Bucs May Be Stuck With Bad Apples
December 16th, 2025
Bucs coach Todd Bowles.
Attention conspiracy theorists: This one is for you.
It’s pretty clear the Bucs have a locker room issue. Too much has been heard about loafing players and guys who don’t have their heads in practice, much less games.
Four times in the past six weeks, Joe has heard about team leaders and/or Bucs coach Todd Bowles unloading on players for a lack of effort or focus.
Six weeks ago after losing to the Patriots, Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield ripped his teammates for a lack of a killer instinct.
Then two weeks later at halftime of the blowout in Los Angeles, Lavonte David unloaded on his teammates for a lack of effort.
A week later Bowles read his defense the riot act on the sidelines in the fourth quarter.
Then, on Thursday night, Bowles had a very un-Bowles-like moment dropping over a half-dozen f-bombs and a couple of s-bombs in his postgame remarks saying until some players start to give a s(p)it, nothing will change.
That’s four times in six weeks the team got blasted, the latter in a very pubic forum. When have you ever heard that?
On his NBC Sports Network/Peacock weekday morning show “PFT Live,” (yes, NBC Sports Network has reborn and is available on select cable/satellite/internet packages), the creator, curator and overall guru of Pro Football Talk, the great Mike Florio, believed Bowles’ outburst, while entertaining, suggests Bowles has an idea of what’s coming.
Florio said, you may not get rid of the culprits (bad apples) in the locker room because of salary cap implications, but there is no such obstacle for coaches.
And while Florio said cutting the culprits sounds good, their contracts may make it too costly to do so.
“I know there’s a lot of turnover on a roster, year in and year out,” Florio said. “But some guys are protected by their contracts, because the salary cap charge makes it impossible to say, ‘Get out. We want to send a message to the team, your effort in that game was horrible. We’re going to fire you, and we’re going to take a $50 million cap charge on the way out the door.’
“Those contracts protect the players from a mass exodus of talent necessitated by a mass perception of lack of effort. If you’re going to fire anybody, you’re going to fire the coaches. No salary cap charge for firing the coaches. No salary cap with the coach.
“So [Bowles’ postgame outburst], I think was born of his recognition that, ‘This is ultimately on me.'”
Florio went on to say if players have tuned out the coach or, for whatever reason, are ignoring the coach and loafing, eventually that bites the coach in the backside.
We’ll find out in the next three weeks if Bucs players have a change of heart, or if they really don’t give a damn about a playoff berth.
So what is the conspiracy? Over the weekend, Bucs All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs posted on his Instagram account photos of himself from Thursday night. Wirfs was clearly upset about the loss to Atlanta. It really bothered him.
In that Instagram post, he chose a song to accompany those photos, the Sam Cooke song, “A Change Is Gonna Come.”
Interpret that any way you wish.
December 16th, 2025 at 5:09 am
either the gang is staging a coup, sabotaging the season to dump bowles, or wirf’s is referring to the players getting it together this season and finishing strong… but at this point, all of my hopes for the season have been stomped out by our slop division rivals, so i’m gonna wager it’s the former.
December 16th, 2025 at 5:16 am
Tristan is the most chill, team oriented dude around. If he’s low key saying that a change is coming then Todd has officially lost the locker room. I choose to listen to the two time All Pro as to why this team sucks out loud since the bye…
December 16th, 2025 at 5:17 am
Sam Cook……there’s a name I haven’t heard in a long time.
December 16th, 2025 at 5:27 am
When you have a GM who crows all offseason about having the right locker room guys this happens? You can’t get rid of players who’ve been paid. Who paid Zyon when he didn’t have to? Licht is just as much to blame for this mess as Bowles. They both need to be shown the door. Who’s the Rams asst GM? How about Philly’s right hand man? We need a new set of eyes on this roster. We need a new coach to lead them.
December 16th, 2025 at 5:37 am
All of us feel like we follow this team so close given how much content we read from Bucs sites like JBF, and I can’t pick up on who the bad apples are?
I guess my point is, in years past when someone finally emerged as a problem, we all weren’t surprised, they were making noise prior, or they weren’t home grown and always appeared like an outsider. Be curious when the dust settles, or perhaps when we see some unexpected offseason moves that one of those moves may surprise us.
December 16th, 2025 at 5:37 am
Remember a few years back, when Devin White admitted to being bored and proved it several times on the field? Remember when Bowles tolerated it? It’s hard for me to feel sorry for a coach who has ALLOWED it.
December 16th, 2025 at 5:39 am
Zyon has progressed every year until he got paid. Then he seemed to have become a cancer. Watch the video of his pregame routine on the bucs channel. Maybe there is a nugget of info there. The bucs did a whole video on him after the contract. I think it all went to his head.
