Aaron Stinnie Knows About Pressure
June 2nd, 2022
Guard Aaron Stinnie.
Bucs guard Aaron Stinnie knows the last thing Tom Brady needs is pressure.
To help keep a pass rush off Brady, Stinnie basically said you cannot get ahead of yourself. In other words, just be you.
Stinnie etched his name in Bucs’ lore when in the most pressure-packed situation possible for a reserve, Stinnie’s number got called in the middle of the Bucs’ first playoff game since 2008. That was when right guard Alex Cappa went down with a broken ankle at Washington.
Stinnie had to come off the bench and be just as good as Cappa, maybe better. He was.
The Bucs went on to win the Super Bowl. And unless you nitpicked the film, you’d have no clue Stinnie was a backup.
So when Stinnie said this week that trying to do too much leads to mistakes, Joe asked Stinnie if he had to keep that in mind during those huge postseason games.
Stinnie responded and almost sounded like members of Easy Company of the 101st Airborne in “Band of Brothers.” Training and preparation made him ready to face such high pressure, Stinne said.
“That whole time, my whole career, I prepared as a starter,” Stinnie said. “When that opportunity came up, I knew I couldn’t make it anything more than what it was. If I did, I knew I wasn’t going to be able to do my best out there.
“So I just went out there calm. Level-headed. Did my thing.”
Damn right Stinnie did his thing. He was fantastic and Joe thinks Stinnie’s play was a big reason why the Bucs won the Super Bowl. An offensive line can collapse if one player gets owned. That didn’t happen with Stinnie.
And now Stinnie is in a battle with three teammates trying to win the starting left guard job. Stinnie said he’s taking the same approach as he did in the 2020 playoffs. Just let your training and preparation take over.
Tom Brady’s trash talk and unretirement, Ali Marpet’s retirement, head coach Todd Bowles, Week 10 Germany game, and so much more. @Buccaneers OT Donovan Smith joined #GMFB!
“He smiles on them cameras but he’ll get after you.” pic.twitter.com/vYhKGkmsO0
— Good Morning Football (@gmfb) May 26, 2022
June 2nd, 2022 at 7:37 am
I think we’re set now with our existing 3, with Stiinnie, Mason, and Goedeke competing for the other two spots. I wouldn’t mind seeing Goedeke win one of the guard spots. His meanness playing next to Jensen would be fun to watch.
June 2nd, 2022 at 8:04 am
Stinnie story sounds a lot like Trask story when the starting qb went down they he was just as he is now, keeping in shape staying up to date on the playbook and players and when qb one went down he was called on and never looked back. I have all the confidence in Trask and if and when he gets that chance with the Bucs or another team he’ll be ready similar to another Kurt Warner story but hopefully he doesn’t have to wait that long.
June 2nd, 2022 at 8:04 am
Great guy!
But Joe, he did not play at Washington in 2020 season playoffs, he was not active that game.
The guy who cover for Cappa was Joe Haeg, who did a pour job letting Brady getting sack twice if I’m not mistaken.
Go Bucs!
June 2nd, 2022 at 8:05 am
Not only is Ryan Jensen mean, he is a real live Bad Actor, who holds an 8th degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do !
June 2nd, 2022 at 10:59 am
If Goedeke is the nasty Jensen clone we’re told, he will be the LG for many years.
Seems to me, looking back in Buc history, this may be the best and deepest OL group in team history.
I want to see more of Hainsey and Trask with live bullets.
June 2nd, 2022 at 12:46 pm
Love this O-line on the inside. Quality (some elite) starters and great depth and competition. I think, however, on the outside the line isn’t as strong. Wirfs is elite. D-Smith is pretty good. But depth is very questionable, and the Rams game showed that. Wouldn’t mind us signing a veteran in FA before training camp.