“It’s More Fun To Play When You Got All Your Fingers”
June 9th, 2021
With so few games compared to other sports, football may be the most overanalyzed team sport in the world.
And that reality often includes injuries getting brushed aside in favor of high-energy conversation and critique.
For example, Joe rarely hears chatter about Chris Godwin’s concussion issue last season and the fact he played through a broken finger very early in the season that required surgery. It was clear Godwin was working around his healing finger for months.
Ronald Jones always has had highly questionable hands catching the football, but he certainly looked competent and and pretty good at times. But the plug got pulled on RoJo’s versatility last season when he broke his pinky and needed surgery in December.
RoJo returned but it’s easy to forget that he could only run the ball down the stretch. Today, Bucco Bruce Arians reminded fans (via media) that now RoJo is back at full strength — and catching the ball.
“I mean the backs are all catching the ball well,” Arians said of what he’s seen through two days of mandatory minicamp. “RoJo had some really good ones; it’s more fun to play with when you got all your fingers in trying to catch a ball.
“They’ve taken that challenge and worked really hard in the offseason.”
Joe is glad to hear the strong pass-catching reviews for Bucs running backs.
Of course, running without pads or tackling allowed would make even a guy like Dare Ogunbowale look like an All-Pro. So there is no worthy spring scrutiny there.
June 9th, 2021 at 1:17 pm
I’m really hoping Jones is better at receiving this year. I really like the way he runs and getting him the ball in space could be special. I’ve always said he just needs to catch a hundred footballs a day since the season ended. Do that and he will be fine.
June 9th, 2021 at 1:25 pm
Feeling great about Bucs RB situation more so this year & all are hungry for various reasons
June 9th, 2021 at 1:25 pm
alright…who has the first JPP joke?
June 9th, 2021 at 1:31 pm
Thank you @gbobucsfan I was wondering if I was the only one who clicked the article thinking it was a jab at jpp
June 9th, 2021 at 1:34 pm
Dare ran in the 4.65 range, so no, not even in shorts.
June 9th, 2021 at 1:36 pm
“Fingers to catch? I don’t need no stinking fingers to catch! Get that BS outta here”.
Signed JPP
Note: He even made a diving INT. WTF.
June 9th, 2021 at 2:39 pm
If Ronald could just catch at a below-average level, it would be a huge upgrade for him. Here’s hoping he leveled up over the offseason, because if he doesn’t have stone hands, he’s a lot more valuable.
Although, keep in mind, Adrian Peterson had stone hands — so if you can do enough on the ground, people won’t care that you can’t catch.
June 9th, 2021 at 2:42 pm
Time will tell about ROJO catching the ball in real games.
I was watching a video about ROJO from when he was playing for USC. They were wondering what was wrong with his hands.
Then I saw last year how he was having 300 to 400 passes a day in the offseason to get better. Yes I said 300 to 400 times to catch a ball on when he practiced.
After learning of this last year, it was maddening watching his attempts to catch the ball in games, and obviously losing the trust of Brady, it was not a good look.
So the jury is still out whether he will ever be consistent or not catching the football. I hope he does, but again we will see.
GO BUCS!!!!
June 9th, 2021 at 2:58 pm
When JPP gives you the finger….you can’t take offense….he may just be waving at you!!!
June 9th, 2021 at 3:25 pm
ROJO dropped 5 passes last year. Lenny dropped 7.
June 9th, 2021 at 4:15 pm
Wow, just Wow. A man who was celebrating the Fourth of July like every other American. And he has a Fireworks accident, not only does he come back and play NFL OLB/DE he has played like a True beast. As a Buccaneer he has played like a Professional, yes he injured his neck in a freak car wreck in his car. What’s the guy do, hang it up No he played that season and was a major part of our Defense. Now he is joked about.
