NFL Owners And The Media

November 17th, 2024

Buccaneers co-owner Joel Glazer.

So Bill Belicheat pulled back the curtain a bit on life as a head coach this week on The Pat McAfee Show.

Belicheat is a regular on the ESPN show since he parted ways with New England after last season. He answered a question from McAfee regarding whether NFL team owners are dialed in to media covering their club.

Asked whether owners listen to the media and are influenced by it, Belichick said they sure are:

“Yeah, 100 percent (laughs) — 100 percent,” Belichick began. “There’s a lot of times where if you read the Monday papers, that you get the exact same questions from the owner when you meet with him later in the day. It’s almost like, you know, they read the columns and all and then, you know, whatever’s in the paper, then that’s kind of the questions. ‘Hey, why didn’t you blitz more? Hey, how come you didn’t run this play more? Hey, how come we didn’t, you know, we went for it on fourth down?’ “Whatever it is.

“Whatever the columns are in the paper, a lot of times that’s what pops up in the owners meeting [week-to-week]. You know, it is what it is. Again, you make the decisions you feel like are best for the team. And you live with them.”

Joe was very intrigued but also was in disbelief by the question.

Of course owners of an entertainment product, which is what an NFL team is, want to know what’s being fed to fans. Would a restaurant not read its magazine or Yelp reviews?

Plus, owners typically are hardcore fans themselves. They’re more than capable of forming opinions on a game, decisions or plays — with or without media assistance.

So how locked in is Team Glazer to the media frenzy surrounding the Buccaneers? And will they be influenced by the growing calls for Todd Bowles’ scalp online?

Joe doubts it. Team Glazer hasn’t been what Joe would consider a reactionary body when Jon Gruden isn’t involved.

Joe would wonder about “the Monday papers,” as Belichick called them, but Tampa Bay has no Monday paper and traditional media in town has very little relevance compared to other NFL cities.

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26 Responses to “NFL Owners And The Media”

  1. Joshua Says:

    If the Bucs lose to the Giants, I won’t watch another game this year. If they retain Bowles and let Cohen walk, I’m jumping ship — maybe even walking away from the NFL entirely. I’ve been a fan since 1996, and while being inept due to a lack of better options is one thing, choosing to actively run this franchise into the ground is a whole different issue.

  2. ModHairKen Says:

    No, the Glazers are not going to be influenced by what fans like me write. But they know the coach. They know the GM. They know the players. Certainly better than you, Joe and a thousand time more than me.

    Todd is going nowhere. He will probably finish 6-1 or 5-2 in the second half.

    Even if they tank but because of injuries, he will be back.

  3. Pmike Says:

    See you in 2025 Bowles/Coen.

    As for the fans jumping ship…. There’s a great team in Jacksonville you can root for. That pretty girl at QB loves the extra attention

  4. Slacker Says:

    This team even lost during the bye week by retaining bowles.

  5. JimBobBuc Says:

    Joe says: “So how locked in is Team Glazer to the media frenzy surrounding the Buccaneers?”

    What media frenzy? Since Bowles’ defense has guided us to 4-6, and Bowles continues to lose primetime games, the national media could care less about the Bucs.

    I hope the Glazers open the checkbook to keep Coen, hopefully as OC, and have started the search for a HC and DC. Start now.

  6. DavidBigBucsFan99 Says:

    The lil quip about Jon Gruden was funny. He must’ve said some bad things about them in all those texts for them to react the way they did, however it seems they’re trying to bury the hatchet. Hopefully they pay the hatchett man to bury his hatchet into Blowles contract next! Blowles would hate me if I was the owner! ” Hey coach Blowels err I mean Bowels err I mean Bowles! When are you going to teach the rich guys on defense how to play defense? Curious minds want to know”

  7. heyjude Says:

    I would think that the Glazers do read and keep up on what fans and media are saying. And in the end, it’s their bottom line they are thinking about too. Still believing the Bucs could win the rest of their games. Go Bucs!