AWJ seems mad. Reddick seems like he is just collecting 14m before retirement. But IDK if anyone is truly loafing other than Zyon. Parrish seems solid, LVD puts his body on the line. YaYa is actually trying. Vita seems to he doing alright? It just seems mental lapses are killing us in crucial moments. I wouldn’t even blame Vildor for not defending the sticks cause he hasnt really played all year.
December 16th, 2025 at 5:41 am
What player with a contract could we not cut? I find that hard to believe. Hasson? Maybe Zion I guess but that one is Lovie uh Todd’s own fault.
December 16th, 2025 at 5:49 am
If this team has “checked out” I think it could be the start of another “lost decade” because of the team’s salary cap issues. Besides, it seams like history has a way of repeating itself. And Bucs history shows that they have long stretches of bad seasons followed by a handful of good/championship seasons.
Half way through this season, I thought this could be one of the teams best seasons ever because we were winning in spite of all the injuries. It’s like the team just gave up, which shows a lack of professionalism on the team.
December 16th, 2025 at 5:50 am
The players know the only way to get rid of Bowles is to not win the division unfortunately the stinking panthers won’t let us
December 16th, 2025 at 5:52 am
He has to go.
December 16th, 2025 at 5:53 am
Lichts greatest blunder keeping Winston over Josh Allen
December 16th, 2025 at 5:59 am
The Bucs current woes are a reflection of what some of us have been saying for years. The players recognize Bowles mediocrity and know that if he stays they’ll never reach a Superbowl. This is a mutiny in order to get new blood into the building.
December 16th, 2025 at 6:05 am
Yes, I still think we back in to division with 9-8. We lose the playoff game. Bowlzo baaaack next year for another replay.
December 16th, 2025 at 6:08 am
I said it before, the Bucs will not win another game and finish 7-10. The salary cap concept need some work.
December 16th, 2025 at 6:15 am
Names. Need names of who “can’t” be cut.
Here’s my list of loafers/underperformers:
Hall.
SVD.
Zyon.
Reddick.
David.
Braswell.
Kancey.
Winfield.
Some can be traded. Some are at the end of their contracts.
I think it’s BS that the roster can’t be made over for next year.
Gruden brought in a 20% new roster the year he took over for Dungy and won the SB.
December 16th, 2025 at 6:28 am
I doubt Zyon needed to be put on IR, it’s just a way to make him go away
December 16th, 2025 at 6:31 am
Sorry, I quit reading when you said the great Mike Florio. He is probably the most despised talking head in the NFL.
December 16th, 2025 at 6:33 am
Maybe Zyon and Tristin are playing a parent trap on Bowles and it went too far
December 16th, 2025 at 6:33 am
What Bowles remarkably doesn’t comprehend is if there are players not doing their job you BENCH them. What does Bowles do? Absolutely nothing. It’s HIS job to make sure everybody does their job. I think the players know his scheme is outdated and doesn’t work anymore (against ANYBODY). He’s failed miserably and he’s been tuned out. He needs to be fired immediately following our last game. About 90% of the fan base agrees. Keep him employed at your own risk Glazers.
December 16th, 2025 at 6:45 am
A team that has become grossly unlikeable. And it’s not a theory if it’s true. There is no “reset” button for this version of the Bucs if even a member or two of the superbowl team are causing a schism and a divide. Low speed, low confidence, low intensity – and some of you have the actual nerve to be proud of relying on other teams to lose in order for us to backdoor our way in to the playoffs for the privilege of Seattle coming here and watch Sam Darnold throw for 600 yards. Vita vea is gnna be what…32 next yr? Lavonte is gone. Zero linebackers, zero pass rushers, a slap dik overpaid corner, and an overpaid safety that has apparently turned in to a lockerroom cancer. Blow that defense up so big that I want to see a mushroom cloud
December 16th, 2025 at 6:51 am
Guess what, if I’ma coach about to get fired because an untouchable high price player is a lazy locker room cancer, I say take a page from the Gruden playbook and very publicly send that player home. Tell them you don’t care if they get paid you don’t want them around the team. Give them the “Meshon” treatment.
December 16th, 2025 at 6:52 am
Modhair – hit the nail on the head. It drives me absolutely crazy when people say Gruden won the Super Bowl with Dungys team and how Dungy became this sympathetic victim by all the media and fans locally and nationally as if the cocky white arrogant devil pulled the rug out from this nice kind man to steal a superbowl or something. He completely reimagined the entire offense and brought in a ton of new guys. Further – why didn’t dungy win with dungys players? Some people cannot understand that sometimes a change is needed to take that last step.
December 16th, 2025 at 7:00 am
Conspiracy – Todd is described as a players coach. A guy players relate to and love playing for. We heard that about him for the last 4 years. After Detroit handled the team Todd felt there wasn’t enough here for a deep run. He announced he would retire at the years end. That information leaked outside the office (I know something). Players have been hearing the rumors and it affected them psychologically knowing their beloved coach would be out the door soon. They know a new regime is on the way and won’t be able to loaf much longer.
