chucky was canned and they have accomplished didley squat.

    He can go sign Bart Starr Biletnikoff as far as I am concerned, at least we wont get laughed out of the stadium anymore.

  68. ndog Says:

    Well if its about QB then he will be coming to Tampa as Jameis is light years better that Dak or Carr. Those guys have had great olines and very good running games and have won exactly the same thing as Jameis, which is jack!

  69. WyomingBucsFan Says:

    Spot on Eric. Keep showing these fans what’s up!

  70. mark2001 Says:

    Munch…you really went off the deep end this time.

    McKay was gone when his pick for HC, Marvin Lewis, was rejected. No GM would stay after his choice in the most important thing he does, hiring the HC, is ground into the dust and he has the rug pulled out from under him.

    He tried to make it work that first year with Gruden. But Gruden wasn’t his guy…and after the SB victory, he said, I’m out of here.

  71. crazy Says:

    The more Gruden built the team he wanted, the more they lost and the more the players tired of his two-faces and the more the fans wanted his head but none of that matters anymore. Or does it?

  72. mark2001 Says:

    crazy talk. He went from one fire to another…no first and second round picks for a few year, salary cap hell and cutting players to squeeze under, an aging D, Man U money tied up instead of signing talent high cost FA’s, and then Monte bails on him midyear. Those players that you said called him “two faced” came back to celebrate his ring induction…maybe he did make promises he didn’t keep…because player skills were eroding and he couldn’t keep them anymore. And as far as fans? Other than ticket buying fans, doesn’t mean squat. Most only believe what some website or media personality tells them. We don’t know the full story. So no..it doesn’t matter. What does matter is that the coaching was pistol poor this year.

  73. Cobraboy Says:

    The Bucs owners have to interview a minority before hiring Gruden if Gruden is their guy.

  74. AlteredEgo Says:

    I am offended by the use of the term “minority “….how come that has not been exploited yet….

  75. DB55 Says:

    Harvard of Cambridge Mass. lmao. When I found out I was surprised too. Up north we ghetto but we smart too. They’re not mutually exclusive.

  76. 813bucboi Says:

    gruden cant be named bucs HC until the last nfl game is played on bspn….GO BUCS!!!!

  77. Bucthis Says:

    I’m not even promoting Gruden, but people forget we gave up 2 1st rd and 2 2nd rd picks to get him. That after we gave up I believe 2 1st or 2nd rd picks for Keshawn. We couldn’t draft any talent for years. Not to mention salary cap he’ll. The Glaziers let it all ride to get that ring no matter what it did to their future. God bless them for it too or we wouldn’t have that Super Bowl to brag about. Bucs are in way different shape now cap shape and draft picks. Not saying Gruden can turn it all around but it is a much better long term position than it was then.

  78. Bobby M. Says:

    The Texans have Watson at QB….insane defense and a top 5 pick.

  79. Son of Kobe Faker Says:

    With the 4th pick gruden/licht if the cards fall in tampas favor, can get a huge ransom if teams go qb crazy

    We can be 2018 la rams very easily….the key is

    The right defensive coordinator

  80. AlteredEgo Says:

    Bucthis….voids in draft classes…Kenyatta was a 1 and a 2…another big hole…and there were a few other fails @ OL in that era….been rebuilding, but in denial, ever since….GM come clean and make a realistic statement about where this roster is at and what the plan is…folks think every off season worst to first….

  81. StPeteBucsFan Says:

    Agree that Chucky has a large selection…especially if his search is really over the next two years and not for a job this year.

    First…Dallas…owner Jerry Jones UNCHECK!!! Why would Gruden want to deal with that squirrel. Talk about an interfering owner!!!

    The Bucs in two years…makes the most sense IF Koetter stays a year and doesn’t turn it around. Of course if he stays and makes the playoffs gonna be hard to fire him then.

    The Raiders makes the exact same sense as the Bucs. Give Del Rio another year and see what happens. If it blows up Chucky is waiting in the wings.

  82. DB55 Says:

    Bruce Arain will be available on tuesday and he and licht have history.

  83. mark2001 Says:

    Bucthis…Key was traded for before Gruden was signed…and then we gave an additional two firsts and seconds…. And why would this team become devoid of talent within a decade? And no big spending on top flight FA’s with the ManU purchase. I know Jon gets everything he can out of a team…but with all those picks lost, makes you wonder how he ever won more than a handful of games after 2002/3.

  84. MadMax Says:

    I think Gruden is coming back to Tampa….i just feel it and i trust my gut feelings. And Im ok with it. Maybe Coach K can stick around as the OC if he’s ok with it….probably wont be, but just thinking. Def need a new DC though…..Rex Ryan maybe? i dont know.

  85. MadMax Says:

    And I LOVE Bruce Arians…..would love it if he came in….Jit would get done!

  86. TouchDownTampaBay Says:

    Crazy how this rumor mill gets going. Gruden ain’t coming here. All of this stuff is wishful thinking IMO.

  87. mark2001 Says:

    So your opinion is based upon the same thoughts that Gruden would be best as a college coach? Somehow that doesn’t convince me one way or the other.