  8. Joshua Says:

    Pmike I live very close to Kansas City here in Colorado, just an hour and half away from the Broncos. I have two highly professional and well-run franchises I could easily switch to. It’s honestly quite sad and disappointing that the only justification for not making the switch is the only option to root for teams in that area are the Buccaneers, Jaguars, or Dolphins. The NFL in that area is struggling, and that’s unfortunate. Honestly pretty sad and pathetic that’s your argument personally your saying well you can root for this poor team or this poor team…

  9. White Tiger Says:

    I’m sure the Steelers owners read papers. Are they reactionary? Nope.

    I don’t think Malcom Glazer was reactionary, but I think the younger Glazers went through a period where they were – because we had the losing decade. However, I think they have learned it doesn’t lead to a lot of success, because the team seems to have put a LOT of resources into one of the largest staff of advisors in the NFL. It speaks (to me) of a decision to try and build some support around the head coach.

    They are more involved in conversations about culture & support that we fans are not. I think they know that every HC is flawed. Looks to me like they are committed to growing there team – less reactionary. The defense had been spectacular, but due to cap restrictions, some poor defensive 1st & 2nd round draft selections at key positions, we couldn’t augment those poor decisions with elite free agents, we’re in this current position of awful Edge/ILB/CB.

    Todd Bowles is in a vulnerable spot. It has become a real dilemma for the ownership – because the OC has had such a massive impact on our offensive output, even without the two best WR’s in franchise history.

    It will be interesting to see if the ownership stays committed to Bowles, or if they think it’s time to commit to a new direction.

    It’s no secret that the history of this franchise has been reactionary. I’m enjoying the long-term competitiveness & consistency we’ve had since building off of continuity. It’s clearly popular to fire a HC after a bad run, but fundamental change doesn’t always translate into success, not for this franchise.

    Maybe it’s because I’m a fan of this team since almost the beginning, the decades of losing – that losing 10 games a year is almost as hard to lose 19 games a season, for 10 years, as it is to win 10 games for 10 years…but I know this franchise has done it – mostly by being reactionary.

    So for THAT reason, I’ve become more interested in what I think the ownership has begun to establish: building a culture of continuity & development. Hopefully we take that run this team SHOULD make to close out this season – and Bowles makes it hard for the ownership to slide back into becoming reactionary. Some of the newer fans here haven’t known the high cost of being reactionary – for all of our sakes I hope we can finish well and keep this team intact.

    It’s the best way forward. Get Bowles the defensive help he needs, he knows how to coach them, until this injury-depleted season, he has a pretty consistent record.

    I also think there is something that can be done to keep Liam Coen in place for a future transition – because he really has done a great job and deserves a shot, when he’s ready.

    Thats one long-time fan’s perspective.

  10. Hodad Says:

    Giants will also be coming off bye, and be playing at home. It could also be a cold day in the Meadowlands. I wouldn’t be to quick to circle that game as a win. We also have 3 division games left where you can throw the records out the window. We have a West coast game. Bucs haven’t always done well out west. Dallas will have a backup QB. I’ve seen backup QBs have career days against Bowles. For those thinking we’re going to run the table take heed.

  11. HomerSimpsonRocks Says:

    I dunno. If he keeps embarrassing the Glazers by losing winnable games directly because of poor decisions and the game announcers call him out on live television ….,

  12. Bring back the lawn chairs Says:

    Tampa bay could run the table, and they could have that table run on them. You never know about this team. I’ll say this, it’s a dang shame they don’t highlight and feature one spectacular running back that is on its roster. Championship teams do not do those things. Thats why they are championship teams. Please tampa bay take the shackles off Bucky Irving and let the man dominate.

  13. Dave Pear Says:

    The Glazers have owned the Bucs since 1995. They know what horrible defense looks like. They know what good defense looks like (thank you Monte). Raheehaw’s defense played better in 2011 than this mess. Schiamoron’s defense played better than this mess in 2013. Lovie the First’s defense played better than this in 2015. Even Big Head Mike’s defense played better than this in 2018 especially after he was fired.

