Todd Bowles Didn’t Like Shilo Sanders’ Punch
August 24th, 2025
Likely ended his Bucs days.
Joe thought if undrafted rookie safety Shilo Sanders had a good Saturday night, he might make the 53-man roster. But it was a stretch.
More likely with a good night, Sanders would have been a practice squad guy. Regardless, he needed to shine.
Sanders instead had a horrible night.
Sanders might be the only rookie undrafted rookie free agent Joe can remember getting run from the final preseason game. If that has happened, someone fill Joe in. At least most of these guys are aware enough to keep their cool and stay on the field.
Joe is not anti-Sanders. He seemed like a smart player. He’s a fantastic person to be around (yes, Joe knows about his past, Joe is only speaking from direct interaction). Bucs players love the energy he brings to the locker room.
All of that may have gone — poof! — last night when Sanders was ejected. Buffalo tight end Zach Davidson drove Sanders 10 yards on a play in the first half and was quite physical with Sanders. At one point, Joe thought Davidson got a hand to the face of Sanders.
Sanders lost his cool and punched Davidson. Or at least he swung at Davidson. A referee stood maybe five feet away.
For a smart guy that Joe thought Sanders was, that was incredibly stupid. That one swing may have cost Sanders an NFL job.
Bucs coach Todd Bowles was not happy with Sanders after the game.
“You can’t throw punches in this league,” Bowles said. “That’s inexcusable.
“They’re going to get you every time. Gotta grow from that.”
As Bowles spoke, he shook his head in disappointment.
Guys on the bubble, you cannot give a team a reason to cut you. Sanders needed a good game not just to maybe stay with the Bucs but to impress other teams. Instead, not only did he get run, he blew a chance his chance.
The last impression Sanders gave future teams was him losing his cool and trying to belt an opponent. Dumb. And very disappointing.
Buccaneers rookie DB Shilo Sanders was ejected for throwing a punch at Bills TE Zach Davidson. pic.twitter.com/OY7vSA8u3x
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 24, 2025
August 24th, 2025 at 10:08 am
Just can’t fix stupid!!!
August 24th, 2025 at 10:08 am
If it were not for his last name…
C-ya!
August 24th, 2025 at 10:08 am
Poop for brains.
August 24th, 2025 at 10:10 am
Nearly every other preseason game I have seen this year has had guys swinging at each other. And less we forget that Evans has swung at saints DBs too. I get that sanders is not Evans and has not earned that privilege to take swings and not get penalized for it by his own team. That bills player hit sanders in the head first and sanders reacted. He never even hit the TE and one could argue he was trying to get him away. I just hope sanders gets cut solely on his abilities or lack thereof and not some stupid play that he made trying to defend himself. How many times do we think sterling shepherd will lose his cool this year ??
August 24th, 2025 at 10:10 am
Dude was lucky he had his helmet on because that punch landed solidly and turned him around
August 24th, 2025 at 10:11 am
Looking at the replay the official see’s what’s going on and runs up to the play, whistle in mouth and hand on the flag as though he’s going to throw it on the TE until Sanders swings at the guy then the flag comes out. And in true Chickens*** style the guy that starts it points at Sanders. Even some of the players turn to see what’s going on before the punch. Maybe the guy didn’t really hear the whistle, it happens but at the least it should have been off setting and Sanders thrown out.
August 24th, 2025 at 10:16 am
Last week, Chiefs 1st round pick threw a punch at a teammate during practice.
Sanders’ move wasn’t good, but I wouldn’t say he’s blown his chances in the NFL.
August 24th, 2025 at 10:18 am
Regardless of what happened last night, I just didn’t see him having any chance of making the team. Remember, we are not the only team cutting players. There will likely be better safety options to look at for depth.
August 24th, 2025 at 10:24 am
First preseason game Caldwell was the play caller. Three turnovers win. Second preseason game Foote calls the defense, three turnovers, win. Last night Bowles back to calling it, Bucelle looks like an all pro. No turnovers, 3rd, and longs, constantly converted, loss. Bucs trying to get the ball back before the end of the half. Third, and long, Bowles drops his pass rushers back into coverage. Bucelle rolls right, no pressure, completes a long pass for a first down. Bills with no timeouts drive for a half ending FG. I know there were a lot of camp meat out there, but Todd never put any of them in a position to succeed. Wish the press would grow some nads, and call this genius out. Todd needs to hand the reins over to Caldwell, or Foote.
