YaYa Diaby, Todd Bowles And Quitting
June 28th, 2026
Believes in Todd Bowles.
The Bucs missed the playoffs for the first time this decade last year. And you could argue, as a pass rusher, YaYa Diaby hasn’t yet been developed.
(YaYa started seven games as a rookie and had 7.5 sacks. That’s currently his season-high.)
But when it comes to the Bucs, YaYa told “The Insiders” last week on NFL Network, Bucs coach and defensive coordinator Todd Bowles is his guy.
“Man, for me, I love Coach Bowles, man,” YaYa said when asked about Bowles. “I love playing for him.
“I love going to war for him, and just the way he uplifts players and make sure everybody is doing what they need to be doing. There is no guy I’d rather play for.”
It’s great to hear the respect YaYa has for Bowles. And YaYa most certainly is not one of the quitters on the Bucs defense last year.
Yeah, using the word “quit” in football is damning. But that’s what Joe saw (and heard) on the field. Not everyone. But enough. That’s disrespect, plain and simple. So Joe doesn’t believe Bowles had the widespread respect from his players in 2025 as he has from YaYa.
Baker Mayfield tried to light a fire under the defense. It didn’t work. Lavonte David tried. It didn’t work. And Bowles tried to light a fire under the defense at least twice. It didn’t work.
If players don’t respond to the quarterback who is laying his guts on the field each week; if players don’t respond to a Hall of Fame linebacker who the team is modeled after; if the players don’t respond to a head coach while in a playoff chase for crying out loud, that’s disrespect.
And that’s also quitting.
June 28th, 2026 at 12:44 am
There’s certainly people out there like Reddick who obviously are profiteering locker room cancers. If his lousy approach caught on with a couple other players they have since been retired, knocked out of the NFL, or shipped elsewhere. A couple players were “injured” late in the season and I’m almost certain Bowles benched at least 1 if not 2 of them. They’re all gone now. Huge overhaul of the defense, and it should bring some tremendous results. Let’s move on. Bad people are just simply bad people.
June 28th, 2026 at 12:46 am
Todd Bowles is a terrible HC\DC. Plain and simple. Everyone knows it.
If not for outside agendas he would no longer work as a HC in the NFL.
That’s not opinion, or conjecture, or hyperbole, it’s a fact.
The results are in after four long years. And they speak for themselves.
He’s the Jameis Winston of being a HC\DC. Eating W’s and lots of KitKats.
June 28th, 2026 at 1:17 am
We’ve heard this movie before.
The same crowd that insisted the Bucs couldn’t finish near the top against the run… watched them finish 5th.
The same crowd that said Bake couldn’t revive his career… watched him become a Pro Bowl quarterback in Tampa.
Now it’s, “Everyone knows Bowles has lost the locker room.”
Really?!!
YaYa Diaby just said, “There is no guy I’d rather play for.” I’ll continue to trust the guys inside the building over the trolls outside of it.
And before anyone screams “results,” let’s use actual context instead of selective memory.
• Injuries devastated the secondary.
• The defense was rebuilt this offseason to address its biggest weaknesses.
• YaYa’s sack total may not have jumped, but his pressures, run defense, and workload have continued to trend upward. Analytics have always shown sacks alone don’t tell the whole story.
As I’ve said before, football isn’t played in a vacuum. Context matters. The LynchMobs and Thursday Morning Trash-Take Crew love declaring everything is broken after every setback. Then, when the season plays out differently, they quietly move on to the next complaint.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again:
Facts over feelings. Film over narratives. Analytics over hot takes. Sunday afternoons have a funny way of exposing Thursday morning experts.
LFG!!
Join the movement!
Ring ME!!
June 28th, 2026 at 1:38 am
Another Ya Ya post? *yawns*
June 28th, 2026 at 1:38 am
So okay, Joe, I won’t ask you to name names or the like, but can you say about how many players were accused of quitting?
