Lavonte David Said He Never Had A “Forward” Coach Like Bruce Arians
April 4th, 2026
Bucco Bruce Arians did not hold back when players were stupid.
The stories Lavonte David are telling in his retirement media blitz are really, really good.
One pit stop David made when he went to Los Angeles this week was a sitdown with Rich Eisen. There, Eisen asked David for his favorite Bucco Bruce Arians story.
David busted out laughing out loud, knowing he had to be careful because it is difficult to offer an Arians story without cursing and there’s no cursing on Eisen’s show on ESPN.
David said he never had a coach who was so “forward” as Arians. You could tell David wanted to use a different, more accurate description, but he couldn’t.
David told the story how early in Arians’ days with the Bucs he had a team meeting where Arians’ famed accountability board was explained.
If a player landed on the board for doing something stupid, he got cursed out in front of the team and warned; if a player had more than two checkmarks on the accountability board, Arians had every intention of dumping the player. And players got chewed out loudly with very colorful, salty language.
David thought that was a good method as he said the Bucs lost a lot of games during the Lost Decade due to dumb mistakes. Arians referred to the board as an “ME chart.” The “ME” refers to mental errors and Arians would go mental on any offender.
“If you were on the ME chart more than one time, he would just dog curse you out,” David said. “I was like, ‘Dang, that’s what I like right there. Coaches holding the player accountable.’
“‘If you are on this board more than once, that means you just don’t give an eff and you’re just a dumb MFer and that means I will have to get rid of you,'” David quoted Arians in one of his lectures to the team. “‘We’re not going to have dumb MFers on this football team.’
“I respect him on that right there.”
David said he never had a coach who would unload on players for being stupid like Arians. For Joe, that is saying a lot.
David came into the league with former Bucs commander Greg Schiano, who was known for hollering, often with a bullhorn. And, David played for Bo Pelini at Nebraska, who was a dime store Bobby Knight wannabe, just unloading on every one and every thing and perpetually PO’ed at the world.
But, David said, the Bucs may have needed that to cut down on dumb mistakes.
The next season, with Arians and his direct, spicy vernacular, David became a Super Bowl champion.
April 4th, 2026 at 12:11 am
BA’s replacement promptly got rid of the board and the three practice fields, which is what you should do after winning a Super Bowl and missing the next one because of major malpractice on the part of the Genius In Charge Now.
Change what was wildly successful and to the era of decline, regression not aggression. The dumpster is on fire and it was just pushed into a waste oil dump.
April 4th, 2026 at 12:12 am
That’s why l say we should draft guys with high football IQ
High motor, energetic, think on their feet, plays until the whistle
This team had way too many loafers last year
But l think Bowles are thinning them out
The 30+ veterans that Licht is signing are needed
Now, we just need to nail this draft, and keep it moving
I’m certain we will be a better football team than last season
This is our year to Rise and Shine
April 4th, 2026 at 12:23 am
Obviously, I’m a huge BA fan. He’s one of a kind. He and coach Bowden are the best.
April 4th, 2026 at 12:25 am
It’s BAs fault we have this turd of a coach
April 4th, 2026 at 12:27 am
Bowels…
Oh I’ll just stop …,
April 4th, 2026 at 2:22 am
Cleanhouse … ‘It’s BAs fault we have this turd of a coach’.
From everything I’ve read, BA has always been a huge fan of Todd Bowles. Todd worked as BA’s DC for 5 years, and the results are incredibly impressive for all who didn’t notice:
o 2013: Cards defense ranked #7 (20.3 PPG average) & #1 in Run Defense/#14 in Pass Defense.
o 2014: Cards defense ranked #5 (18.7 PPG average) & #13 in Run Defense/#29 in Pass Defense.
o 2019: Bucs defense ranked #29 (28.1 PPG average) & #1 in Run Defense/#30 in Pass Defense.
o 2020: Bucs defense ranked #8 (22.2 PPG average) & #1 in Run Defense/#21 in Pass Defense.
o 2021: Bucs defense ranked #5 (20.8 PPG average) & #3 in Run Defense/#21 in Pass Defense.
2019 is obviously the anomaly in those 5 years, but it was actually a very good defense considering that we were transitioning to a 3-4 scheme AND that Jameis totally screwed the pooch (and the defense) by throwing 30 INTs & fumbling 12 times on the season.
BA reaped the benefits of those Bowles-led defenses (Top-10 finishes for 4-of-those-5 years) by compiling a 52-29 record in Arizona & here over those 5 years. And oh ya, going to the playoffs 3 times, winning 5-of-7 games, plus a Super Bowl.