  88. Roy T. Buford Says:

    @STPeteBucsFan…your predictions and logic make perfect sense…and are very realistic considering all. I do think Koetter gets another year. Get him off play calling. Fix edge rush and start the season with a decent kicker and that’s several more wins right there. Figure out Jameis and the Uber thing…and if they part with Jameis end of next season over it and turn in another stinker year, then in comes another coach who gets to draft his QB and develop him.

  89. Debbie does Tampa Says:

    If Jason.L stays and he get to pick another coach I think it might be Bruce.A, he’s not going back to Arizona.

  90. mark2001 Says:

    Can’t wait another year…. if we were 7-9, 6-10 maybe….. a little regression from last year. But 4-12 or 5-11? And losing against every other division opponent… five games behind the closest team? Do you guys really know how bad that is? Think about it. Disgrace. I think he is gone. And it isn’t as if we started 0-8 and won half of our last eight games.

  91. stevbobucfan Says:

    thanks rod munch you remembered as I did when Gruden was in Tampa so we don’t have to look it up

  92. Rod Munch Says:

    Guys, with all that said about Gruden I’d still rather have him as HC as opposed to Dirk – I’m just pointing out that Gruden destroyed the SB winning team that was handed to him by Dungy. If you want “facts” then just look at the decisions made right after the 2003 season after Gruden forced McKay out, what did Gruden do? Well he let Sapp walk and he cut Lynch – and then he complained about the salary cap…. except he then turned around and signed an injured Charlie Garner to a big money deal and signed a bunch of old offensive linemen – and about 8 other guys. Garner of course never did anything with the Bucs – which is why you don’t sign 32-year old injured running backs to big deals with large signing bonuses. Other plays he signed that 2004 offseason included HAll of Famer Tim Brown! Oh boy… well Tim Brown averaged 8.1 yards per catch – and he was 38.

    On the positive side Gruden did a couple of good things… he traded Keyshawn for Joey Galloway, which turned out to be a really good trade. He took RB Thomas Jones off the scrap heap and made him very productive (of course he didn’t resign him and let him walk as well… to sign Charlie Garner).

    For the draft his record wasn’t very good, but injuries was a lot of it, players like Cadillac Williams might have had a very long and productive career if it wasn’t for his injuries. Also you had a star safety in Tanard Jackson who would rather get high than play football. Michael Clayton had a great rookie year, and then just faded away. Looking at every draft from 2004 to 2008 there’s a lot of players who played – I’m not sure his draft history is as bad as many think – he just didn’t have any star players. Talib is probably his biggest hit, of course he wasn’t around by the time he was a star player (and he wasn’t with the Bucs for that matter since the Jersey Trash ™ Schiano gave him away to the Pats). Just keep the current draft people in place and problem solved.

  93. mark2001 Says:

    Rod…he didn’t “destroy it”….the guys got old and a couple…Mike and John, incurred horrible injuries. JJ was taken out with Mike…what a bad break.

    Unless you turn the team older with comparable talent, that always happens. And whether it was the multitude of traded first and second round draft picks or poor drafting, that didn’t happen. Our window was from 1999 to 2003…the injuries torched 2003. Now you can blame Tony for the years after 1999 until we actually won the SB. And let’s not forget the salary cap hell and the Man U financial effect. My point? There was a confluence of things that hampered Gruden, especially the price of bringing him here. I’m sure you remember the huge gamble we all knew it was, and that it would hamper our organization for years. But we need to look at the entire story.

  94. SOEbuc Says:

    I’m very interested in Ariens possibly if it’s not Chucky. Ariens says this talk of retirment is just not true. And Ariens worked with Jason Licht in Arizona. So this is something that’s on my mind.

  95. NFLNut Says:

    5 RUMORED OPEN COACHING POSITIONS … AND HOW I BELIEVE GRUDEN WOULD RANK THEIR QB’S

    #1 JAMEIS WINSTON

    #2 DEREK CARR

    #3 ELI MANNING

    #4 MITCH TRUBISKY

    #5 CARSON PALMER

  96. NFLNut Says:

    ^ HOWEVER … it would be much easier to win the AFC West with the Raiders than the loaded NFC South with the Bucs … so … who knows.

  97. lambchop Says:

    @813bucboi,

    Don’t be a Jameis homer. The guy has how many fumbles and turnovers since his FSU days? I’m a FSU fan, but Jameis plain sucks right now. Stats are for losers – ask Dan Marino. We play os far behind that we have no choice but to air it out. And weren’t for Mike Evans grabbing 50/50 balls, Winston would have more INTs.

    Derek Carr had some coaching changes and 3 broken bones in his lower back this season. Don’t forget the cancer that is Beast Mode. Derek Carr will run circles around Jameis and take my word for it – Derek Carr will win a Super Bowl before Jameis Winston sniffs the NFC Championship game.

    So what if Carr wasn’t drafted #1 overall? Draft position means absolutely nothing. Ask Joe Montana, Tom Brady, Jamarcus Russell, and Ryan Leaf.