December 16th, 2025 at 7:01 am
@UGotRobbed
What salary cap issues? They have $15,806,036 in cap space remaining this year to carry over, $34,589,010 in cap space in 2026, and $102,196,317 in cap space in 2027. This is according to over the cap. This isn’t the 2023 season, all the dead cap issues from the Brady era has been paid
December 16th, 2025 at 7:04 am
Agree team has become kind of unlikeable. Frustratingly so. Same blunders over and over again. Seems the other division teams always manage to out blunder the Blunderbucs. Oh well at least Tampa has an NFL team to watch.
December 16th, 2025 at 7:09 am
The coach can always bench players he feels aren’t giving enough effort. Happens all the time.
To just keep playing them, and then complain about it, is weak.
December 16th, 2025 at 7:13 am
Start by cutting the 2 guys with Side Show Bob haircuts.
I may have to reassess my opinion of Jason’s last few drafts.
December 16th, 2025 at 7:16 am
DejaVu, I 100% agree with you. Florio can’t just report. It always has to be some holier than thou, self aggrandizement or some wokeism moral lecture.
December 16th, 2025 at 7:19 am
LOL you may not be able to cut them but you can sure as heck bench them and or tell them to stay home… See Chucky and Meshawn. That hurts a dudes career big time. Head cases do not last long in the NFL. Jason please get us some vocal and if needed, Physical leaders in the locker room! Sapp and Brooks were the enforcers for Father Dungy and Chucky. They were of great value me thinks.
Go Bucs!
December 16th, 2025 at 7:20 am
Was Gizzard in the box upstairs last season, I think so but #6 wanted him on the ground. Maybe put him up there so he can see the whole field. MHK plus 1 and bench some of these guys to send a message. Our next man up is pretty thin though and it’s late. One sack Reddick for how much$$$
Maybe JPP will play this week and light a spark. We need captains who are enforcers and will call guys out. Bucs need to fire people like our ST coach many games ago.
I have a feeling we beat Canal waters team this Sunday and if JPP plays he gets a sack.
December 16th, 2025 at 7:20 am
Inwoodjeremy Says:
December 16th, 2025 at 7:00 am
Conspiracy – Todd is described as a players coach. A guy players relate to and love playing for. We heard that about him for the last 4 years. After Detroit handled the team Todd felt there wasn’t enough here for a deep run. He announced he would retire at the years end. That information leaked outside the office (I know something). Players have been hearing the rumors and it affected them psychologically knowing their beloved coach would be out the door soon. They know a new regime is on the way and won’t be able to loaf much longer.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^
If these guys are that mentally weak, they should be cut for that alone.
December 16th, 2025 at 7:22 am
Go Wirfs Go! Love, love, love that song too. Cannot wait to see a change.
Unsure if Todd has lost the players or if there are certain players causing the break-up, or it has to do with inner workings.
Okay, I might be going down a conspiracy theory, overthinking. When does the latest NFLPA’s annual player survey report come out? They graded Bowles fairly well last season. I remember reading a post here that the survey is being fought. That survey tells us a lot, since players submit their grades.
December 16th, 2025 at 7:26 am
Im ready to walk away, and not just the team. The NFL sold its last glimph of creduality to the gambling crowd. TVs malign benevolance is not to be ignored, either. Notice how controvercy seems ever present? This NFL doesn’t need referees so much as lawyers, just for routine stuff. I don’t care anymore.
Bucs, yeah
December 16th, 2025 at 7:30 am
That’s the reality of nfl rosters, like it or not.
That’s why the great coaches are so revered, they are able to push the correct buttons. In some cases even the great ones wear out their welcome.
It’s a player driven league but the coaches are the ones that carry the burden and take the fall.
December 16th, 2025 at 7:41 am
TRUTH!!! Clearly JL is not keyed in. If he is dumb enough to follow Todd’s lead on resigning and draft, then he is a malleable tool. Not a leader.
December 16th, 2025 at 7:41 am
We all have known Wirfs to be a chill, laid back type of guy. Maybe he will start to being more in guys faces or realizes he needs to be the one to speak on things more. Just my opinion.
December 16th, 2025 at 7:42 am
This is not a first with bored players….the fruit rots on a dying tree
December 16th, 2025 at 7:44 am
But … but …but
What about the story (GM et al) about drafting Buc culture players????
What about coaches and GM NOT taking care of the mistakes before starting them.
That last sentence is why the problem exists and speads
Wins in the remaining games < draft slot next April!
December 16th, 2025 at 7:47 am
Wirfs simply means winning instead of losing…if he played “Same old song and Dance’ I would be worried.