    Influenced by the fans or media? Naa. They see it with their own eyes and smell it with their noses. They have made moves for less before.

    Adios to the fraud.

  14. Tye Says:

    There are a multitude of people that have made the decision that spending that kind of money, going to the stadium for a Bowels losing product is among the worst of investments both time and money….

    Let the seats go mostly empty or be filled with your opponents fans…
    You want a good showing of fans, stop filling the HC position with bums and get a winner to lead this team that the fans see worthy of supporting!

  15. DavidBigBucsFan99 Says:

    You know Dave Pear I can now give you an ounce of credit because seeing your posts for a while now it can be gleaned you are a Bucs fan especially after your last post, yet you become a fanboi whenever anybody says anything remotely derogatory about Bakerv even when it’s true. Why is it you’re so rational when it comes to the Bucs but almost lose your mind when it comes to Baker?

  16. GoneGator Says:

    @Dave Pear

    Bro, do you have ANYTHING to add these days besides cute nicknames and Todd Bowles HATRED ?

  17. Durango 95 Says:

    Regardless of how this team finishes the season while under the tutelage of HC Todd Bowles it will forever be treading water. It is over for Bowles. There is no coming back and leading this team to any significant accomplishment. There is no upside. What you see is the best he will ever do. He is Mr Mediocrity. Just the idea of Bowles running the show and Coen gone elsewhere at the end of the season will signal a downward spiral that could take a long time to recover from. The Glazer family is facing a pivotal decision directly ahead and I’m quite sure they see that.

  18. Pmike Says:

    Let’s highlight the years Bowles has been in the Bucs program:

    2019 : DC 7-9. 3rd in our division
    2020: DC 11-5. 2nd in division – won Super Bowl
    2021: DC 13-4 1st in division
    2022 HC 8-9 1st in division – in playoffs
    2023 HC 9-8 1st in division – in playoffs
    2024: HC who knows!!

    So wtf is everyone talking about? I get we sucking right now but 2 facts remain:
    We been winning
    The years not over!

    Someone should look at the Gruden years, or dingy years, or the lost decade…. I’d say we’re doing alright being that most our defense is injured

  19. Slacker Says:

    I absolutely disagree…..His stint as head coach has been awful. First 2 years with a putrid division and Brady leading a stacked offense, they finished .500 basically. His decisions are costing games. I also believe his defensive play calling has gotten worse. Conservative play also costing the team wins. Doesn’t help having all the draft pick busts on the d line. Losing Coen would be the worst thing that could happen this offseason

  20. Dave Pear Says:

    Once again, narrow minded thinking assumes criticism is a reflection of hatred.

    I don’t hate Lovie at all, stated many times it would be a hoot to have beers with him. My criticism is of his performance as a loser head coach for two franchises, and his undeserved reputation as a defensive masturmind when he runs a sieve, and has since BA hung it up. That isn’t hate, that is fact.

    Glazers know. Jason knows.

  21. Larrd Says:

    The media asks obvious questions and makes obvious points. Most observers would ask the same obvious questions, though to Belichick they might not always seem so important.

  22. GoneGator Says:

    Once again, narrow minded thinking assumes criticism is a reflection of hatred.

    Maybe its not hatred. Most definitely an unhealthy (and narrow minded?) obsession with blaming Todd for everything that’s wrong with the team on every single thread that’s posted regardless of what the actual topic is.

    What is the point of posting the exact same, exclusively negative krap in every single thread on JBF? You’ve become more annoying than trask to the future .

  23. Dave Pear Says:

    The point is, the fraud is still employed by the Bucs. Until he isn’t the truth needs to be told.

  24. Kenton Smith Says:

    Dave Pear- “You Can’t Handle The Truth”.

  25. BucMinisterFuller Says:

    We never replaced JPP, Suh, or Shaq Barrett.
    This is the reason the defense stinks.
    Who’s fault is it?

  26. Durango 95 Says:

    “The beatings will continue until morale improves.”