Tough Guy Tykee Smith
March 22nd, 2026
The Bucs defense was a soft unit last season, but that doesn’t mean every player was a feathery presence, or that each guy was as brittle as Jamel Dean.
(Yes, Dean found a way to leave a critical Week 17 game (shoulder) and miss the must-win affair in Week 18. Anyone want to bet he’s absent in January next year for the Steelers? Joe will take that wager.)
One guy who is not soft is safety Tykee Smith. Yes, Smith’s second season was marred by a shoulder injury — Joe was told late in the season Smith could barely raise his arm above his head — but he was a physical force when healthy and productive.
That was a message delivered firmly last season by Hall of Fame cornerback Rondé Barber on the WFLA-TV streaming show that bears his name.
The Bucs legend said Antoine Winfield, Jr. gets all the chatter because he’s very good and highly paid, but Smith is the more imposing presence.
“Tykee might be the most physical player on our defense. Right?” Barber said. “I don’t know what his actual numbers are but I stand next to him on the sideline and I’m like, ‘Dude, this dude is a physical presence.’ And then you watch him throw like guards and tackles around; he threw a tackle out of the way [last season] and made a tackle. I’m like, ‘Alright, he’s just different.'”
Winfield and Smith are similar athletically with Smith being about an inch taller, per draft combine measurements. But Smith does seem to have a more dawg in him.
Smith dealt with injuries (and illness) in his rookie year (2024), as well. Perhaps 2026 will be his true breakout season.
March 22nd, 2026 at 5:35 pm
TBBF loves him sum’ Tykee!!!
March 22nd, 2026 at 5:45 pm
Yeah, that was funny when he got into a scuffle with big Trent Williams
They both went to the turf
I know Trent got at least 120 lbs on him
March 22nd, 2026 at 5:46 pm
He sucked. Didn’t make hardly any splash plays last year. It was his first year at safety so I give him a pass, that and he probably didn’t have great coaching either.
March 22nd, 2026 at 5:47 pm
He’s a beast. Keep that dude around.
March 22nd, 2026 at 5:52 pm
It wasn’t bad coaching, it was the poor play of the ILBs
When ILBs are sucking in coverage, the SS has to help in support
So it makes the SS look bad, like he’s not doing his job
March 22nd, 2026 at 5:55 pm
Tykee is our best player on defense
March 22nd, 2026 at 6:02 pm
AWJ ✌️ fans,
Just because someone says that Tykee might have a little more DAWG in him, doesn’t necessarily mean one is saying or implying that AWJ is not a DAWG at all. Hence the word “more”.
March 22nd, 2026 at 6:04 pm
He’s no Sabby “the Goat” Piscitelli though
March 22nd, 2026 at 6:05 pm
I gotta say it was a surprise to me when they drafted Smith. He has turned out to be great.
March 22nd, 2026 at 6:07 pm
Is Winfield that good? We should trade him.
March 22nd, 2026 at 6:51 pm
Good player when not injured. Hope he plays smarter this year.
March 22nd, 2026 at 7:13 pm
This guy is great i agree 100%. May be our best defensive player and he played nickle the year before so i see him having a huge season settling in at SS. His football IQ matches his physicality
March 22nd, 2026 at 7:19 pm
Tykee thuds em
He hits heavy!
March 22nd, 2026 at 7:49 pm
Pound for pound, the toughest guy on the D! Bring in some more Georgia Bulldogs on D.