“Don’t Tell Me I Need To Mature And Not Give Me A Chance To Mature”

August 1st, 2019

Bruce Arians’ coaching style is critiqued

It was very interesting to hear Larry Fitzgerald recently talk about how he likes differences in his new head coach Kliff Kingsbury compared the ways of Bruce Arians.

And another former Arians and current Cardinals player has weighed in.

He’s offensive tackle D.J. Humphries.

If you looked up the term “bust” in a football almanac, you might find a definition that includes Arians’ first-round picks in Arizona. Humphries is one of them.

Here’s a quick review:

2013 Jonathan Cooper, No. 7 overall, Guard – BUST
2014 Deone Bucannon, No. 27 overall, Safety/Linebacker – Didn’t perform to draft level, now with Bucs.
2015 D.J. Humphries, No. 24 overall, Left Tackle – Has played in just 27 games through four seasons.
2016 Robert Nkemdiche, No. 29, Defensive Tackle – After two rough seasons, he finally was having a breakout season last year but blew his knee out in November. Cut this week after being declared out of shape by his coach.
2017 Haason Reddick, No. 13 overall, Linebacker – Lost starting job to begin the 2018 season, came on strong in second half of the year. A work in progress.

Humphries hopped on 98.7 FM in Arizona this week and talked about how the media loved Arians but not necessarily his players.

“Don’t tell me I need to mature and not give me a chance to mature,” Humphries said, noting that was a clash he had early in his career under Arians.

Humphries went on to say his former regime would scream at young men transitioning to manhood and was inconsistent in their approach.

“You can’t tell me all day that you have to do this because you’re a grown man. You have to do this because you’re grown man. And I make a mistake and you talk to me like a child.,” Humphries said. “We can’t play that game because I pay the same bills that you pay.”

This is very interesting to Joe because of how much Arians emphasized that the Bucs’ current rookie class is the most mature he’s ever been around. If you buy in to what Humphries says, then this class might be the perfect fit for the Arians style of coaching.

46 Responses to ““Don’t Tell Me I Need To Mature And Not Give Me A Chance To Mature””

  1. The Buc Realist Says:

    All unicorns and roses coming out of ole stale biscuit!!!!!!! Can’t wait to see how the mature players react when things start going south and the coaches start blaming them!!!!!!!!!!! How quickly will things go from talking trash, to looking like trash!!!!!!!!!!! While the whole time the sheep wonder what happened!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    2019 will reveal answers to the sheep, that the “real” fans already know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  2. sincethebeginning Says:

    One man’s complaining does not a reality make.

    There’s an old saying about learning more about a complainer than what he’s complaining about. What this late bloomer is saying tells us more about him than it does about Arians and his previous coaching staff, in other words.

    Unless there are a whole bunch of other dudes saying that same thing, I would consider this just a little glimpse into a mediocre Cardinals player’s psychology and nothing more.

  3. Todd Says:

    Methinks BA doesn’t suffer fools lightly.

  4. Anonymous Says:

    Im willing to bet there are a lot more players that like him than players that dont, but one guys opinion should really briing the sheep(oops, I meant real fans) out of the cracks lmao!!!!!!!

  5. JA Says:

    Funny–not everybody, amongst 50-60 hard labor employees, loves his boss.
    That’s a first!

  6. BucEmUp Says:

    Im willing to bet there are a lot more players that like him than players that dont, but one guys opinion should really briing the sheep(oops, I meant real fans) out of the cracks lmao!!!!!!!

  7. J Says:

    Ira… fire these 2 jacknuts called “JOES” and hire guys that report more than just some BS garbage. You guys f#@$ing suck, literally, ya suck.

  8. Defense Rules Says:

    Why are you doing this Joe? Some players on ANY team will love the coach, while others will hate his guts.

    Remember Les Steckel? Ex-OC for Tony Dungy. Too tough on the players, and yet the Bucs that year scored the most points (388 pts) they’d ever scored to that time … with Shaun King as their QB … and went to the playoffs with a 10-6 record. Steckel only lasted 1 year here in Bucsville. Too tough … not exactly known as a player’s coach.

    Remember Greg Schiano? Best known for his tough-guy defensive approach and yet in 2012 his Bucs offense, with Mike Sullivan as OC, scored 389 pts that year. Schiano wasn’t exactly known as a player’s coach either. He obviously was never a candidate for the Raheem Morris Friendly Coach Award.

    I wonder if folks would’ve considered John McKay to be a player’s coach. After some of the classic cutting remarks he used to utter about players after losing games, I wonder what the players REALLY thought. You know, quips like “We didn’t tackle well today but we made up for it by not blocking.”

    Or one that GMC would’ve liked … On the play of Joe Namath in the Jets’ 34-0 victory over Tampa Bay, “Namath is still Namath, but I must say that our guys were nice to him. I noticed when they knocked him down, they helped him to his feet. That was gentlemanly. I thought one stood around long enough to get his autograph.”

