Gerald McCoy Talks Super Bowl Road
June 4th, 2025
Retired Bucs Pro Bowl DT Gerald McCoy.
Six-time Buccaneers Pro Bowl defensive tackle Gerald McCoy was a polarizing player during his Tampa Bay days.
But Joe thinks there’s at least one thing every Bucs fan can agree on when it comes to McCoy:
If a Buccaneers cheerleader Ring of Honor was created, McCoy would be a first-ballot inductee.
Now a podcaster and an NFL Network analyst, McCoy is relentless is his public selling of all things Bucs. And he’s not lying. McCoy is a true believer. He’s had fun for months rubbing his Bucs-win-the-division-last-year prediction in the faces of Falcons fans.
McCoy was back at it again this week on The Rich Eisen Show. He’s bullish on the Bucs challenging the Eagles for the NFC Championship this year.
Among many points, including McCoy saying he thinks Vita Vea can elevate his game to become an All-Pro for the first time, the former Bucs captain noted how hungry edge rusher Haason Reddick will be to face the Eagles — regular season or postseason. And McCoy said he’s sure Baker Mayfield will very much want to plant his Oklahoma flag to show the world he’s the best Sooners quarterback, not Jalen Hurts.
The Reddick and Mayfield takes were fresh to Joe, and Joe suspects Mayfield has shared that desire to McCoy directly, and the two are friends.
McCoy also likes the Bucs’ drafting of two man-to-man cornerbacks in Rounds 2 and 3 in April, Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish. He seems to think the rookies can contribute immediately.
“We’ve seen that. The Eagles’ Kryptonite is the Buccaneers,” McCoy said with confidence.
For those who might scoff at that statement (it’s true and has been for years), McCoy had some advice. “Just look at the matchups and tell me I’m wrong.”
Ira Kaufman Talks OTA Progression & Overhype, Training Camp Adjustments, Benjamin Morrison, Rookies Under Todd Bowles, Baker Mayfield & The Media, And More
June 4th, 2025 at 8:07 pm
McCoy never had quality talent around him .
He gave it everything he had as a player for the Bucs.
June 4th, 2025 at 8:37 pm
Maybe he can had out ice cream.
June 4th, 2025 at 8:42 pm
Sorry but can’t get behind a guy who tells his teammates “just to have fun” while they’re getting there behind kicked.
Or apologizing to a QB while you’re letting up on him anyway..
June 4th, 2025 at 8:52 pm
Let’s hope that *EVERYONE’S* kryptonite is the Bucs this year. We certainly have the talent for a tremendous season if everyone stays (relatively) healthy.
June 4th, 2025 at 9:03 pm
Joe…Not sure if you heard. Pat Kirwan specifically mentioned the Sage on Moving the Chains today. They were talking about how many folks the Sage has successfully gotten in HOF during presentations. Pat suggested getting the Sage on their show to discuss his success. That would be a cool segment…you guys gotta make it happen.
June 4th, 2025 at 9:17 pm
Time for the Tampa 7.
4 man rush. 7 DBs.
Dean and Zion outside.
Morrison and Parish inside.
Izien, Tykes, and Winfield at safety/money backer.
Let LVD take some snaps off for mercy’s sake!!!
June 4th, 2025 at 10:49 pm
Teacherman may correct.
June 4th, 2025 at 11:11 pm
I wouldn’t be surprised to see some creative packages IF Morrison and Parrish pan out as expected @Teacherman.
Lots of ifs… defensively
IF the 4 man rush can be more effective
IF SVD, Walker and Jones can be effective beside LVD
IF secondary play (corners and safeties) improves
IF we can get more takeaways
IF we can continue to dominate against the run
IF we can stay semi healthy
But based on our draft and the influx of new defensive talent, Reddicks aquisition, returning talent (of which there’s plenty), SVDs return at full strength and assuming AWJ is going to be back to himself…… and what I’m hearing from the coaches and players in interviews (they know what the problems are and have a plan) all of the ifs above are easily doable 👍🏼
I predict nexts years D as top 10, at least
You can call me on that, I’ll still be using the same name 😉
As long as the offense stays top 5 we should be be able to whip anybodies a$$ next year
We may need a little luck to make the SB this year but it’s certainly possible. One more draft like the last 2 (I’m making a positive assumption about this years class🤞🏼) and we’ll be stocked everywhere…..and still a young team.
June 4th, 2025 at 11:41 pm
Man, you gotta love his positivity. Although he doesn’t really know what it takes to make game winning plays to give your team a chance to get to a Super Bowl. Unlike the other #93, Suh.
June 5th, 2025 at 12:31 am
Suh went ahead of McCoy for a reason. But, I still like McCoy. He was a relatively special player on some relatively bad teams.
June 5th, 2025 at 3:41 am
Hard for me to get behind anything that GMC a.k.a ‘softy’ has to say. If it was Sapp or Suh saying something it would hold a lot more weight. Looking forward to the season starting when the rubber meets the road and actions speak louder then words.
June 5th, 2025 at 3:50 am
There’s one thing Buc fans can agree on about McCoy. That his dreds look rediculous?
June 5th, 2025 at 8:31 am
GoneGator, what you say is true, but c’mon dawg, check your calendar. It’s 2025 bro! We be kicking butt this year. Don’t have to wait till next year, although hopefully, we’ll still be kicking arse in 2026.
June 5th, 2025 at 8:52 am
As long as the Bucs can catch the Eagles in a 1-5 slump going into the Playoffs or with their two best receivers out and injured? Sure they will do well.
Bucs get them week 4 after getting beat up by the Cowboys, Chiefs and Rams, Should have a good shot. Give the Bucs Philly’s schedule and they are hard pressed to win 6 games.
It’s nice to have two more corners that can cover man to man but if they have to bail out the linebackers in run defense they won’t hold up.
Bucs have had some luck when it comes to the Eagle but the following 3 games after they face them against the Seahawks, 49er’s, and Lions will say a lot more about the Bucs team. A lot more will be seen in that stretch than finishing the against Panthers, Dolphins, and Panthers again. Then again that stretch might prove pretty informative too.
June 5th, 2025 at 12:41 pm
@PSL Bob
I hope so Bob 👍🏼
June 5th, 2025 at 12:57 pm
toopanca Says:
Suh went ahead of McCoy for a reason.
^^^^^^^
I’m a huge Suh fan. Suh had the single most dominant defensive season in college football I’ve ever seen (Sapp #2) but the stories about Suh are terrifying. YouTube Tom Segura (comic) story about Suh.
I’m from Oregon. Suh went to Grant HS in Oregon. Their high school coach was scared of Suh. No Pac12 team would touch him because his reputation as brutally mean.
Glad we ended up with him on the backside of his career after he chilled out.
June 5th, 2025 at 2:29 pm
Really? I haven’t even looked at Phillies schedule but seriously?