“You Don’t Look In A Guy’s Pocket”
March 27th, 2024
We live in a world in which some women’s college basketball players earn many tens of thousands of dollars a year in NIL payments. Heck, Caitlin Clark ropes in cash on par with veteran Bucs bone-crushing safety Jordan Whitehead.
College football players earn money, too. Most first-round draft picks next month (and lots of later picks) already will have six-figure and seven-figure bank accounts before they hug Roger Goodell.
Joe asked Todd Bowles yesterday what kind of changes he’s seen from draft prospects as the Bucs gear up for the 2024 NFL Draft.
JoeBucsFan.com: Since you’ve been head coach, have you noticed any difference in the college prospects now that they have some money in their pocket?
Todd Bowles: (laughs) It’s a different game for some. For some they just come in and want to play the game. But when they come to the league I think they’re fine. College is a different game. I try to stay out of it that way. I just monitor it from that standpoint. I know it’s a step down for some of them kids coming into lesser facilities because in college they have some very nice ones. But it’s still football and all those guys [are] trying to get to the NFL, so they try to do that right thing.
JoeBucsFan.com: Do you see some of that in the interviews, the interview process. Is that part of a line of questioning at all when you know a guy has made $150,000 before he got to you? At least?
Bowles: No, you don’t look in a guy’s pocket, you look at a guy’s will and see if he loves the game. You know, there’s a lot of guys that get in here that’s going to play for money, but if that forces you to play hard football, you play hard football. But you gotta know how to play. It’s always the film first, seeing if a guy can play. We’re not going to look at a guy that just takes money and doesn’t play the game or doesn’t stay healthy, or is not trying to do the right thing for the team.
Joe thought it was cool that Bowles acknowledged a lot of players are driven by their contracts.
Nothing wrong with that, but Joe really does wonder how scouting has gotten easier — or more challenging — when top prospects have earned a lot of money before they’ve turned 21. Joe figures Bowles has an edge in this area because his plays Division 1 college ball.
March 27th, 2024 at 2:36 pm
If anything, this should help weed some guys out. The young guys not mature or responsible or with good enough advice around them who have money are gonna show you the negatives somehow. The hard part, if they are a good player, is deciding if you think they can receive and respond to guidance and development to continue to reach their potential.
Everybody is different, and when a bunch of them have money I suppose it won’t make it any easier but the odd guy is gonna expose himself forsure.
March 27th, 2024 at 3:25 pm
The Bucs’ front office guys & our coaches have been around for quite awhile. JL & TB KNOW what they’re looking for when they interview these guys. I doubt that any 21 or 22-year-olds are gonna pull the wool over their eyes.
Personally I think they’ve especially done well picking up guys in the draft who fit into the ‘culture’ that they’re trying to build here. We hear it time & time again from Bucs players … they play for the TEAM & for each other. The last guy I can remember hearing who was concerned with money is now on his way to Philadelphia working on a 1-year $4 mil contract. Wrong motivation; instead, play well & the money will follow.
March 27th, 2024 at 4:22 pm
Licht has done a fantastic job picking players with high characters…..it’s been a while since we’ve drafted an ASJ…..”America’s QB”
You’ve always got to be on the lookout for warning signs and they are usually there before you draft.
When I think Bucs…..I think Evans, Godwin, LVD, Wirfs, Otton, Winfield, Vea…..and many more who are outstanding examples….
March 27th, 2024 at 6:46 pm
The money grabbers ruin more NFL teams than fans realize. Starts with getting paid a ton of guaranteed money. Then the production starts going down and finally, there is a mysterious injury no one can pinpoint. In the end, they get traded and are never heard from again.
March 27th, 2024 at 7:17 pm
Pretty eye-opening to hear that some colleges have nicer facilities than NFL teams do. And the college admins still want to be called “amateur athletics”.
March 27th, 2024 at 8:58 pm
This is a good problem to have a good culture move kudos bowles…..Devin white was about money and his play didn’t add up on film or the field..can’t be buddies with the wounded sorry Shaq I know your going to light it up this year. Don’t know if Devin white will light it up but if Philly uses him to rush the qb solely he might light up if it’s coverage I doubt he will…
March 27th, 2024 at 9:05 pm
Good players are staying in college an extra year. They will be better, more mature football players.