Tony Dungy: Bucs “Don’t Have The Mentality”
November 15th, 2025
“Tough’en up, Baker.”
Buccaneers Ring of Honor head coach Tony Dungy, aka Father Dungy, still lives in Tampa and often likes to share the pulse of his city on various NBC Sports shows.
Dungy joined the Football Night In America podcast this week and noted how folks in Tampa are disappointed after losing Sunday at home to the Patriots.
“Everybody’s down,” Dungy said. “That was a game that they felt was winnable. They had some chances against New England, didn’t get it done.”
Dungy said the critical component to beating the Bills tomorrow in Buffalo is “running the ball downhill.”
However, Dungy said the Bucs need an attitude overhaul if they plan to do that. He said injuries to the offensive line (the Bucs will start two backup guards tomorrow) and Bucky Irving have weakened the offense’s mindset.
“They don’t have the mentality right now that they can go ahead and win a game running the ball. And to me, that’s what you need against Buffalo,” Dungy said.
The former Bucs shotcaller (1996-2001) said if he were Todd Bowles, he’d be lecutring his offensive line to get their minds right. “We are going to still pound the ball at these guys and we’re going to win up front. Offensive line, you gotta do a good job that way.”
Hard words from Dungy. But he’s right to a degree. It’s mid-November on a cold, very breezy day in Buffalo. At some point the Bucs will need to lean on that rushing attack.
And it sure helps that Buffalo’s run defense is soft.
November 15th, 2025 at 6:41 pm
Barton is the guy only Starter that has played every game ,,,Expecting the O-Line to flourish with PS Players from other teams is a reach.
November 15th, 2025 at 6:41 pm
Tony Dungy was a good player and a good coach. He’s also nice enough to make me barf. And I just finished dinner Yikes.
November 15th, 2025 at 6:49 pm
Even Dungy knows Todd Bowles and his teams are SOFT!
November 15th, 2025 at 6:52 pm
Getting Luke back for a second game in a row will help. Losing Bredeson really hurts us but we need to show some life in this run game or we will be done. We cannot put it all on “when Bucky returns”. Grizz needs to be more creative, get the short passes going to open up the run and get Baker confident. The run game needs to be done with sheer willpower over our opponent. This is gonna be a dadgum dogfight we must win before we spiral into mediocrity
November 15th, 2025 at 6:58 pm
Sean Tucker should get 20+ carries tomorrow
November 15th, 2025 at 7:08 pm
Ok coach we need you to come out of retirement. Bet you’d do better than Bowles
November 15th, 2025 at 7:14 pm
Ateonetree Says:
November 15th, 2025 at 6:58 pm
Sean Tucker should get 20+ carries tomorrow
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Great way to get Baker injured and get blown out.
November 15th, 2025 at 7:15 pm
Need to run on the Bills like everyone and their mom is saying…
November 15th, 2025 at 7:15 pm
When he was coach and failed get to the Super Bowl 🏈 and got fired. GRUDEN took the team to the Super Bowl 🏈 and won. Who’s the better coach?
November 15th, 2025 at 7:19 pm
You can run on the Bills – but how about not being completely predictable and just running up the middle when you’re missing both of your starting guards. How about reviewing the tape from the last year and seeing what worked – that was 2 back sets, lots of motion, lots of misdirection. Don’t go out there with your backups, in particular the complete trash at RG, and just say we’re going to outmuscle these guys – that’s how you end up not being able to score 7 times in a row from the 1 yard line. Be smart, use the amazing scheme Coen gifted you, and don’t be an idiot.
It’s fine to use Tucker, but remember, he’s a middling back – but even a middling back can pull a Keyshawn Vaughn and have a 100 yard day. But you have a much better option in White is vastly superior in every way – so how about giving him the ball in situations other than 1st and 10 and running up the gut when they have 8 people on the line of scrimmage. Just a suggestion.
November 15th, 2025 at 7:20 pm
Allen Lofton Says:
November 15th, 2025 at 7:15 pm
When he was coach and failed get to the Super Bowl 🏈 and got fired. GRUDEN took the team to the Super Bowl 🏈 and won. Who’s the better coach?