June 28th, 2026 at 1:45 am
BoriMex 813 Says:
“The LynchMobs and Thursday Morning Trash-Take Crew love declaring everything is broken after every setback. Then, when the season plays out differently, they quietly move on to the next complaint.”
The season plays out differently?? What game are you watching???
It always ends the same with Todd Bowles. In disgrace and failure.
We didn’t make the playoffs in a division with zero winning records.
How much more evidence do you and the Pom Pom squad need?
8-9 twice in four years. 1-3 in the playoffs. 1-9 in prime time with Baker.
NFC South crown = Superbowl rings?????
June 28th, 2026 at 1:47 am
@ Buc Fan in Phoenix
😂 Yaya living rent free! Good news is there’s only 47 days left until TBB Pre-Season Football!!
LFG!!
Ring Me
June 28th, 2026 at 1:56 am
“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Facts over feelings. Film over narratives. Analytics over hot takes. Sunday afternoons have a funny way of exposing Thursday morning experts.”
There’s 8+ years of facts, film, stats, decision making, W/L records, etc. on Bowles’ inability as a HC, seems like maybe you might want to follow your own advice and review that s#!t lol.
June 28th, 2026 at 2:26 am
@FLBoy84
You call it 8 years of evidence. I call it cherry-picking. If we’re using analytics, then account for roster turnover, injury rates, coordinator changes, defensive EPA, personnel investment, and schedule strength, not just a coach’s lifetime record. That’s analysis. Everything else is just a grudge dressed up as data.
2 easy my guy. Next..
LFG!
Ring Me
June 28th, 2026 at 2:32 am
@LynchMob50
Funny how anyone who isn’t constantly predicting doom gets labeled the “pom-pom squad.” Some of us aren’t fans of losing, we’re just fans of objective analysis. If the facts change, I’ll change my opinion. Can you say the same?
Plus, I said season, not game. Reading comprehension 1-on1 my guy. 🥴
LFG!!
Ring Me!
June 28th, 2026 at 2:40 am
🚨 To all the Trolls:
Being a fan should mean evaluating what changed, not assuming nothing ever will. If every season starts with ‘we’re doomed,’ what’s the point of even watching?
LFG!
Ring ME!!
June 28th, 2026 at 4:16 am
YaYa Diaby … “Man, for me, I love Coach Bowles, man. I love playing for him. I love going to war for him, and just the way he uplifts players and makes sure everybody is doing what they need to be doing. There is no guy I’d rather play for.”
I’m convinced that YaYa’s feelings about Todd Bowles are genuine, and it’s heartening to hear that he (and other Bucs’ players) love playing for their coach. That however doesn’t mean they’ll be a great defense, or an awful defense. PERFORMANCE ON THE FIELD isn’t about feelings. To me, it’s about doing your job and doing it well as an integral part of an 11-man unit. Sorry, no participation trophies; get the job done.
That was a huge part of our problems last year … NOT getting the job done. In too many instances, players PERFORMANCE ON THE FIELD was middle-of-the-pack, and that’s not good enough. If this team is to be competitive, it has to have a Top-10 defense. And oh ya, a Top-10 offense also.
The changes that we’ve made on defense appear to be VERY intentional, and I suspect that’s part of the reason why Todd Bowles is still here. They’ve identified their 2025 problems & taken steps to fix them. Will it work? Only time will tell obviously, but I’m ‘cautiously optimistic’ at this point.
o We needed to get bigger AND nastier up-front. Our pass rush left a lot to be desired, but so did our Run Defense. Yes we ranked #5 in Rushing Yards Allowed, but that’s not a good measuring stick when opponents almost never rush against you (2nd LEAST rushes against us). Better measuring sticks are that we allowed 4.3 YPC (#14 ranking) & that we allowed 16 rushing TDs (#16 ranking) … BOTH middle-of-the-pack, for a team that focuses on stopping the run as Job 1. Much more damning was that our defense allowed opponents to score TDs on 30 of their 43 trips into our Red Zone, an alarming rate of 69.8% … and a #32 finish in that category. Yup, LAST PLACE in the NFL. And oh ya, that our 3rd Down Conversion Rate Allowed rose to 39.5% … #15 ranking in the NFL. Again, middle-of-the-pack.
