O.J. Howard Reacts
March 30th, 2020
One week ago, O.J. Howard was on SportsCenter talking Tom Brady and had a couple of surprising things to say.
First, Howard said he hadn’t had any conversations, not even by text, with any teammates about Brady coming to the Bucs. And that was six days after various reports had Brady signing with the Bucs.
Joe found that extremely odd, and Howard added that he had yet to hear from Brady, who allegedly asked the Bucs for phone list of his new teammates. That written, Howard said he’s extremely excited about Brady’s arrival (but he didn’t text a teammate?) and is training inside his Alabama garage.
Previously, Howard had been working out regularly with early-morning sessions at the University of Alabama, he said, but Coronavirus sent him back home.
“It’s kind of hard to put it all in perspective,” Howard said of the Brady signing, almost seeming overwhelmed by the thought.
ESPN stat gremlins noted during the telecast that the Bucs have thrown the fourth-most touchdowns to tight ends over the past three seasons, though Howard only caught one TD last season in 14 games.
Joe hopes Howard has since found a teammate to text with about Brady, including Brady himself.
March 30th, 2020 at 11:09 am
Howard didn’t sound as excited as I expected him to be. Maybe it’s just his laid back personality but I was very underwhelmed by his interview. Then again I’d probably sound like a strung out Ricky Bobby mixed with Tony Robbins if I were interviewed 😂.
March 30th, 2020 at 11:20 am
OJ Howard seems like another talent that drinks too much of his draft status kool aid. “Potential” is meaningless in the NFL…..you either produce or you’re out. These guys all get the same mentality…..if their current team cant utilize them how they envision things, they’ll go to another team that can. They’re too self absorbed to consider the idea that they have ZERO power in who hires them….its just a very bold assumption that someone will because of their ‘potential”. Ask Jameis how that’s working out because I can assure you his agents filled his head with the same nonsense. I bet now he wishes he would have takent that extension for 2 yrs and have Evans/Godwin to throw to along with Arian and Bowles as coaches. Now he’s looking at a back up gig with half the WR talent and who knows for coaching.
March 30th, 2020 at 11:22 am
OJ is not the excitable type…….he’s working out….and trying to find the real k!llers of Ron & Nicole…..
March 30th, 2020 at 11:26 am
He needs to prove himself to the GOAT. either way, this is just stirring the pot. I’m sure Tom isn’t calling everyone, nor should he. If anything, they should be reaching out to him. but it’s not a major concern either way.
March 30th, 2020 at 11:34 am
You know, OJ knows Brady loves throwing to TE’s and it seems on the surface that his confidence is waning that he could be exposed as a bust if he doesn’t excel.
It could go two ways, either
Brady gets the very best out of him and he blows up
or
The pressure is too much and he loses his confidence and blows it.
March 30th, 2020 at 11:35 am
I’m betting Brate becomes Brady’s target while Howard plays second fiddle.
March 30th, 2020 at 11:40 am
They should be reaching out to him…man you know how that sounds…..Tom B. Is the new found leader …The Great White Hope …then show some leadership…not act like a jackass!!!!
March 30th, 2020 at 11:41 am
Dark clouds and buzzards are circling the career of this supposed “elite” talented player.
Memo to Licht – I don’t care who says otherwise, don’t draft a safety or TE top 20!!!
March 30th, 2020 at 11:43 am
Don’t be surprised to see us minimize the role of our WR3 by running a lot of two right end sets to 1. Max protect Brady with an inconsistent line, 2. Give Brady a Gronk/Hernandez type offense and shorten the field for Brady.
March 30th, 2020 at 11:52 am
Not in contact with ANY teammates? That raises a red flag for me. Does he have character issues? Is he unpopular because of other problems? I’m curious.
March 30th, 2020 at 11:53 am
Oj, Evans or anyone don’t need to prove nothing to Brady. Don’t you get it ! You dumba** . It’s Brady that needs to prove . He’s consider by many the goat in a patriot uniform. He’s a patriot for life and heart.
No need for the leadership talk. No need for leadership. It’s about showing up and doing your job. Being a teammate. Teamwork.
Backup your talk if you have a big mouth.
Even the virgin Brady said the same thing in his conference.
Stop acting like you’ve been in the nfl or play professional sports.
March 30th, 2020 at 11:54 am
Adrnagy why so angry
March 30th, 2020 at 11:57 am
oj howard is soft, shy’s away from contact, is not a good blocker, and imho has the dropsies, now brate on the other hand i think will be brady’s bread and butter go to guy
March 30th, 2020 at 11:58 am
All this talk that we’re going to great and win a SB needs to STOP!
By Vegas. We’re the money is at … we are not favor to win division and have a 9-7. Season.
The saints upgraded and added more weapons. And what did we do ? Oh signed Adams and a “ veteran cb” Ryan Smith. Lol.
So we’re going the season with dean,Davis sbm…. two of those missed half of last season for injury ? I guess , we’re banking we won’t have injuries at all.
March 30th, 2020 at 12:00 pm
Adrnagy, why do you become completely unhinged every 5 seconds?
