Fighting Back

August 30th, 2019

He’s in and he speaks.

So even after the Bucs drafted a middle linebacker fifth overall, second-year linebacker Jack Cichy beat the odds and, per Bucs coach Bucco Bruce Arians last night, has made the team.

Cichy, though he did miss tackles, had more splash plays in one half last night than the highly-touted Devin White has had in three preseason games. Cichy had a sack, a quarterback hit, a fumble recovery, a tackle for a 10-yard loss and a sack to complement four tackles total. Pretty damn impressive night of work.

But it wasn’t just that Cichy had to raise his game to return to the Bucs with a rookie guaranteed a spot at his position. Cichy had to recover from his second knee injury in as many years. His first knee injury wiped out his final season at Wisconsin, a program where he was a walk-on.

Roughly midway through 2018, Cichy again had a knee injury. But here he is playing so well that Arians boasted two days before cutdowns are announced he has made the team. Again.

Not shabby for a sixth-round pick.

“You just have to kind of keep your head down and work,” Cichy said after the game about his recovery. “It has been a lot of fun. It has been a lot of fun to come back in these preseason games and kind of show what I got.

“Obviously, none of these games have been perfect by any means, and that is kind of what we strive for, the perfect game. But you just have to keep stacking stuff on top of each other, and when you get plays like tonight — or just kind of those big plays and those big moments — you really want to capitalize on them, because those are really exciting.”

These kinds of players are the backbone of a team. He’s a guy many didn’t give a shot or gave up on because of his injuries. Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht took a flyer on him late in the draft and it seems the roll of the dice worked.

The biggest thing for Cichy now is to stay healthy. And who knows, maybe he will be chasing pouty Cam Newton, Matty Ice or Drew Brees more than expected this year?

37 Responses to “Fighting Back”

  1. Rashad Says:

    I liked his game. Had he not gotten hurt, we probably would have went elsewhere with the #5 overall pick.

  2. Jason S. Mclaurin Says:

    Cichy has come along way and I feel he and Devin White as well as Bond will get fine together and become the future as guys like JPP, LVD, and Minter begin to go away.

  3. Bucsfanman Says:

    Solid game, good for some depth.

  4. AlteredEgo Says: Your comment is awaiting moderation. Says:

    Happy for the kid…a great football player with physically and emotionally devastating string of injuries….fingers crossed his heath lets him develop as a pro

  5. TiredBucFan Says:

    He deserves to be given a spot. Hes a really good young LB. If he blows out a knee again then I think you have to move on.

  6. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    You have to admire what it takes for a player who is injured several times and comes back….they desperately want to play the game…..this guy has real heart and that is contagious…..
    I think JPP is like that….hopefully Jamel Dean

  7. NOSBOS Says:

    TBBF it’s safe to call them Warriors. I love that ish,I also love how these 2nd and 3rd teamers won the game. We use to lose these games. I don’t care what anyone says these games are meaningful. When your backups constantly win it’s says the team is well coached. Bucs are coming up with the ball in the scrum now. We forced multiple turnovers every game and the O line wasn’t a disaster like you people seen to feel. It was clear to me after the last game the O line was instructed to simply get out of that game healthy. Game week now, I pity San fran.

  8. geno711 Says:

    I had a nice conversation with his aunt on the way into the Soldier Field Bears game last year. It was the closest game to where his family lived and he had a whole bunch of family attending that game. It seems to me that he made a couple of tackles that day on special teams. I agree that these are the backbone type of guys you need on the team.

  9. D-Rome Says:

    Solid game, good for some depth.

    Agreed.

    That being said, Joe….are you kidding me here?!? Cichy flashed for sure, but this is the preseason and it was against as you so often put it, future furniture movers. To use last night’s performance as a means to bash the White pick is a bit much.

  10. SCBucsFan Says:

    Nice dig on White. Keep the hate coming.

  11. BigHog Says:

    ^^^D-Rome..way too much!!9

  12. Lamarcus Says:

    Poor comparison to the White situation. Huge reach there Joe. Cichy is expected to make more plays than White because Cichy is fighting for a job and White…..is….not!!

  13. SCBucsFan Says:

    Lamarcus because we didn’t draft Allen Joe will always be down on White. Rather then be happy for what we have its easier to complain about what we don’t. I’m betting Joe is still mad at the girls who turned him down for dates in high school.

  14. WestChap Says:

    Great for Cichy… as a backup playing against backups. Even better for White as it shows you the opportunities Bowles scheme will provide. The Joes appear to have finally let go of the GMC skirt tails and had better now get on the White train. I can’t wait for the 49ers!

  15. Lamarcus Says:

    Joe. You act like Devin White forced the Bucs to pick him. No way you treat him like this just because he wasn’t a pick you of your desire

  16. Lamarcus Says:

    And so far. The Qb of defense has been good without some key players this preseason. White defense > Kwon defense.

  17. BucAllNight Says:

    True indeed Joe low blow with all the D-White backhanded shots. You do realize you can PRAISE one player without mentioning another right.

    Plus its obvious that Bowles is hiding/saving his blitzes etc. with his new toy for regular season.

    Just be sure to write/report with this same FERVER & ENERGY once D-White is making splash plays enroute to DROY.

    Go Bucs!!

  18. NOSBOS Says:

    Screw how this feels about Devin White, he’s a journalist who fakes an affinity for the Bucs. He’s taken great pride in the Bucs not being very good once the last decade because it has been good for his business. But those days are over now. Quite interested in seeing exactly how he spins this bull🤬 site now that the winning about to commence.

  19. NOSBOS Says:

    Your days are now numbered fool.

