Flu (?) Bug Biting Bucs Locker Room
November 19th, 2025
There’s a bug buzzing around the locker room at One Buc Palace. And Joe suspects the bug wasn’t someone leaving the back door open for Joe Tryon-Shoyinka to crawl in.
Though Bucs coach Todd Bowles didn’t say it was a flu bug, the rest of his words point to a flu bug. It’s not just players going down, but coaches too.
The Bucs had a walk-through today (NFL allows teams to have 14 total padded practices per regular season, 11 padded practices are allowed through the first 11 weeks and three more the rest of the regular season). While this isn’t really news for Joe, when Bowles was asked about padded practices today, he mentioned one reason he did not have a padded practice is that a bunch of players and coaches are sick.
“Unfortunately, this Wednesday, a lot of people have taken ill – there is a bug going around the building,” Bowles said. “We had about five coaches and about 15 players down, so that helped aid in this walkthrough.
“There’s nothing we can really do about that today.”
So this Sunday is shaking out to be a grim prospect for the Bucs. Let’s review:
* The Bucs are playing a primetime game. Bad.
* The Bucs will face arguably the best team in the NFC. Bad.
* The Bucs are playing a team coached by Sean McVay, who regularly picks apart a Todd Bowles defense. Bad.
* The hottest quarterback in the NFL will start for the Rams, Matt Stafford. Bad.
* The game is on the West Coast. Bad.
* The Bucs defense has been horrid since the bye, the past two games. Bad.
* The Bucs are dealing with a flu bug ravaging the locker room. Bad.
Might Joe suggest Bucs fans have some top-shelf liquor on hand Sunday night? It’s easier to bound back the next morning after guzzling high-end hooch than the rotgut.
November 19th, 2025 at 5:28 pm
Flu…what’s next?
November 19th, 2025 at 5:29 pm
Sounds like they caught something in Buffalo and then being on the flight back together. Hope they all feel better soon!
November 19th, 2025 at 5:33 pm
Give me a break already….geez.
November 19th, 2025 at 5:40 pm
Rams only favored by -6.5. I would have sworn that it should be higher than that given how the Bills just slammed us by 12 and the Rams are better than the Bills and it’s west coast. Are the Bucs supposed to be playing angry? Like against Buffalo post the Patriots loss? Do they know Dean is out and Stafford is throwing against rookie Ben Morrison, and the Bucs left the pass rush in NOLA?
What am I missing? Beer Joe? Trying to make something of the pending doom. I just don’t see enough fight in these players to challenge the Rams on the road. Finish 11-6 and depending on who we face out in 1st or 2nd round UNLESS we get a full calvary back and some fire is lit with this team. At this point, I’d be scared of Detroit or Chicago coming to Tampa for 1st round.
Where’s the Calgon.
November 19th, 2025 at 5:40 pm
Is it time for MRSA yet?
November 19th, 2025 at 5:44 pm
So basically you’re saying we got this right?
November 19th, 2025 at 5:44 pm
The Glazers got lucky. This is a perfect distraction to stall for time and the inevitable loss to the Rams won’t be Bowles fault. Somebody tell the Bucs that Doctors and hospitals around the world know that regular old Povidone-Iodine Solution 10% first aid antiseptic can be swabbed or sprayed into the nostrils and gargled in the throat. This helps prevent viral infections. DISCLAIMER !!!! Do your homework to get it right. LOOK IT UP. This “moral midget” that isn’t a Doctor as one commenter called me hasn’t had a cold or flu in so long I don’t remember. Just do it when you think your surroundings might be risky. You are very welcome. I’ll send you a bill.
November 19th, 2025 at 5:48 pm
Here is to wishing Baker distributes TD passes to his teammates along with the baby cigars. Last years arrival set him off for 41 TDS. A boy on the way should motivate him to new levels which will definitely invigorate the rest of the team.
November 19th, 2025 at 5:50 pm
Losing all 3 games to the Patriots, Bills & Rams was always a very distinct possibility. Having 15 players down with the flu bug while we’re trying to prepare to meet the high-flying Rams certainly doesn’t help. But it is what it is.
Thankfully we started 6-2 though, and thankfully our schedule (supposedly) gets a little easier after this coming Rams game. And we SHOULD have several starters coming back during these last 6 games. As always, it’s still one game at a time.
November 19th, 2025 at 5:52 pm
We have been in every game this year…and even the losses we had a chance or a lead late…this game is setting up for one of our classic out west blowouts! This flu has sealed it…we’re gonna get evicerated…Rams 41 Bucs 17
November 19th, 2025 at 5:58 pm
I had additional suggestions but the algo shut me down.
November 19th, 2025 at 6:01 pm
There’s very little hope for society.
November 19th, 2025 at 6:02 pm
Convenient timing for the flu, almost a built in excuse for the coachiing staff if the Bucs lose 48 to 14. Too bad other teams never seem to get the flu. If Stafford had the flu, he could probably still pass for 350 yards evennif Nacua and Adams were out, that is how pathetic Todd’s D is.
November 19th, 2025 at 6:07 pm
An easy way to win this game is to run for 200+ yards and score a TD on every possession.
Note: this will work in any game.
November 19th, 2025 at 6:10 pm
At least I know the Joes will likely see the iodine suggestion. It’s legit. For all the others that don’t read, enjoy the flu. I recently had surgery. When the nurse prepping me showed up with an iodine swab she was surprised that I had already done that earlier in the morning but we did it again.