Thinking about all that and, JPP is my next Jersey purchase! 54 then 45 sorry fellas. Only so many coin$ in the che$t. Then it will be 14, 55, 20, 90, then 54, 45. Been wanting a James Wilder Jersey so that may come before, JPP’s 90.
Go Bucs!
June 9th, 2021 at 5:39 pm
I thought this article was a jap at JPP.. lol sorry
June 9th, 2021 at 5:52 pm
Joe, I will have you know that Dare Ogunbowale still has a cult following here in Tampa Bay. And dont you be suprized if he has a breakout year in 2021 and runs wild all over our defense when we see him in 2022.
June 9th, 2021 at 5:58 pm
RustyRhinos.
You only roast the ones you love. Everything you said about JPP is true of course, which is why he is one of my favorites. Go Bucs!
June 9th, 2021 at 7:06 pm
Jpp is one of my all time fav bucs and he hasn’t even been here that long. He’s awesome
June 9th, 2021 at 8:05 pm
ROJO is a unsung hero for this team . He never gets credit for the bucs succes. And people get mad at me when I give him credit without saying it was because of Brady why he played well. Lol 😆🤣😂
June 10th, 2021 at 12:37 am
When I saw this article I thought it was about JPP. We are closing in on the 4th of July.
June 10th, 2021 at 8:52 am
Joe in Michigan Says:
June 9th, 2021 at 1:34 pm
Dare ran in the 4.65 range, so no, not even in shorts.
—————————-
And Gio Bernard ran 4.53 eight years and two major injuries ago and some people think he’s the second coming of Alvin Kamara.
June 10th, 2021 at 11:01 am
Jones needs to improve in his route running….he doesn’t have a natural knack like Fournette of getting to the open spot. Jones runs exactly how the play is drawn up….Fournette will run the route based on what the defense is doing often finding the soft spot to get himself open. I personally think this is what Brady likes about Fournette vs Jones. When it comes to running the ball, Jones is certainly better but Brady opens the offense up so much that all we need is an effective all around back. I could see Bernard taking on a much bigger role then 3rd on the depth chart. He’s probably THE best receiver in the group and is an effective runner.
June 10th, 2021 at 1:30 pm
The only thing I care about is RoJO running the ball . We have all these receivers and tight ends why do yall make a big deal out of a runningback catching a ball more than he can run between the tackles and get at least 4 to 5 yards a carry. I don’t care if he can’t catch or run routes he’s a runningback. We have receivers and I do believe he can catch a screen pass and that’s the time I would need him to catch a pass . But I though this was the same offense from last year 😅 😆🤣 .. I told yall it wasn’t that’s why they are so concerned about a runningback catching a pass because this is the offense that Brady had with the Patriots. And it’s a good offense and hope that Trask learn this offense not that no risk it no biscuit offense . That’s the only thing I don’t like about BA his offense is to high risk and it gets quarterbacks killed . Go look back at all his quarterbacks he coach and look at the interceptions and sacks and quarterback hits they had to indore. And then look at Brady before the Cheifs game and after the Cheifs game. This is a 80 % Patriots/ Brady offense and yall know it. So I hope this is the offense that Trask is learning.
June 10th, 2021 at 6:30 pm
Bro, do you ever stop btchng about Brady?
Why are you such a crybaby? Go read some CRT so you can get your daily fix of race bait.
June 10th, 2021 at 9:07 pm
Slugglife. Shut up you coward you mad because I tell the truth about some of you haters. Lol 😆🤣 Rojo ball last year and BA stop him from getting his money. You must be a racist because you are the one mad lol 😆😂🤣. You worship Brady and I don’t maybe you do because he’s white lol 😂😆🤣 . Coward !!!! Lol 😆🤣😂
June 12th, 2021 at 9:18 am
Who’s the guy that says you don’t need fingers to catch? The running backs on this team were used to making receiving plays before Brady came. Now it looks like there’re catching “no pun” up to speed with the offense. Only going to make The Bucs that much harder to stop. GO BUCS!