  20. Lamarcus Says:

    Joe probably wishes this guy White bust so his opinion can right. This is how it usually works.

  21. MadMax Says:

    Joe and a few others here are gonna bash and make slights towards D. White every chance they get because he wasnt an edge rush like they wanted. Funny to watch such immaturity but let it be. Like a rook edge rush wont also have a few struggles in his rookie pre season. And White only played 11 snaps his first game….but no, he’s not living up to the “SAVIOR OF THE DEFENSE” moniker so leave it to the joe who’ll be “that dude” to keep harking on it…smh!

    Happy for Cichy though. I hope he stays healthy. He’s had some time to grow with nfl speed and get in the playbook and read an offense. Injuries force that if you’re hungry which he’s clearly shown he is.

  22. Joe Says:

    Screw how this feels about Devin White, he’s a journalist who fakes an affinity for the Bucs. He’s taken great pride in the Bucs not being very good once the last decade because it has been good for his business. But those days are over now. Quite interested in seeing exactly how he spins this bull🤬 site now that the winning about to commence.

    You CLEARLY have NO clue what you are talking about. ZERO.

    Former season ticket holder. And losing in good for business??? Joe cannot begin to explain how dumb that is. When the Bucs win, traffic spikes. Joe biggest month for traffic? When the Bucs made a playoff run in 2016.

    Joe doesn’t mind people going after him. But at least try to be quasi-accurate and have an idea what you are talking about.

  23. 813bucboi Says:

    lamarcus

    white may not be fighting for a roster spot but he is fighting to show he deserved to be the #5 pick…..

    real games havent even been played so how can you say white defense>kwon defense?…lol….

    i believe the defense will be a lot better due to competent coaching and a scheme that fits the players not because white is the qb of the defense…lol…

    from what ive seen, i havent been impressed with white and i was at the game vs the browns…..he wasnt stood out…..with that said, he hasnt blatantly embarrassed himself either…..

    glad he’s a buc but i would like to see more…a lot more for being the #5 pick….i think he’ll show more later in the season but i dont think he’ll be as impactful as roquan smith as a rookie…..

    GO BUCS!!!!!!

  24. NOSBOS Says:

    Go figure knumbskull, every one was excited about possibly getting in the tournament. Ya see not everyone comfortable with saying anything even under the privacy of a online site. But that feel good ish like being in the hunt makes everyone feel more liberated. Half of them feeling good about having the opportunity to speak their mind after the constant barrage of bull🤬 you put out everyday.

  25. Joe Says:

    Joe probably wishes this guy White bust so his opinion can right. This is how it usually works.

    Is it wrong to see the No. 5 overall pick made a few plays in preseason?

    Guess so.

  26. D-Rome Says:

    He’s taken great pride in the Bucs not being very good once the last decade because it has been good for his business.

    That’s an absurd take. Talk to *any* local reporter and he/she will tell you that winning is **ALWAYS** better for business.

  27. NOSBOS Says:

    Y’all waiting on Devin White to jump thru your bs @$$ hoops in pre season. As if Todd Bowles is here to make you people feel good about him by sending him on every other down or going out his way having him do things in few snaps to make y’all say he was worth the 5th pick. Please. Watch the game week 1 doofus’s, you’ll get a better understanding of what they as a staff already know about Devin White.

  28. DooshLaRue Says:

    Take it easy on Joe about Devin White.
    I think he’s gonna be great and will get it going when the season starts.

    In the meantime if you need to eff with Joe just mention that you think Johnny Foosball is doing a great job in those new insurance commercials along with Tanya Harding!

    He even admits he’s an EX pro football player.
    Ha ha ha!!

  29. Oregonbucsfan Says:

    NOSBOZ: “Your days are now numbered fool.”

    What a way to state an opinion. I’m not use to defending the site monitor, but your posts bring to mind a very ignorant and possibly disturbed individual.
    I’ll be looking for your pride ridden self congratulations when the Bucs wipe out the 49rs- -if they do.
    I initially predicted the Miners would win by 9. I’m not so sure what they have with their injured QB. Let’s see if the Bucs rise like a Phoenix like you predict. Then we can pass out fool’s cap as appropriate.

  30. TOM Says:

    Stay healthy Jack. Could have a long career. Congrats.

  31. DooshLaRue Says:

    NOSBOS is actually Pete Davidson.

  32. Buccfan37 Says:

    NOSBOS… a bit over the top too angry imo.

  33. NOSBOS Says:

    😁y’all some super sensitive MOs.

  34. Oregonbucsfan Says:

    Are you sure you don’t mean some super sensitive “snowflakes”. That would suit you better.

  35. 813bucboi Says:

    nosbos

    pipe down!!!!!

    white has missed some tackles and over run some plays in PS….hope it get corrected but we’ll see….i aint anointing him savior until he produces….

    boise st fenna wax that @$$!!!!!!!….lol….

    #GATORBAIT!!!!

    GO BUCS!!!!!

  36. mark2001 Says:

    Cinchy is a good kid…glad for him and wish him the best..

    But why did this have to become a Joe and White bashing thread? I think we are turning the corner…moving in the right direction…on the road to recovery. I’m positively happy and excited for the year to begin. Too bad some can’t sit back and enjoy the ride… and for the haters…please stop thinking you are a gift from the heavens, whose sole purpose is to bring football truth to the masses, and verbally strike down those disagreeing with us. Newsflash…none of us are football savants. Just saying… please.

  37. BringBucsBack Says:

    “…general manager Jason Licht took a flyer…”.
    This is Gumps drafting mission statement!