Trashing The Bucs’ Ceiling
June 27th, 2025
“Shady’s an ass, Cade.”
Retired superstar running back LeSean “Shady” McCoy and nine-year receiver James Jones ganged up on the Bucs during their popular The Facility show yesterday.
“Their ceiling is getting to the playoffs and winning a game,” Jones said. “But the Bucs ain’t a dominant team like that getting to the NFC Championship when you have the Eagles and Packers and the Lions and the Rams and teams like that. I just cannot see that happening. We have seen their ceiling … Their ceiling is making it to the playoffs with a subpar record and beating a team — one team — and that is it.”
McCoy, a 2020 Buccaneer, agreed completely with Jones.
A noted Baker Mayfield detractor for the past few years, McCoy said he “can finally say when I look at Mayfield, ok, he’s a good quarterback.”
However, McCoy sees Mayfied as a “good” QB in a sea of NFC quarterbacks better than good.
“You gotta go against Baker Mayfield? I don’t think you’re worried. I don’t think you’re trippin’,” McCoy said. “He’s the worst one [of the good NFC quarterbacks], and that’s not a bad thing.”
Per McCoy, he believes Dak Prescott, Jared Goff, Jalen Hurts, Jayden Daniels and Matthew Stafford are a solid level better than Mayfield, so the Bucs are not a true contender.
McCoy is convinced Todd Bowles is “a tremendous coach” and the Bucs have a good roster. He also thinks Bucky Irving could become a top-5 running back this year. But Mayfield will keep the Bucs’ postseason ceiling low, he says.
June 27th, 2025 at 9:16 am
Saw Packers. Immediately discredited
June 27th, 2025 at 9:16 am
McCoy has been a Baker hater for years, not a single word out of his mouth should be taken seriously when this clown scored 11 on the Wonderlic.
Truly a mind built for running face first into 300lb line men.
June 27th, 2025 at 9:17 am
The Rams??? THE PACKERS??? What season of the NFL do they watch? Dak Prescott, Goff and a ROOKIE a solid level above Baker?? Even Hurts is arguable.
I know I’m optimistic about the Bucs and may inflate their abilities in my head but these comments seem to be ABSURD.
The disrespect is astonishing and the fact they analyze the game, get paid to do it, and spew this nonsense to the public is honestly incomprehensible.
I mean Dak F’n Prescott, what an absolute JOKE.
June 27th, 2025 at 9:25 am
The one whose trippin is Shady. The defense is the reason for the ceiling and so far the half timer at two critical coaching positions has failed to correct the defects.
June 27th, 2025 at 9:31 am
Total BS, Shady McCoy is a clown he was the worst RB on our 2020 roster and shouldn’t have gotten a ring. Baker Mayfield is going to have another career year this season mark it down Baker Mayfield for MVP 2025
June 27th, 2025 at 9:32 am
So, the ceiling is the same as last year’s result? The defense is the wildcard. It should be much improved through FA, the draft and better health. If so, look out! The offense will take care of things on their side of the ball.
June 27th, 2025 at 9:37 am
Mc Coy a superstar Joseph? Since when? This is new for me!!
June 27th, 2025 at 9:37 am
Baker is better than most QB’s on that list. Shady never give Baker props. At least he’s not as bad as that clown Steve Smith.
June 27th, 2025 at 9:47 am
Ok. Really, that’s ok! Talk about bulletin board motivation. No need to argue, just go out and show them how wrong they are!
BEAT ATLANTA!
June 27th, 2025 at 9:48 am
McCoy is full of crap
June 27th, 2025 at 10:05 am
Zzbucs – LeSean McCoy was the RB everyone thought Reggie Bush was going to be.
Probably the most elusive RB this side of Barry Sanders.
June 27th, 2025 at 10:11 am
How easy is it to ignore stats & any off-season improvements and just say that a team is going to do no better than they did the last two seasons. Ignore facts that the team had some problems and weaknesses that are now fixed.
* + Hassan Reddick & David Walker – no JTS
* Healthy Dennis + Walker/Jones – no Brett
* + Morrison & Parrish -> healthy Dean & Hall
* Healthy AWJ – Smith to safety – no Whitehead
* + Ebuka -> health CW (eventually)
* New, good punter Dixon -> no Camarda
* Same dominant offensive roster in almost the same system with an OC who knows the team and will just tweak things, hopefully only for the better
That’s not even all of it. There were some coaching switches, a time clock specialist hire & a Bowles epiphany (the last two we don’t even know much about).
Only local media and fans know and acre about these details… that in fact make the ceiling much higher.
June 27th, 2025 at 10:11 am
I love Baker. That being said, his one flaw IMO is his deep ball. If he could throw the ball deep and hit the receiver in stride, he’d be one of the best. That’s why Brady was the GOAT. He could make every throw.
June 27th, 2025 at 10:15 am
Fix the defense and limit third down conversions and the offense will be able to routinely score 30+ points. McCoy and Jones are totally wrong about Mayfield. He can win the SB, with help from the defense.