  9. Buddy Says:

    UH OH!!!! Ya’ll finding out more about Grandpa with some of the skeletons from his closet. From reading half of you most of you are ready to make the old dude Mayor and he’s never won crap (as a Head coach. not Asst.)

  10. Don_RyJo(e) Says:

    Its sad when people can’t take responsibility for their own failures and instead have to blame somebody else years later.

  11. AwShbucs Says:

    In Realists demented mind, Bruce Arians is a worse coach than Dirk Koetter and Mike Smith.

    The evidence for that being the case is nonexistent.

    The only sheep here is you Realist. Koetter and Smith are your shepherds and you are a member of their virtually nonexistent flock.

    Wake. Up.

  12. TonyC Says:

    Could you please provide coverage of today’s practice.

  13. ThatHappened Says:

    JBF has really taken a turn for the worse the past year with click bait articles and ignorant hot takes. You might think the Skip Bayliss or MadDog routine will get you more hits but in 2019 this is also an ignorant take. Let’s hope you can improve the quality of your posts, especially as we’re in football season now.

  14. Kalind Says:

    Lol. Sounds like a Nancy to me. Sorry he got his feewings huwt. Poor thing. Hope he can continue on.

  15. Mike Johnson Says:

    If Arians cannot win with his super large staff (one if not the biggest in the NFl)
    You can most certainly count on me, Mike Johnson to be the ringleader on this site with..The rope at the front of the mob!

  16. Pryda...Sec147 Says:

    This guy sounds like a loser. Don’t need that weak crap mentality

  17. Lamarcus Says:

    It’s always underachievers and bust talking smack. That’s why they underachieve. It’s their mindset like DJ Humphreys. He don’t have a right to say anything like that about anyone

  18. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    If Joe ran a BA popularity poll…..BA would win by a landslide……huge numbers…..but there would still be a small percentile that didn’t like him….the same goes for players and coaches…..
    The only ones who count are the ones currently under him…….

  19. BucAllNight Says:

    Realist you need a girlfriend man… take it easy bro.

    Go Bucs!!!

  20. Buccaroo Says:

    So far my Bruce Arians fan poll has it at 58k for, 2 against.
    (disgruntled employees)

  21. Ndog Says:

    If it is not clear by now this website simply posts items in an attempt to start controversy amongst us fans. Their is no desire to create a fan base as this site has become all about $$$$$. I get it but it just sucks that we can’t have a site that really is all about being a fan of the team instead of just trying to drive traffic by getting the fans to argue. 100% serious no malice meant by these comments, as I totally get it, it is just very clear what the desire has become which is not what drew people to this site.

  22. BucAllNight Says:

    @J:

    I’m with ya Cowterd, Skip Bayless, and now the Joes.

    Just writing and spewing stuff for clicks…

    I mean this is one of the only weeks we have 90 PLAYERS on our roster… you can do backgroud pieces or diamond in rough articles on any of them yet yall continue this BS.

    Main reason I’ve been finding myself on Pewter Report, Bucsnation, and Bucswire more and more lately.

    Keep this up Joe you will loose more people than you gain

    Go Bucs

  23. Beligerentbuc Says:

    This basically says:

    BA knows we have great talent on this team…that’s why he took the job.
    Same thing in Arizona and stepping up in Indy. He can coach up talented players.

    Just don’t let him draft players. It’s clearly a p!ss poor record.

  24. Duthsty Rhothdes Says:

    The more important thing is that between Arians & Licht they cannot evaluate college talent and that doesnt bode well if you need to build a football team

  25. Raceto10 Says:

    Couple things…. wasn’t Johnathan cooper the guy who came off the couch the week the Bucs played his new team and stoned walked our d line. And if dude is a bust it probably was from the neck up shop why is he even being interviewed 4 years later he can’t make a roster. Head coaches singer perfect and not everyone should like them.

    Funny how dirk and lovie didn’t get any credit for guys perceived to be a bust around here. So that’s is still on the gm, they just drafted two quarterbacks in a row with a first overall pick and the 10th, did he hop top BA for that stupid advice?

  26. Buc_U Says:

    And right on cue, here comes Nega-Joe to rescue us from being optimistic about our team. Forget all the people that have spoke highly of Bruce, some have even come to coach for the man they love him so much. But Nega-Joe does not care. 1 disgruntled player, who was a bust I might add, and Nega-Joe can’t wait to spread some negativity to get us riled up. Well it’s not working on us, we see through your shenanigans, but your Negettes and definitely taking the bait.

  27. Oneilbucs Says:

    Ndog that’s why I don’t comment about Jamies no more. Cause it’s all ways negative. All we do on this site is fight against each other. My hold point is that we stand behind our team regardless who’s on the team. I don’t bash Jamies cause he’s on the team and I see something in Jamies that I know he can help us win games with a good defense and running game. I really don’t care about stats I don’t care about turnovers that much cause ain’t no quarterback is not going to throw interceptions. That’s just part of the game. So all the people on this site who wants Jamies gone and they hope he fails I’m done with the debates about it . I’m going to root for my bucs and enjoy the football season. I will comment only if it’s a positive post about our team or a new player that’s doing good !!!!! Go bucs

  28. BringBucsBack Says:

    Screw patience! We are Bucs fans. We are tired of choking on patience!