March 30th, 2020 at 12:01 pm
Just have a strange feeling about this guy. My gut tells me he is eventually going to get pissed off, look in a mirror, and realize he is the best dam TE in the NFL. When that happens he will be s force to reckon with. Just a feeling……..
March 30th, 2020 at 12:01 pm
It’s a joke of front office not adding quality depth in some areas… bulking all the money in the dline.
Definitely we will be 1 in against run and 30 against pass again.
Offense the same too..
don’t give Me “the Brady will change everything “talk. He’s a virgin.
March 30th, 2020 at 12:06 pm
Maybe nobody is talking with OJ because the Bucs are trying to trade him. I sure hope so.
March 30th, 2020 at 12:07 pm
M. Thomas. Sanders. Ginn jr. against Davis. Dean. Sbm.
Murray, Kamara,j. Cook. Against vs our safeties
You think we will beat the saints for the division?
March 30th, 2020 at 12:15 pm
Don’t think that OJ Howard is very invested in the Buccaneers. Who knows sometimes it seems he doesn’t even want to play in Tampa Bay. If the Bucs acquiring Brady doesn’t light a fire under a tight end (a most utilized position by Brady), what can? More concerning is his lack of texting any team mate. He has been here a couple of years….and no bonding yet?
March 30th, 2020 at 12:23 pm
Stop acting like you know football. , if oj is not happy. I don’t blame him …
.1) last season a lot of talk about trading him..
2) Bruce offense is not for TE
3) suddenly the offense is TE friendly ? Lol
4) he knows he’s not “liked in Tampa”
5) he knows Bruce did Jameis dirty , two face HC that said a lot of good things about the franchise QB and then trashed him.
And you want him to be bouncing around clapping his hands of happiness? Pls.
Bye Felicia.
March 30th, 2020 at 12:44 pm
This mantra that BA did JW dirty is complete and utter BS.
Let his competition walk to protect his fragile psyche, defended a lot of his INT’s as somebody else’s fault ( until it was painfully obvious whose fault it was), let him keep playing…never screamed at him on the sideline.
JW screwed himself. Good Lord he’s not the first QB who was a bust…he’s damn lucky he got to play for five years and made enough money to retire at 25.
Boo Hoo for JW.
March 30th, 2020 at 12:44 pm
Adrnagy,
Go root for your Saints then.
March 30th, 2020 at 12:45 pm
Nice Clue ! Inspector Joes !
March 30th, 2020 at 12:57 pm
similar article last year how mike evans had not yet heard from arians a month in. no need to panic. that clearly turned out fine.
March 30th, 2020 at 1:06 pm
I love how we’re stuck on this “Arian’s offense isn’t TE friendly” crap. Lets forget about the fact that the QB didn’t throw to him when he was open, or the fact that when he did get thrown to he couldn’t catch, least of all the fact that he couldn’t hold on to the darn football.
Bullspit!
“Not liked”?! How about produce? That’s all, produce. Is it too much to ask that a 1st round TE play like one?
Lets not even get started at QB!
I agree with Jean Lafitte. It’s going to go two ways. I really hope he emerges a stud.
March 30th, 2020 at 1:42 pm
some folks on here need to go follow another team. Since signing the GOAT all they do is take the other side. They hate him. I’d ask why, but it’s obvious. move along..
March 30th, 2020 at 2:16 pm
It wouldn’t shock me if OJ wasn’t on this roster come opening day (assuming there is an opening day) and that the organization looks to swing a trade and then bring in a quality vet. In fact, what would shock me is if those plans aren’t already in place and all but locked down.
March 30th, 2020 at 2:20 pm
Tom is trying to move during the coronavirus. That’s gotta be hard
March 30th, 2020 at 2:37 pm
Way over thinking this it’s a crazy busy time for some of these guys an I bet a lot of teammates don’t text in offseason
March 30th, 2020 at 2:55 pm
oj will be gone by the trade deadline if he and brady don’t work out all the kinks…
and his stock will fall greatly as well…
we will have to dump him for not very much, because if brady can’t use him as a tight end, then basically no one can maximize his abilities as a tight end…
he’ll be rendered almost useless…
if traded before the deadline, because he and brady couldn’t get him running on all cylinders, he will be dumped for like a 4th or 5th rounder…
this scenario would be quite a shame…people will drag licht thru the mudd on here too…
oj can then become rays bullpen catcher meat, because he never drops a ball in st. pete…
it’s do or die for oj this season…
i also see brate becoming brady’s guy…
i could see brate potentially being a pro bowler with 10 tds…
if oj flops out, cam might just go hog wild
March 30th, 2020 at 3:08 pm
Now is not the time for trading OJ after the signing of Brady. OJ and Brate should shine now.
March 30th, 2020 at 3:18 pm
NDOG =CompleteIdiot.
Lol!!
Howard May spend more time blocking than catching again this year unless we get someone to take over for an aging RT!!
March 30th, 2020 at 3:23 pm
Brady gets rid of the ball way quicker than jameis. His days of blocking for an inept QB are now long gone.. OJ soon to be relevant in our passing game. You will see.