November 19th, 2025 at 6:10 pm
Defense Rules, the warning sign to me was the loss to New England, in my opinion a very winnable game if Bowles properly prepared them to play a complete game and quit the idiotic 2 point conversions (1 for 8) and poor 4th down decisions. Todd did not have the team ready after the bye and nowbit has manifested into a losing streak. Every year this happens and there should be no excuses for it. The common denominator is Bowles. It is a pattern, no coincidence. No progress, in fact regression. BWhatever he does every season seems to lead to a bad 1-5 streak. No one expects the Bucs to beat LA, why should they? No defense, bad special teams and a soft, unaccountable coach.
November 19th, 2025 at 6:16 pm
Joe it needs to be diluted 1 part to 10 distilled water.
November 19th, 2025 at 6:21 pm
Got my shot in October
November 19th, 2025 at 6:26 pm
Yes think they have Ram sickness and bad play sickness. Yes it is contagious, I hear. It multiplies when teams start playing poorly and goes from person to person and multiplies when playing poorly. Ram illness occurs when playing the Rams in prime time and the players are not concerned after last week’s loss. Unfortunately after the game many fans may come down with a bad case of the blues. Hopefully the fans get through it after realizing this season is probably over .Sorry Ira, I don’t see 10 wins much less 11.
November 19th, 2025 at 6:33 pm
Time to break out the Johnny Blue🙄🙄
November 19th, 2025 at 6:39 pm
“The hottest quarterback in the NFL will start for the Rams, Matt Stafford. Bad.”
.
.
* Matt Stafford is the best quarterback in the NFL at defeating the blitz (as we know from experience). Bad.
November 19th, 2025 at 6:41 pm
they brought the highly toxic buffalo flu back from new york with them to tampa…
whoever got it put it in the air on the flight and heads huffed it in…
now 48-72 hours later, a lot of strong immune systems are caving in…
buffalo gals go round the outside…round the outside…round the outside
November 19th, 2025 at 7:06 pm
GREAT NEWS!
Most of the greatest performances I’ve seen in sports is when someone is suffering from the flu. The more, the better!
November 19th, 2025 at 7:08 pm
Bills & Patriots were both winnable games.
Losing both is inexcusable.
But the standards for Tampa Bay are so laughably low, fans will celebrate the team barely squeezing into the playoffs and getting bounced in the wild card round yet again.
Anyone know how many plays of over 40 yards Tampa Bay gave up the past 2 weeks?
10.
10 plays of over 40 yards allowed by the defense and special teams the past 2 weeks.
Vs. Pats: 2 runs and 2 passes over 40 yards
Vs. Bills: 2 passes over 40 yards and 4 kick returns over 40 yards.
INEXCUSABLE
November 19th, 2025 at 7:09 pm
lol 😂 it’s always something
November 19th, 2025 at 7:20 pm
And they get to sit together on a 7 hour flight with shared recycled air.
November 19th, 2025 at 8:13 pm
It’s like this every…..flippin…..year.
November 19th, 2025 at 8:15 pm
Todd Bowles -Bad
November 19th, 2025 at 8:20 pm
Another golden bet…Rams -6.5…bet the house again
November 19th, 2025 at 8:39 pm
BS. Everyone on a professional team gets vaccinated for flu, covid, pnemonia nd such. If not, then fire light and bowles
November 19th, 2025 at 8:40 pm
i’m not watching the game, it comes on even later out here in the atlantic, i’ll come back when they figure it out…. id be up to 2am after they get spanked
November 19th, 2025 at 9:05 pm
So you’re saying there’s a chance
November 19th, 2025 at 9:19 pm
Gargle a shot of RumpleMinze each evening before bed. (Yes, swallow)
Learned it from my German Grandmother who, reportedly, never had a sick day in her life.
November 19th, 2025 at 9:57 pm
This is going be such a tough game to watch.
Especially with fan-boy Collinsworth gargling the Rams balls all night.
November 19th, 2025 at 10:24 pm
Look, the Bucs are not going to win this game – and almost certainly they’re going to get embarrassed. I accepted that the day the schedule came out and I saw the game was in prime time – in addition to all the other factors.
Just get it all out of your system this week, and then, after that, lets get on a roll for the playoffs, and focus on getting everything in sync, hopefully as we get most everyone back and hopefully healthy.
But this week – complete disaster. If it makes you feel any better, go put like $20 on the Rams -14 or whatever prop blowout you can get, and if that happens, then you’ll at least make like $100. If it doesn’t win, well, it means the Bucs overperformed and you can be happy about that.
November 19th, 2025 at 10:28 pm
Games like this is where they surprise you
November 19th, 2025 at 10:28 pm
(Unrelated, Dirty Birds sign Trask to practice squad)
November 19th, 2025 at 10:47 pm
ElioT…that’s why I have Sirius XM…and I mute the TV and listen to Gene Deckerhoff. So much better that way, even when they are playing like garbage. Just a thought if you can do that.
November 19th, 2025 at 10:55 pm
gp. Rumple Minze. 100 proof Peppermint Schnapps. How about 2 or 3 shots?
November 19th, 2025 at 11:37 pm
Kenton
It’s purpose is to clear the sinuses, but yeah, I do two.
I once had a Rumple Minze New Year, ended up with a couple busted ribs.
Good thing I didn’t catch a cold!
November 19th, 2025 at 11:40 pm
For those who don’t know, Rumple Minze should be kept in the freezer and served ice cold.
November 20th, 2025 at 12:37 am
Watch us somehow have our best game yet lol