December 16th, 2025 at 7:49 am
Uhhh Joe, how is a post by Tristan Wirfs a conspiracy? All you did in this article was lay out a theory. It’s pretty clear the Bucs have a locker room issue.
A conspiracy theory would be the players are deliberately colluding to sabotage the season. A conspiracy theory would be that players are deliberately playing out of position to cause the game to have a certain outcome for sports betting.
December 16th, 2025 at 7:56 am
Players don’t often checkout on coaches they respect. Try checking out on Bruce Arians, Sean Payton, or any of the other great high intensity coaches. They will calll you out, embarrass you and/or bench you. Just like what happened to Raheem when he was here, you lose the team, you lose your job. If you can’t lead the team, you get to go be a coordinator for someone who can.
December 16th, 2025 at 7:59 am
If the general premise described in this story is true… that attitude will spread either consciously or subconsciously as players will play not to get injured.
The Fat Lady is humming…
December 16th, 2025 at 8:22 am
The lack of effort will only get worse now that players are making significant $$ before playing in the NFL. Once players realize there’s not much of a chance for the playoffs or championship, they will “pack it in.”
December 16th, 2025 at 8:29 am
Bucs’ defensive roster CAN and WILL be made over next season. We have relatively little invested in most defensive positions. Players who won’t be here next year include …
o Reddick was a 1-year rental.
o LVD in on his last hoorah & won’t re-sign for another.
o SVD is a 1st contract at $1.1 mil.
o Dean will sign elsewhere for mega $$$.
o Gaines on a 1-year contract.
o Logan Hall on last year of 1st contract.
o Watts
o Merriweather
o Deion Jones
o Anthony Walker
o Bullock
o Simmons
o Jackson
Keepers include ..
o Calijah Kancey
o Tykee Smith
o Vita Vea (thru 2026)
o YaYa Diaby (1st contract)
o Anthony Nelson (thru 2026)
o Zion McCollum (too costly to get rid of)
o Antoine Winfield (too costly to get rid of)
o Ben Morrison (keeper but a backup)
o Jacob Parrish
o Christian Izien (RFA next year but we’ll keep him)
o Elijah Roberts
December 16th, 2025 at 8:34 am
Free Agency & the Draft mean you can add 3-5 good players from the draft if you draft well and you can add another 3-4 impact level players in free agency.
If you chose the right players, you can add 6-9 maybe 10 new players that can impact your team in a positive way. Only have 22 players on the field.
Up tot he GM to select the right players and have a competent coach to coach them up.
Todd has been here SEVEN seasons coordinating an awful pass defense EVERY YEAR!!!! Players change year to year, draft picks, free agents it doesn’t matter, every year they suck in passing situations
December 16th, 2025 at 8:35 am
THAT DOESN’T MEAN SAID PLAYERS HAVE TO BE STARTERS. A new coach will make the changes from this lazy culture. Bowles doubled down and protected these guys. This is 100% and I’m curious how many were here when BA was the coach
December 16th, 2025 at 8:37 am
On the topic of conspiracy theories, here’s a small one. McFollowum walked off the field and sort of waved and smiled. And he’s one of the prime suspects on the list of malcontents. Coaches needed a way to get him away from everyone else without creating a public incident. So instead of benching him, IR to the rescue. Convenient.
December 16th, 2025 at 8:38 am
I am not an NFL personnel guy but I do know something is wrong in the locker room when teams start to regress like the Bucs have since the 5-1 start. I’ve mentioned several times here that I keep hearing accountability and now Joe has spill all the beans. Players loafing, not listening to coaches and so on. I think it’s time to make a change. I am not sure if the Bucs need to clean out some coaches, coaches and players or Bowles. As I said, I not a NFL personnel guy so maybe I am not seeing the real issue
December 16th, 2025 at 8:42 am
Why do we need theories from national bozos when you have local guys that are much more, or should be much more tuned in on the team happenings???
Bowles is already toast. I dont need a Florio to give his opinion. Why click on a local fan site like this, only to read jibberish from a national talking head??
December 16th, 2025 at 8:45 am
How about some names! Call a player or two out publicly.
December 16th, 2025 at 8:49 am
Bowles is the bad apple that is spoiling the bunch.
December 16th, 2025 at 9:16 am
Zoocomics
There’s only two on your list that have any guaranteed money to amount to anything..
December 16th, 2025 at 9:23 am
Trade Winfield to Cleveland. Trade Zyon to the Jets.
December 16th, 2025 at 9:46 am
At what point do we blame the pass defense all on Bowles? Every year but one when he has ran the defense the pass defense ranked in the 20’s!!!! IT’S A PASSING LEAGUE, TODD!!!
STOP TRYING TO SELLOUT TO STOP THE RUN ALL THE TIME.