BA obviously had a lot of influence with the Glazers, and might have had a deal with the Glazers to hire Todd as HC once he retired (none of us know for sure). But I doubt that the Glazers would’ve kept him for 5 years now as HC unless THEY were really behind him 100%. THEY can replace him any time they choose.
April 4th, 2026 at 4:28 am
Good DC doesn’t make you a good HC. Bowles also had BA looking over his shoulder. I wonder how many times Todd went on the mental error accountability board. I bet he he was cussed out many times by BA. Todd doesn’t have BA to tell him what to do anymore. A lot of difference between being the assistant and being the man.
April 4th, 2026 at 4:48 am
Has to have an effect in the locker room to go from such accountability to zero overnight. Certain that likely contributed to Brady moving on as well. Hard to hold fellow players accountable when your HC doesn’t.
April 4th, 2026 at 6:32 am
Please bring him back
April 4th, 2026 at 6:33 am
Injuries have doomed this team both of the last 2 seasons, at least. Not lack of accountability or effort. This past season we had 9 different offensive lines over the course of the season. The year before, basically our entire secondary was out. The injuries are crazy. It’s gotta stop somehow…
April 4th, 2026 at 7:46 am
Did he have a board for coaches who made mental mistakes too? If there was an accountability board for coaches too, Bowles would’ve gotten 2 MEs against Atlanta. One for 3rd, and 28, one for 4th, and 14. That’s a dumb MFer.
April 4th, 2026 at 8:13 am
Now that we have a proven OC, it would seem that Bowles should concentrate 100% on defense and leave everything having to do with offense to Robinson. The numbers suggest he is a better than average defensive coach when that is the only thing he is focused on.
April 4th, 2026 at 8:19 am
But I doubt that the Glazers would’ve kept him for 5 years now as HC unless THEY were really behind him 100%. THEY can replace him any time they choose.
____________
DR,
I believe they kept him because the Glazers are scared sh!tless of the (baseless) but expected ray-shal firestorm that that move would have generated from the likes of Ryan Clark and all the other colorful rayce baiters on the four letter and other outlets.
April 4th, 2026 at 8:39 am
“David thought that was a good method as he said the Bucs lost a lot of games during the Lost Decade due to dumb mistakes.”
LOVE me some LVD but…I couldn’t help but to chuckle because after reading his comment I immediately thought about Sept 8, 2013. David blasted Geno Smith of the Jets well out of bounds. 15 yard penalty, Nick Folk hits the game winning FG at the gun. Jets win 18-17. Ouch.
April 4th, 2026 at 9:28 am
“If a player landed on the board for doing something stupid, he got cursed out in front of the team and warned; if a player had more than two checkmarks on the accountability board, Arians had every intention of dumping the player. And players got chewed out loudly with very colorful, salty language.”
What does Bowles do? Stands still like a wooden Indian.
Which is why Zyon is bored.
April 4th, 2026 at 10:43 am
“David blasted Geno Smith of the Jets well out of bounds. 15 yard penalty, Nick Folk hits the game winning FG at the gun. Jets win 18-17. Ouch.“
It was a ticky tack fowl, Geno sold it well lol
April 4th, 2026 at 10:49 am
ModHairKen
Players and teams reflect their coach, so you’re spot on. Cupcake training camps, all walk through practices and a coach who doesn’t even hold himself accountable.
This GM and HC are terrible.
April 4th, 2026 at 11:45 am
BA is the best coach we ever had. I The man has integrity and compassion for his players. It’s all about winning as a team. Just do your job!!!!
BA did his job perfectly. Boy do we miss him.
SMH
April 4th, 2026 at 11:52 am
The injury excuse is what pathetic fans who suffer from chronic blind hope always use. Mikey left for the 49ers because they have a real coach and full coaching staff who find a way despite injuries way worse than the yucs.
Dan Campbell made it to the NFC Championship game with a bunch of hairdressers and secretaries on his defense.
Injuries are a part of the game. Good coaches win despite injuries.
We haszn Todd. So Mike left.
April 4th, 2026 at 12:10 pm
The article says it all, and Iv been beating the drum since Todd became the head coach. That man does not hold any one accountable. Jason licht and his staff draft certain type of players, and those type of players need discipline. When they get discipline, they play better than anyone else. When they are not held accountable or receive any kind of discipline the team has a season like the last.
April 4th, 2026 at 5:56 pm
These stories from David are awesome. Thanks for continuing to post these Joe!
April 4th, 2026 at 8:53 pm
Lakeland, doesn’t this post show some coaches are better at stopping dumb mental errors? How you do not hold Bowles accountable for repeated mental errors? It makes no sense.