March 30th, 2020 at 4:00 pm
I suspect the Brady/Brate/Howard connection could be at least similar to the Brady/Gronk/Hernandez connection
Without the murder rap.
I suspect Brady will make better use of TE’s than Winston did.
I do not believe TE’s are not incorporated into the BA offense. BA is too smart for that. I suspect it was Winston looking for the Big Play, ignoring TE’s underneath—where TE’s make their living.
How many NFL teams have TE’s with the *potential* of the Brate/Howard combo? I suspect single digits…
March 30th, 2020 at 4:11 pm
Only in idiot Bucville would a 5,000 yard, 33 TD throwing, leading the #3 scoring offense in the league QB be called a bust. My goodness some of you people are just sooooooooooo CLUELESS!!!!
March 30th, 2020 at 4:32 pm
For the record I don’t see anyone saying they hate Brady. It’s just the moves this franchise makes are always shortsighted and lack any direction. Can anyone, with a straight face, say we are going to win the Superbowl next year? If not then what is the point of bringing in Brady? This is very simple folks it’s a money grab and it was the easy move. This is not about winning it all now or the long term as they know they aren’t winning it all next year and they know Brady is declining, so it’s about cash and all you fair weather fans jump up and down excited because you have no idea what you are talking about. We were in a prime position to be the class of this division for many years to come with no Brees, Matt Ryan on the way down, Carolina in the dumps and we would have been sitting pretty with a 28 year old QB entering his prime with multiple years of experience but no we went the cash grab way cause this franchise is just as CLUELESS as most of you.
March 30th, 2020 at 4:47 pm
I thought the same thing when i saw the interview. Amazing he did not speak with one teammate. Somethings up.
Another thought: last year in the middle of the long road trip and just before the London game, the team had specialists adjusting the players sleep preparing for London (they were trying to be asleep by 7 – 8pm, I believe). And there’s Howard at the Rays playoff game at 9:30 – 10:00pm. I am sure that did not go over well with the players and coaches
March 30th, 2020 at 5:40 pm
Look in the Mirror Npuppy!! You are the most clueless thing on this website.. go wherever Winston goes dude.. Winston clueless about coverages. Your clueless about everything else.
March 30th, 2020 at 6:12 pm
I luv OJ. . . but come on dude – find a way to txt Brady and tell him you want the rock
March 30th, 2020 at 6:26 pm
OJ has Gronk’s size but Brate will get a huge career boost too as a red zone threat (again?)
March 30th, 2020 at 6:34 pm
View from 132;
My thoughts exactly. Just give TB12 a little protection and it will be off to the races.
March 30th, 2020 at 7:23 pm
I see this one of two ways with OJ. His lack of communication with his teammates about the new quarterback either means he is sadly disconnected and not very properly socialized with his teammates, which is a giant red flag, or else he and his teammates know that OJ is just a trade waiting to happen and he’s already got his mind out the door and his teammates aren’t going to bother texting him pretending to be excited about something that’s not going to happen.
March 30th, 2020 at 7:42 pm
Ndog Says:
No, but I’d bet the souls of my unborn children Brady gives this team a far better shot than America’s Turnover Machine, Jameis Christ.
You need therapy, pup. Seek help. Maybe some psychotropics to ease the separation anxiety. And stay away from guns.
March 30th, 2020 at 7:49 pm
Maybe Brady knows more than anyone on this site.
Why call a guy who might still be traded.
Brady called his bread and butter on O and D.
The rest are just fill-ins for now unfortunately.
March 30th, 2020 at 8:57 pm
Ndog…you said you don’t see anyone saying they hate Brady. I don’t see anyone saying they hate Winston.
Winston didn’t cut it here. He had every chance. Get real.
March 30th, 2020 at 9:00 pm
Thought the national article about Winston’s loser trainer blaming the bloodsuckers for Winston not getting a job. Wasn’t this the same a-hole who had Winston wearing a T-Shirt saying Jameis against the world after he got way to easy for his very serious problem with the Uber driver. LOL! Well, that guy probably made the video of Winston pushing the SUV up the hill….man, what a moron. Another Winston henchman. Like Ndog.
March 30th, 2020 at 9:11 pm
Western buc- Hard for who? The moving company’s workers? Yes. Tom Brady and his wife not so much. It’s not like he even needs to sell his mansion in Mass or even leave his mammoth cabin in Yellowstone. He will most likely just add a FL home. The hardest part maybe deciding from all the blueprints, interior decor from their architects and designers. Most of those decisions will be made by their contractor and interior design coordinator. I doubt it will rival Dr. Patel 32k SF estate it will most likely be more like Debartolo’s home.
March 31st, 2020 at 2:56 am
Why do people think he should be happy about the new guy who just got his best friend kicked off the team?
March 31st, 2020 at 9:58 am
Jean Lafitte, I kind of thought the same thing. OJ might be concerned about being exposed. I also think he might have a touch of social anxiety disorder. His personality reminds me a little of Ricky Williams.
March 31st, 2020 at 10:23 pm
OJ is the Gerald McCoy of the offense.