o Our Linebackers performed poorly last year, and that’s very costly in Bowles’ scheme. I love LVD, but frankly he stayed a year too long (allowed 7 TDs, as many as he allowed in 2021, 2022, 2023 & 2024 COMBINED). And SVD is in no way, shape or form a starter (he allowed 3 TDs, but also allowed opposing QBs to complete passes at an alarming 85% clip, plus had a Missed Tackle Rate of almost 13%). THAT’s a liability.
We’ve addressed those problems though by bringing in FAs Robinson, RNR, Muhammad, Anzalone & Rozeboom, and by drafting Bain, Trotter, Capehart & Scott. We can speculate all we want in June about whether or not it’ll work and our defense will improve, but there’s only 1 way to find out: PLAY THE GAMES. Todd Bowles will be coaching for his professional life; no question that he’s on the hot seat. But in reality that’s nothing new for Todd Bowles, nor for every other NFL head coach.
June 28th, 2026 at 6:22 am
IF Todd as much as ONCE drops Bain into pass coverage….its over, he dont get it and season is done! but im expecting it, so its all good
June 28th, 2026 at 6:23 am
I still cant believe Bain fell to us….wow what a gift!
June 28th, 2026 at 6:46 am
idk your making millions to play football, your in a playoff hunt with a chance to go to the sb and you quit? bs total bs
they were injured and they were not talented and they were not well coached and they were sold out by a crappy offense that couldn’t score enough points and turned the ball over at the worst moments …mostly they were not talented enough that’s why the defense stunk but quitting?! go back and watch the seven losses -we had no names playing cornerback, (vildor etc on 4 th and 28), an ineffective d line, crappy linebackers, one old and one that couldn’t cover and made kyle pitts millions of dollars
which brings us to this year- they should be improved with the miami mauler and anzalone but morrison will be a liability along with bored mccollum who lost his fire after he got paid, great front seven but weak at cb where Parrish will be the only guy who can keep up and guess what we got Joe Burrow and a great group of wrs week one
one last thing after kyle pitts caught a touchdown and a few passes, why would you not double him? the game plan was obvious. i guess it makes sense to hire the oc that killed it with cousins and pits
June 28th, 2026 at 6:46 am
“I love going to war for him, and just the way he uplifts players and make sure everybody is doing what they need to be doing. There is no guy I’d rather play for.”
What Todd Bowles is Ya-Ya talking about?
This is like when my Third Grade Teacher went up to the Third Grade Class in the Sky….. the then Principal of my old Grade School penned a memorial ….ending it with saying something about the Dear and Sweet Mrs. C
She wasn’t dear. she wasn’t sweet and if you dared call her Mrs C….. she would have a fit!!!
That is what Ya-Ya is doing here
just the way he uplifts players and make sure everybody is doing what they need to be doing
SMH
June 28th, 2026 at 6:56 am
Lavonte said himself that he took plays off. To me, that’s quitting.
June 28th, 2026 at 7:01 am
Joe has gotta have a man crush on this guy. Way too much press on a draft bust. I wonder if the GM is pushing Joe to bring some type of positivity toward his bust draft pic. We all know how Jason hates to admit a mistake on his draft classes.
June 28th, 2026 at 7:06 am
Has Bowles developed ANYONE?
June 28th, 2026 at 7:09 am
My take on Todd Bowles is pretty simple: we’re stuck with him, whether you like it or not. The front office knew exactly where this team fell short and spent the offseason addressing those weaknesses. Now it’s time to see if those moves pay off.
Do I think Bowles could fail? Absolutely. There’s a good chance he does. The NFL is a results business, and if this team underachieves again, he’ll almost certainly be gone.