  29. Jmarkbuc Says:

    Ndog

    I rarely say this, but you are exactly right. Hard to be a fan.

    It’s all about eyeballs to the page and ad click through ‘s.

    I do take solace in being righter than you the other 99% of the time🤭

  30. Youngbucs Says:

    “Don’t Tell Me I Need To Mature And Not Give Me A Chance To Mature” Translation let me take an underachiever’s whiney complaint to point blame on a 2 time coach of the year award winner? So Bruce made the wrong decision in bringing the little turd/s in however every team gets a few bad apples boot em out and move on I’ll reserve judgment until the end of the season. Click bait controversy

  31. AlabamaBucsFan Says:

    BA won two “coaches of the year.” There is a reason for his.

    Who cares if some of the higher draft picked didn’t live up to BA expectation. He found others who did the job and won games for him.

  32. AlabamaBucsFan Says:

    Ndog says, “f it is not clear by now this website simply posts items in an attempt to start controversy amongst us fans. Their is no desire to create a fan base as this site has become all about $$$$$. I get it but it just sucks that we can’t have a site that really is all about being a fan of the team instead of just trying to drive traffic by getting the fans to argue. 100% serious no malice meant by these comments, as I totally get it, it is just very clear what the desire has become which is not what drew people to this site.”

    Didn’t see this the last two years writing on this site, but this year Joe is out of control . So negative just to start a conversation and to bring up more clicks to his website. I can put up with all the silly postings Joe writes but all the stupid and nick picking negativity really annoys you.

  33. Anonymous Says:

    Everybody out here knows Humphries is soft. They didn’t even play him his rookie year because he couldn’t get on the field, and then you saw him with the rest of that offense last year. Also, Buchanan was not a bust. Injuries have slowed him down, but he was very good his first three years under Arians.

  34. Silent_Partner Says:

    Everybody out here knows Humphries is soft. They didn’t even play him his rookie year because he couldn’t get on the field, and then you saw him with the rest of that offense last year. Also, Buchanan was not a bust. Injuries have slowed him down, but he was very good his first three years under Arians. Bottom line is that he got a team with about 8-8 talent to 13-3 and the NFC championship game. That’s magic.

  35. Rod Munch Says:

    What a crybaby.

  36. FairMinded Says:

    Anyone who has ever led a group of people and tried to get the best out of them has run into this kind of crybaby where it’s always everyone else’s fault they can’t reach potential.

  37. Clodhopper Says:

    Sounds like the baby hasnt matured yet. This guy sounds like he needs his hand held when he goes to the dentist. I bet he asks for a lolly when he goes into a bank.

  38. Buccaneer Bonzai Says:

    Honestly, this sounds more like a player who is incapable of accepting responsibility for his own shortcomings. Great players find a way.

  39. Buccaneer Bonzai Says:

    Clodhopper

    Hey, the lime ones are really good!

  40. Old School Athlete Says:

    We could spend the rest of the day going thru every team in the league, examining their draft picks and counting the busts. It’s the nature of the business. Some guys work real hard to get to the league, get the big check and then they are complacent. Some guys get to the league, work real hard and don’t make it simply because they’re not that good. It’s not a desire issue, but a talent/physical tools issue. Other guys continue to work hard because they have a burning desire to be champions and be the best they can be. They are grown up enough that a personality conflict with a coach will not mentally derail them.
    This story reflects more on Humphries than BA.

  41. Eric Says:

    This reminds me of when the players thought Jon Gruden was a big meanie.

    I doubt many players want to invite Belichick over for Thanksgiving, he’s run a ton of players out just before they get a big contract.

    Players that bitch and moan after getting an opportunity millions of people could only dream of do not impress me. Try Parris Island.

  42. July Joe Says:

    Every cpach has some former under-achievers he coached bash him … nothing new.

    I will say though that Buccannon was not a “bust” in Arizona as he outperformed his draft slot for more than one full season, he simply had some injuries.

  43. Neal Says:

    “2019 will reveal answers to the sheep, that the “real” fans already know” dude you say the same crap every year. Usually the people the call themselves the only “real” fans are the ones that don’t know crap and talk out of their a$$

  44. Barbosa Says:

    Agree with Bonzai. Lime dental lollipops are the best. As far as thoughts on Arians, you can’t be a leader of men and keep everyone happy. Besides Dungy, I’ll take Arians over anyone else on our coaching carousel.

  45. ModHairKen Says:

    Humphries is typical of the mentality of a lot (but not all) kids today. We did this to them with this “everyone is great” “let’s not keep score so we don’t hurt self-esteem” parenting. They are not solely to blame.

    Everyone is not great. Life has winners and losers. No one is entitled to a pain free existence. There is a hierarchy. When you are a player, you listen to the Coach. You don’t whine and cry.

  46. Clodhopper Says:

    I don’t trust people that like Lime, lemon or banana candy. 😂