June 27th, 2025 at 10:21 am
McCoy … “He (Baker) is the worst one [of the good NFC quarterbacks, and that’s not a bad thing.”
Everyone’s entitled to their opinion. McCoy’s is wrong, but it’s still his opinion. His position that ‘Mayfield will keep the Bucs’ postseason ceiling low’ is what’s laughable. Without Baker throwing 41 TDs, completing 71.4% of his passes, rushing for 378 yards, 3 TDs & 24 first downs our Bucs would’ve been hard-pressed to finish 10-7 & win the NFC South crown.
In terms of Baker’s ranking among other QBs, NFL dot com ranked him as #6 for last season. Lamar Jackson (12-5), Josh Allen (13-4), Joe Burrow (9-8), Jared Goff (15-2) and Sam Darnold (14-3) all ranked in front of him. Behind Baker were Jayden Daniels (#7), Patrick Mahomes (#8), Matthew Stafford (#12), Jalen Hurts (#16) and Dak Prescott (#19).
Apparently NFL dot come doesn’t share McCoy’s rankings either.
June 27th, 2025 at 10:22 am
Fucx those guys!!!
June 27th, 2025 at 10:46 am
Pretty spot on analysis. Not a criticism to state that the Bucs will make the playoffs and win a playoff game. Saying The Eagles, Lions and Packers are above the Bucs is fairly accurate and the Rams are always a threat because they have one of the top two HC’s in the NFL. Not sure why all of the Pearl Clutching and anger, The Bucs are also Below the Commanders. All of this does not mean that if the Bucs stay healthy and get hot after Christmas they can make some noise and make a deep playoff run. Its July, everyone take a deep breath.
June 27th, 2025 at 11:05 am
“Saying The Eagles, Lions and Packers are above the Bucs is fairly accurate and the Rams are always a threat” “The Bucs are also Below the Commanders”
I disagree, but I want to hear how you come to these conclusions. Eagles and Lions, I’ll concede, but when it comes to the Rams and the Packers (Commanders too but we lost in the playoffs so I’ll leave them out) where do you see them being above us? Jordan Love hasn’t shown what Baker has and Matt Stafford is arguably past his best (above Baker talent wise minus the grit and determination in my opinion)
So with the Packers and Rams with equal or worse QB play than us, roster talent on offense goes to us against both teams, and defense we took a step up over last year, why are they a level above?
I’m not trying to be a smart Alec here, but it really doesn’t make sense to put those 2 teams in the tier that you are.
June 27th, 2025 at 11:06 am
@Ted ^^^
June 27th, 2025 at 11:19 am
@Baker Bowl,
Its just an opinion based on the Packers playing in a very tough division with a young, talented QB and a very good, innovative, young HC. I never stated that the Rams are above us, that was Shady McCoy. My comments were that the Rams are always a threat because of their Head Coach being elite. The Bucs play in the weakest division in Football and while Bowles seems to be a very nice human being, he is less than as a gameday coach. As stated before, all of this conjecture /opinion is just that. The Bucs have the talent, if healthy, to get hot and consistent in late December to make a deep playoff run and peak at the right time.
June 27th, 2025 at 11:26 am
Shady McCoy had the most reasonable response, even when Acho tried to say we don’t have the talent on offense compared to the RAMS(!?) and rattled off Evans, Irving, & Godwin before passing it to Shady. Didn’t go out of his way to bash Baker, but he def said he wasn’t as good as a Jayden Daniels or Dak Prescott on a player v. player perspective which is fair & I’ve heard McCoy speak about Mayfield a lot more negatively in the past.
James Jones thinks we’re not dominate and we play in a weak division, but we have no control of sharing a division with at least 3 poorly run organizations.
NOBODY brought that up as a copout for the Patriots decade and a half run sharing a division with the Jets, Dolphins & Bills. James Jones himself, played in an NFC North with basement dwellers in Chicago, Detroit, & pre-Justin Jefferson Vikings to where it was annually a one team race. So to make that the emphasis in your eval of the Bucs, when you as a player benefitted your whole career beating down lesser teams 6 weeks out of the season made me grin a little.
When Lesean McCoy is the voice of reason on your panel, that’s like making Joy Taylor “head” of HR.
June 27th, 2025 at 11:28 am
@Ted
Alright heard, I know it’s all opinion I wasn’t trying to go after you honestly. I see your point about the Rams, Stafford is good enough to execute something creative from McVay with subpar guys around him.
I just don’t see the Packers (also just my opinion). I think Jordan Love is in a kind of make or break spot and I see him breaking before he makes it. Although I do agree that Lafleur is a good HC, better than Bowles. Buddy also wanted the tush push banned though (no correlation with any actual coaching ability), so maybe that’s where I just lose respect for the guy’s as an NFL HC.
Banning a play is such a playground move. Can’t be an elite football mind with that mentality.