August 24th, 2025 at 10:26 am
Not even worth a PS spot,
He’ll be 27 next year when the training camp for the competition for the next 53 .
He gone….
August 24th, 2025 at 10:26 am
I’m thinking that when he was back in the locker room Deion called him and ripped him up one side and down the other.
August 24th, 2025 at 10:30 am
Still rooting for Shilo. It’s not over. Davidson ignited it along with a face mask onto Shilo. Davidson has been in the league longer and should have known better and should have been removed from the game too. If the NFL wants to make a point, it works both ways.
Gee whiz, Shilo isn’t the first to make an error in judgement, and in a preseason game. The ref was right there. He had to see the face mask.
August 24th, 2025 at 10:30 am
In this replay, you can see referee laying on the whistle before the TE lands blows on the head and neck of Sanders.
Yes, the swing by Sanders is an automatic penalty and ejection. But, there should have been an off-setting personal foul against the TE and step one towards ejection if there was a second personal foul.
Poor decision making by the referee failed to acknowledge and penalize the Bills for the first foul that should at least have been illegal hands to the face and probably should have been unsportsmanlike conduct for illegal contact well after a nearby whistle.
August 24th, 2025 at 10:34 am
I don’t get why both players weren’t thrown out. It was a preseason game with back ups. Refs should have sent a message. Instead they made it seem more like they were playing favorites. Kinda the M.O. of the NFL recently
August 24th, 2025 at 10:39 am
At that point it was not to defend himself but to try and get even.
August 24th, 2025 at 10:45 am
If he was really smart, he would have went down grabbing his face in pretend agony and drawn the flag on the other guy.
August 24th, 2025 at 11:21 am
byeeeeeee
August 24th, 2025 at 11:35 am
Don’t let this distract yourselves from realizing Elijah Roberts was flashing every 1 on 1 he had last night
August 24th, 2025 at 11:37 am
Adios shilo
August 24th, 2025 at 11:56 am
Unfortunate, his nfl career is likely over. He was not good to start with and he is not a young player.
August 24th, 2025 at 11:58 am
I thought this kid was a big distraction for the team from the get-go. Just a PR stunt for the FO to bring attention to the team at the national level. Either that, or someone on that staff is buddies with Deion and felt they owed him a favor. The sad part is there were other UDFAs that probably deserved a shot more than the this pampered and entitled Sanders kid. A lot of these guys are coming from nothing and could have used the money to get a good start in life. What does Shilo have to worry about?
August 24th, 2025 at 11:59 am
Let’s bury a dude for throwing a punch and drool over a kid that’s too fat to practice…..hmmmmm I wonder why.
August 24th, 2025 at 12:10 pm
You all keep talking about Sanders missing tackles. What about the other safeties who have been in the league missing more tackles? Also, it was 2 or 3 players that missed the tackle before the player even reached Shilo. Now I’m not saying give him a roster spot, but let’s be fair when grading a rookie and vets who have been in the league and can tackle or cover.
August 24th, 2025 at 12:13 pm
Snaders deserves the same attention as all the other guyus trying to make the team – – no more and no less. Let’s talk more about the players that SHOULD be good additions for sure
August 24th, 2025 at 12:15 pm
I knew TB would have zero tolerance for such a stupid mistake, won’t be surprised if his brother gets cut after 5 sacks yesterday in n Cleveland.
LFG BUCS!!!!
Fire them cannons
August 24th, 2025 at 12:26 pm
Hopefully the tight end gets cut, too.
Shilo should hit up his old man for a job and get into coaching. It sounds like he might be good at it.
August 24th, 2025 at 12:36 pm
Box of rocks
Maybe his dad will hire him as a coach
August 24th, 2025 at 2:08 pm
Zach got inside his head. Got Shilo thinking he was in a schoolyard brawl.
August 24th, 2025 at 6:51 pm
Y’all say way to much and don’t know sheeeee ima get it on god
August 24th, 2025 at 9:10 pm
Every team has to make cuts.Don’t make it easy to cut you
August 24th, 2025 at 9:51 pm
Punishing a retaliatory rather than instigator is unjust and needs to stop.
Then the instigator taunted him afterwards.
If shilo was cut I hope it was for not being good enough, not this referee mistake