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The one in the HOF, not the one who won a SB with the other coaches team and pretty much entire staff.
November 15th, 2025 at 7:24 pm
No so fast Rod Munch.
“Gruden, who was hired just before the 2002 season, brought in many new players, and 27 members of the Super Bowl team were not on the roster for the previous season’s final game.”
November 15th, 2025 at 7:30 pm
Kenton Smith Says:
Tony Dungy was a good player and a good coach. He’s also nice enough to make me barf. And I just finished dinner Yikes.
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Dungy hired Monte Kiffin as DC, and together they built one of the greatest defenses in NFL history. He was better than “good”. When he came to Tampa, he turned around one of the worst sports franchises of any kind with a losing record about 14 years in a row. Their average win total for the previous ten years was less than 5 wins/season.
November 15th, 2025 at 7:30 pm
There’s your sign.
November 15th, 2025 at 7:31 pm
I will always love Dungy…BUT Gruden won the Super Bowl that Dungy would have never made.
November 15th, 2025 at 7:31 pm
Father Dungy has a great point. The players adopt the mentality of the coaches, particularly the head coach. No kiiller instunct and play not to lose, maybe a few harsh words from Bowles when his team plays flat and allows explosive plays but no consequences for failure and no accountability equals 10 or 11 wins and maybe one playoff win as a ceiling. The Glazers wanted progress from 2024 but it is not there.
November 15th, 2025 at 7:32 pm
Coming from the most milk toast coach in history.
November 15th, 2025 at 7:33 pm
Buc1987 – The Bucs won the SB in 2002 because of the defense, which is literally the best passing defense in the history of the NFL, and gave up a net of 3 points in the playoffs. The defense was pretty much untouched in terms of coaching and scheme – it was just its time, it peaked that year, and it really didn’t matter if the coach was Dungy, Spurrier or Gruden, as long as the staff was left alone on that side of the ball, the Bucs were winning the SB that year regardless of what the offense did — and the offense wasn’t all that good, even with a lot of play makers (they did improve however, to be fair).
In any case my problem with Gruden has always been what he did after the SB, how he got Rick McKay fired, how he left Sapp walk, how he cut Lynch, how we claimed the salary cap crippled him as he signed Charlie Garner, Tim Brown, and every injured 30-something offensive lineman. Gruden ruined what should have been a dynasty through his awful hand picked GM Bruce Allen and by making everything about himself.
On a personal level I like Gruden a lot, he’s really entertaining, I love his stuff his does with the QB camps, etc – but as coach – he was as predictable calling games as Leftwich (non-Arians years to be clear) was, and had about the same results. I’m not saying he was a bad or even average coach, but there’s a reason Dungy is in the HOF and Gruden never will be, and it’s not just NFL politics. Dungy truly changed the team, everyone that lived through that period knows that is a fact. Gruden came in at the end and got the ring, but everyone, including Gruden, knows that was Dungy’s team – and that’s why Gruden had to remake it in his image, which destroyed the team.
November 15th, 2025 at 7:37 pm
Yep !
November 15th, 2025 at 7:37 pm
27 new players Rod …I was there that’s more than half the team.
Joe Jurevicius
Michael Pittman
Keenan McCardell etc.
November 15th, 2025 at 7:40 pm
Not to mention my cousin the long snapper from USF…Ryan Benjamin. lol
Yes I got to wear the SB ring!
November 15th, 2025 at 7:44 pm
griz and bowles should have ripped off coens run plays
November 15th, 2025 at 7:45 pm
“However, Dungy said the Bucs need an attitude overhaul if they plan to do that. He said injuries to the offensive line (the Bucs will start two backup guards tomorrow) and Bucky Irving have weakened the offense’s mindset.“
Agree on the attitude overhaul, but disagree on the mindset because that can be directed right at Josh Grizzard. You’ve got to be committed to letting your guys go earn that mentality.