Regardless, hopefully the NFC will go through Tampa, I see us having major success barring any major injuries, I mean we had a path to the bowl last year with Godwin active in my opinion.
June 27th, 2025 at 11:31 am
McCoy dropped a wide open Brady TD pass against San Diego, I believe. He never played much after that. He sucked for the Bucs but probably harbors animosity.
June 27th, 2025 at 11:34 am
@Baker Bowl,
Point taken and I am hoping for a great season for the Bucs!
June 27th, 2025 at 11:53 am
Baker has two factors, the IT factor that is positive and the SH factor is on the negative side! It when he combines the two that contributes to turnovers!
June 27th, 2025 at 11:56 am
honestly,
i can’t think of anyone with less integrity than lesean mccoy
dude is a subhuman piece of trash
June 27th, 2025 at 12:06 pm
Did he neglect to notice we beat both the Eagles and the Lions last year? As far as the Eagles, the difference between the 23 eagles and the 24 eagles is the number 29 defense versus the number two defense
June 27th, 2025 at 12:31 pm
Doubt anything McCoy, Simms, Florio, PFF, or PPP says will affect move odds makers needle one bit. Bucs are favored to win the Division and have 7 other NFC teams with better odds of Winning the Conference and Super Bowl.
Confidence level on betting the Bucs @ Over 9.5 wins is also low.
Commanders exceeded expectations in 2024 but got a lot of help from opposing QB’s in the Playoffs before the reality set in.
Bucs got a break in 2023 seeded against a team that imploded down the stretch.
Bucs floor is second in the NFC South and the ceiling is pretty much where McCoy stated.
June 27th, 2025 at 12:39 pm
The Bucs have obviously improved from last season, almost across the board. There is not 1 position group that you could say went backwards this offseason.
Lions still have a great roster but their coaching and OL losses should not be overlooked.
Packers… well I trust Jordan Love less than I trust Baker, working eyeballs informed that opinion. Those teams are in the toughest division in football. Vikings and Bears can easily upset that apple cart.
Eagles still top of the class until proven otherwise but luckily for us, Bucs have their number. Rams got a decent squad, hitting on a lot of defensive picks and Nacua in recent drafts but 38 year old Stafford behind that OL would make me nervous.
WASH and Dallas, who knows. I like to think we will see regression outta the Commanders but Daniels looks like a star.
No reason that the Bucs aren’t a top contender to come outta the NFC.
June 27th, 2025 at 12:49 pm
I honestly have a hard time deciding what former Buc that I have the most disdain for. AB, Shady McCoy, Devin White or DJax. Obviously Shady is no fan of the Bucs organization and his takes are lazy.
June 27th, 2025 at 1:05 pm
I don’t get the Packer love across the media.
I don’t get the Baker hate either, especially after the last 2 years and the VERY visible issues with the defense.
June 27th, 2025 at 1:11 pm
The Bucs will achieve only what Bowles history points to: a mediocre to poor head coach with only one playoff win in 7 seasons – the game the Eagles quit trying.
Why does anyone expect anything different?
June 27th, 2025 at 1:23 pm
to ALL posters n readers and Joe-and especially Thisisouryear poster- Bakers ONE weakness is NOT NOT NOT his deep ball on the flyC!! His deep ball is astounding actually-didnt u SEE that less than 24hours Rams game and how Baker won it?? Deep Ball is GR8-he always has needed receivers 2 TRUST and GET DOWNFIELD Deep and QUICKLY -like at OU and his 2nd year at Browns-he needed Shep and CeeDee and Washington, etc-guys who would JUST RUN and put Arms out in front of them and let Baker drop in Bread Basket!!! Like that Rams game and that Deep Holy Mary 2 endzone that Godwin ran and CAUSHT N WON GAME and SEVERAL that Mike EVANS Pulled in last year 2-Baker just wasn’t ALLOWED 2 throw deep much!!! His quick short hard throws that get intercepted mite be his Krytonite-but-Baker doesn’t do those regularly-thank goodness-he will do LESS of those throws SINCE they r turning him loose this year EVEN MORE than last Co-ordinator let him loose
SOOO_ BANNER YEAR FOR BAKER AND THE BUCS!! SUPERBOWL TIME!!!!!!
June 27th, 2025 at 1:26 pm
LOL – No mention of the Vikings?
Let’s take a look at the tape guys!
The Bucs were 3rd in Passing last year, better than the Eagles, Packers and Rams
The Bucs were 4th in Rushing last year, better than the Lions, Packers and Rams
The Bucs were 4th in total TDs last year, better than the Eagles, Packers and Rams
The Bucs were 3rd in total yards last year, better than the Eagles, Packers and Rams
The Bucs were 4th in total points last year, better tthan the Eagles, Packers and Rams
In head to head contests last year, the Bucs were 1-0 aganst the Lions (road), and 1-0 against the Eagles (home)
The Bucs virtually returned all their starters from last year.
How does it compute that the Bucs have no chance against these teams???