But until that happens, the constant negativity from LynchMob50 and 3.28.Evans isn’t getting Todd Bowles fired. It doesn’t influence the Glazers, Jason Licht, or anyone inside One Buc Place. All it does is turn every discussion into the same tired complaints.
At some point it feels like some people go to bed miserable and wake up miserable. If the Bucs win, they’ll find something to complain about. If they lose, they’ll celebrate being right.
I’m choosing to get behind this team, the offseason moves they made, and the players wearing the pewter and red. If Bowles fails this season—and there’s a good chance he could—then it’ll be time to move on. Until then, I’m rooting for the Buccaneers, not rooting to be proven right.
June 28th, 2026 at 7:15 am
This only ends one way.
The only variable is how those 7,8 or 9 wins compare against the division. If the division is improved and it doesn’t net the glazers a home playoff revenue check you’ll be watching Todd clean out his desk. If those wins are good enough to win this participation trophy division he might survive.
That’s it.
June 28th, 2026 at 7:17 am
Joe … interesting piece by Mike Florio yesterday on Pro Football Talk titled ‘Baker Mayfield on contract talks: “It’s a matter of finding that middle ground”’.
Changed my mind; there’s a chance the Bucs & Baker MIGHT come to an agreement after all. Someplace in ‘the middle ground’ as Baker calls it.
June 28th, 2026 at 7:17 am
Interesting piece by Mike Florio yesterday on Pro Football Talk titled ‘Baker Mayfield on contract talks: “It’s a matter of finding that middle ground”’.
Changed my mind; there’s a chance the Bucs & Baker MIGHT come to an agreement after all. Someplace in ‘the middle ground’ as Baker calls it.
June 28th, 2026 at 7:18 am
The example starts at the top and filters down. The Glazers saw it and either did nothing or their requests to JL to do something were not followed up on. Coach should have been let go after “The Debacle” down the stretch.
Reddick was one of the worst offenders. Hassan was quitting on plays during the 6-2 stretch to start the season. When a coach sees that kind of loafing and from a FA that is making 14 mil and does nothing about it , said coach is giving tacit approval to any player that wants to loaf.
June 28th, 2026 at 7:23 am
I am not defending Some of Bowles gametime decisions, there is plenty of room
for improvement. I guessing that Bowles may have been retained because Licht
left the defense and special teams devoid of talent ,
going back at least 3 or four years. Backups were not good enough at other secondary positions. Bowles needs to go back to the defense that won us a superbowl and no more having YaYa downfield trying to cover a WR.
June 28th, 2026 at 7:58 am
YaYa, there is no one I’d rather play for. To that I’d say, yet. You’ve never had another pro coach Ya, this is all you know. Hopefully you’ll be with the Bucs longer than Todd will. I bet your next coach you’ll be saying the same thing. I like YaYa, but is he seems a bit naive.
June 28th, 2026 at 8:21 am
It seems to me that several players on must’ve quit after the bye including obvious players like Zyon and Reddick along with Lavonte, whose admission is damning to me about the coaching or lack there of. Now some ciuld say Bowles could not bench anyone due to injuries and lack of tslent, that brings Jason Licht into question. While i really thought Bowles would be launched, for reason we may never learn, the Glazers retained him and now he has to cash in a winning season in 2026 or Bowles is gone. Licht’s seat could get hot too. Depends on where the coaching search leads.
I want the Bucs to win but it does appear that Bowles is always going to be the Buc coach that will get you 8 to 10 wins, maybe one playoff win (proba ly not) and probably 2 or 3 games lost due to his poor decision making, especially on prime time TV. Question is, will 10 wins and a one playoff win buy the dude another year? I think a losing season or even 9-8 and done will bring change. JMHO.