The whole “imposing your will” cliche on offense is directly linked to being able to roll over a defense with your run game. Let our OLmen go out to put their hats on some hats and get things going.
November 15th, 2025 at 7:51 pm
Buc1987 – and again, the defense gave up 3 net points in the playoffs. The offense just had to average 2 points a game in the playoffs to win the SB. Even Mike Shula could do that. Heck, even Wiz Kid could do that.
If the defense was merely as good as the 1999 defense, it’s unlikely they win the SB since the offense didn’t do much.
Also Pittman? You say that as a good thing? He wasn’t good, and it meant taking the ball out of Alstott’s hands. It was literally, by far, the worst thing Gruden did that first year – and note he got rid of Pittman as fast as he could – Thomas Jones came in in 2003 and was the vastly superior back. But dang you salary cap, we can’t afford to keep Jones, but we can pay big money for an injured washed up Charlie Garner (who was awesome earlier in his career, but was clearly done by the time Gruden wanted him).
Anywho, HOF jacket says I win the argument. But you’re free to think what you want, I know why people think that, I just really, strongly, disagree.
November 15th, 2025 at 7:52 pm
Rod Munch Says:
“… there’s a reason Dungy is in the HOF and Gruden never will be, and it’s not just NFL politics. Dungy truly changed the team; everyone that lived through that period knows that is a fact.”
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I love Gruden; he got screwed by the NFL. I hope he wins a huge settlement from them as a result of the ongoing litigation, and gets another chance to coach again, if that’s what he wants.
That said, there ARE reasons Dungy is in the HOF and Gruden is not, as you wrote. Gruden did help the offense when he came to Tampa and while he deserves credit for winning the Super Bowl, he had two huge advantages that had nothing to do with his coaching ability. He came onto a team that had one of the best defenses in NFL history, and he knew the Super Bowl opponent’s playbook, because HE was the one who created it.
Also, compare the regular season career records between the two of them:
Tony Dungy
139-69 (.668)
Jon Gruden
117-112 (.511)
November 15th, 2025 at 7:53 pm
The season began with the team trying to improve on a” Dungy’s team” 9–7 season and did so with a franchise-best 12–4 record. It was Jon Gruden’s first season as the Buccaneers’ head coach.
These are facts Rod…I’m going to go watch the FSU game…
November 15th, 2025 at 7:59 pm
Hi Joe just listened to your the Ira Kaufman Podcast. Ira as usual was spot on!!. Yes, I , apparantly Dungy and other fans all agree last week’s loss was the wake up call. I agree with Ira I think it is going to be a long day tommorrow in Buffalo for the vistors!!. Yes we are in the losing lull we missed earlier. You mentioned locker room issues. Well when your QB is calling out your team you know something is really off. Yes Ira is right as a fan the writing on the wall is not good. I agree with Joe, I see 2 blowouts, tomorrow and definately the Rams. I doubt the Bucs sweep anyone in the division except a big MAYBE the Saints. Unfortunately , this team may end up 9-8 or even 8-9.
I dont think we will see J Mac or Goodwin this year. Evans maybe, Kancy maybe ,but too little to late. I guess Dungy is right this team may have packed it in thinking to many starters out so we can’t win. Yes last week was a big wake up call
November 15th, 2025 at 8:07 pm
Buc1987 Says:
The season began with the team trying to improve on a” Dungy’s team” 9–7 season and did so with a franchise-best 12–4 record. It was Jon Gruden’s first season as the Buccaneers’ head coach.
These are facts Rod…I’m going to go watch the FSU game…
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Gruden definitely deserves credit for winning the SuperBowl.
But what also is a fact is that in the six seasons following the Super Bowl win when Gruden was HC, he had only two additional playoff appearances, and both times lost in the Wild Card round.
To be fair, the draft capital the Glazer’s gave up to trade for Gruden made it more difficult for the GM to rebuild the team.
November 15th, 2025 at 8:18 pm
Wonder what nfl records Buffalo will break Sunday? It’s always a joy watching other teams do to us what hasn’t been done to anyone in a long time or ever. Go Bowles?