June 28th, 2026 at 8:25 am
There is being reasonable and there is being a jack hat when it comes to the reasons why in 4 years the Bucs haven’t won more in the playoffs and Todd gets a lot of grief. But he should get some respect as well. There is a thing called cause and effect that happens. I’m not going to get into every small detail here but the rebuilding and staying relevant since Brady left has been no small feat, that is a testament to the front office and coaching but also it’s led to some not so great draft picks which happens to everyone. If the team is winning the team is also drafting behind everyone else and the best players are being picked over, unless you have a stellar class most of the best players in a draft are gone in the first 10.
This team has gone through now 5 straight OC’s since TB took over coaching, that has a huge impact no matter what anyone says on the offense. It looked last year like Todd hit on 3 of 3 until the bye week. I still don’t 100% blame Grizz, I mean the injuries no matter what anyone says, including JL, took a heavy toll on the offense. Yeah after the receivers started to come back they still stunk on offense, it just looked out of sorts and could never just keep going when they started well, I don’t know why that is. The defense has suffered from a lack of draftable talent as a whole and has been behind the offense by a mile so no wonder they stunk but still shouldn’t have been that bad. The mid-season swoons bothered me but TB was able to coach them out of it until last year and that was enough for me, I wanted him gone because it was a repeating cycle that I put on the coach. To be fair he has to have the players to be able to coach up, the players need other players to help and do their respective jobs so plays can be made. At this level no one, NO ONE should have to be “coached” to play the game or taught how to tackle, just tweaks to the game plan.
In the end I think it’s unfair to lay the entire blame at just one or 2 things without considering all the variables and frankly we as fans aren’t privy to all of them. We have our eyes and we can see what happens on the field and we’re not stupid. Yeah there are trolls out there who like nothing better than to cause crap because they’re just that, crap. But some have raised valid points and at the end of the day it is about winning, not excuses as to why we didn’t cause that gets old. I think Bowles is a good coach and if he can get the balanced team he need I think he will succeed and can win a SB but he has to have the damn players to do it with. That being said anything short of a deep playoff run this year should have him, and possibly Jason on the hot seat, although I’m inclined to give JL a little more leeway.
June 28th, 2026 at 8:28 am
So who were the culprits on this D that were quitting?
they should be called out.
I am glad Hall is gone as he seemed to play with no passion.
Who else, Dean maybe because of his reduced contract even though he was our best corner.
McCollum?
June 28th, 2026 at 9:09 am
Reddick, McCollum, LVD (self confessed) , AWJ took some plays off imo. Gaines and Hall? They’re both gone.
June 28th, 2026 at 9:18 am
What a bunch of cry baby fans! ❤️ Last year’s history doesn’t mean diddly. Ask KC. Management has addressed the issues .
June 28th, 2026 at 9:31 am
YaYa
June 28th, 2026 at 9:34 am
I been a BUC fan since Tony D.🏈❤️🥹 love ❤️ the man and what he took for both on and off the field..Truly an amazing person, one that all his players love ❤️ and they would all talk that way about Tony D. and more importantly the team would go out in the playoffs and get the hell beat out of them!🤔 I believe if Tony had the Quarterback he had at Indianapolis at Tampa Bay they the Buccaneers would have won at least 2 Super Bowl’s with the defense Tampa had !!Your record is what your record is and the coach we have now record isn’t good at Tampa and wasn’t good in New York.. it speaks for itself..
June 28th, 2026 at 9:40 am
Who exactly was on the field for 3rd & 28 and 4th & 14?
June 28th, 2026 at 9:52 am
The “Straw Man and his Red Herrin”
I GUARANTEE that this foolishness will rear it’s very ugly head as the seats at Raymond James, are devoid of Buccaneer jerseys and DOMINATED by team X (name your poison) jerseys and PLENTY of empty seats!
I believe THAT WILL tell the tell of the “Straw Man and his Red Herrin” FAR BETTER than anything that anyone blathers on about, NO MATTER what side your on!
Constant Mediocre or Consummate Winners..
I know that IT SHOULD BE CLEAR, which side I’m on but just in case we have some newbies around, I’d like state Out LOUD that IT SURE WOULD BE NICE TO “GET BACK TO OUR ONCE SPECTACULAR, AND WINNING WAYS”!
And since it’s a FACT that a guy named Bozo the genius has ALREADY LOST THE TRUST AND CONFIDENCE of the men in the locker room, I see NO REASON to lie to myself and brandish pom poms for another GUARANTEED NO SHOW IN THE SUPER BOWL! My Fandom DOESN’T REQUIRE THAT I LIE TO MYSELF AND OTHERS!
“MEN” don’t lie to themselves and “pretend” that they are feeding their families!
Nor do “MEN” PLAY THE FOOL FOR A FOOTBALL LIE! A GAME….! “MEN” call it like they KNOW IT TO BE! They “DO NOT PLAY THE FOOL BECAUSE OTHERS ARE DESPERATE TO CLING TO A SINKING SHIP LIKE DROWNING RATS!”
“The Strawman and his Red Herrin”
June 28th, 2026 at 10:28 am
@99 the gross fella
All your takes are simple. Because you choose not to use your brain.
Hoping for a different result while ignoring the obvious pattern is insanity.
Those of us who have a glass 90% empty view of Bowles have had enough of this Swiss cheese fool no one scheme.
We made Cousins look like Marino in his prime. And a sixth round QB Ewers on a going no where team Dolphins, pecker slapped us in front of the world.
Until this curse is lifted you will hear from us early and often. Fire Bowles Now!!!
June 28th, 2026 at 10:38 am
Lynch ,
he fails this season, he’ll be gone. But posting “Fire Bowles” before a single 2026 snap just proves you’ve got the same copy-and-paste take on speed dial.
And honestly you sound like a kid with the name calling. If you would like to talk in person face to face I would love that opportunity for you to repeat that.
No threats just being real.
June 28th, 2026 at 10:39 am
100% opinion mob. Get off your parents phone and go back to school
June 28th, 2026 at 11:17 am
My only problem with Diaby is that he apparently has made himself the spokesman for the defense of late. When your claim to NFL fame is a 7.5 sack season? Really? Get off the TV/radio/podcast get 10 sacks then you can run your mouth all you want.
Go Bucs!
June 28th, 2026 at 12:36 pm
Last year Yaya stood out as being almost the only one that did not quit. The defense was shameful and Bowles was responsible yet here we are with this loser still our head coach. 8 wins in 2026
June 28th, 2026 at 12:36 pm
Fishhawk, did you actually call Yaya a bust? A third round pick? Currently our best pass rusher? A. Bust? Seriously? Dude….
June 28th, 2026 at 12:51 pm
Quitter list: Reddick, Dennis, McCollum, Dean, Irving, Winfield, Nelson, Egbuka, Bridgewater, White. All had there reasons. All starts with Bowles playing CB’s soft when they think they are man coverage guys. Also blame Licht for thinking Reddick would change for The Bucs. Wishful thinking. Also David was done and they thought he could continue to contribute. Just my 2 cents. Love me Joe Bucs Fan. The Best ! Thank you for being a Hall of Famer.
June 28th, 2026 at 1:08 pm
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. The deficiencies on D last year started with talent and ended with character. Starting a RD5 player and fan favorite vet that was done at ILB was crushing. And outside of VV, who was there up front – nobody. Hall, Gaines, other low round picks and UDFA’s. Those guys may be able to start but only in Tampa. And the guys that packed it in? Reddick. Winfield. McCullough. (Though I see McCullough as short on talent AND a “bag” man who just took the $$$). We’re looking better on paper, but the wholesale changes in players wasn’t because of coaching. Talent and character. And we still have work to do.
June 28th, 2026 at 3:23 pm
@buddha, #99, ballwasher61, borimex 813, defense rules 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
June 29th, 2026 at 9:04 am
I remember remarking out loud that LaVonte looked old and slow last year. Now I wonder if it was one of the loaf plays he saw.