Happy 10th JoeBucsFan Anniversary To Ira Kaufman
July 23rd, 2026
While legendary Ira Kaufman has his big 50th anniversary in the sports media business coming in September, a lesser but significant anniversary arrived this week.
The Sage of Tampa Bay Sports is celebrating 10 full years at JoeBucsFan.com world headquarters.
What an honor it has been for Joe to spend all those years working with Kaufman — and watching him work.
Kaufman is an all-time great when it comes to building special relationships with the largely paranoid fraternity of NFL coaches. His sources run deep.
Joe has witnessed first-hand Kaufman’s special relationships with Andy Reid, Mike Tomlin, Sean McVay, Sean Payton, Jon Gruden and Raheem Morris, among many others. Kaufman even cracked the shields of Bill Belichick in recent years.
Regarding McVay, Joe once saw McVay address Kaufman to a degree that even surprised Kaufman.
“I didn’t realize we had that kind of connection,” Ira said. Two years later, McVay and Kaufman were deep in private conversation about Bucs new hire Liam Coen at an NFL annual meeting.
Always eye-opening for Joe has been Kaufman’s connections with Bucs coaches’ wives through the years. How does that happen???
There are many other names Joe could drop — Tampa and leaguewide. It’s almost unbelievable. That includes a long list of players/ex-players that will pick up the phone for Kaufman. (And yes, Ira’s calling when he has a question, not texting.)
Joe won’t soon forget one of Mike Evans’ last news conferences in the Bucs locker room (it might have been the last). Evans asked before the throng of media, ‘Where’s Ira?’ as his eyes scanned the locker room looking for Kaufman.
Stunningly, Kaufman’s sources also run to the NFL ownership and executive level.
Listeners to the Ira Kaufman Podcast know the famous “Irv Kaufman” story. Simply put, Joe learned at a 2017 party that Falcons owners Arthur Blank called Kaufman “Irv” for years. So Joe had Blank challenged on that. Why, Arthur? His name is Ira. Towering Blank looked Kaufman up and down and said, “You look like an Irv.”
Joe also was witness to Kaufman getting a detailed explanation from an ownership type of why Bucky Irving fell to the Bucs in the draft.
Joe could go on and on.
Most impressive, though, is how well Kaufman has connected with Bucs fans of all ages over the years. Fans are the greatest gauge.
Yes, Ira is doing something very right — and has been for a very long time.
That’s why Joe strategized for years to secure Kaufman’s services for JoeBucsFan.com when Kaufman became a hot free agent in 2016. Joe sure has spiked the football on that one.
Another season marches on and Sage Ira will continue typing away here about the Bucs, and entertaining and informing on his podcast. Ira also is part of The JoeBucsFan Show, Saturdays on WDAE radio, and he’ll be heard again this season Wednesdays in the 5 o’clock hour on SiriusXM Mad Dog Radio.
Kaufman’s iconic run will not last forever, but he does have at least one more season left in the tank.
Savor it, Bucs fans! Joe sure will.
“You’re not allowed on the field, Ira. How’d you get past security?”
July 23rd, 2026 at 9:32 am
Thanks for 10 years Ira, keep it up! The Bucs need to get you some team shirts to wear! 😉
July 23rd, 2026 at 9:32 am
Amen to that!!!!…Ira the GOAT!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
July 23rd, 2026 at 9:39 am
Thank you Ira!!!!
July 23rd, 2026 at 9:43 am
Let’s celebrate! Kale Salad 4 Everyone! Congratulations to our beloved sage, Ira!
July 23rd, 2026 at 9:47 am
Ira is the man, hopefully he is with JBF for 10 more years. Man, I cannot believe that it has been over a decade since the Trib went under but their loss was JBF’s gain! Ira K = the consummate professional!
July 23rd, 2026 at 9:57 am
A superior writer and scribe for the game! Thanks Ira!
July 23rd, 2026 at 10:04 am
Congratulations Ira! Your input here and on your podcast is something I look forward to every day being up here in Chicago and being at a distance. Would be cool to see you at a game sometime. Keep up the great work and keep going strong please. Bucs nation needs you. Send Lee on a coconut donut run to celebrate your anniversary! He will gladly go!! Be well sir and congrats!
July 23rd, 2026 at 10:09 am
@Ira
Ira’s greatest accomplishment isn’t the years, it’s the respect he’s earned. In a business where access is earned and TRUST is everything, he’s remained relevant across multiple generations of coaches, executives, and players. The NFL has changed countless times over the last 50 years, but Ira’s credibility has never gone out of style.
That’s the definition of a legend. Albeit I’ve never had the pleasure of meeting you in person, it’s been a pleasure listening to you over the years. Congratulations, my friend. 🫡
🔥 LFG!
🥇 This year is for IRA!!
💍 Ring Me!!!
July 23rd, 2026 at 10:26 am
813bucboi
Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen have MVP trophies. That’s a fact. They also have exactly zero Super Bowl appearances combined. Hate on Baker all day long. At the end of the day as a Buc fan I will support who ever is our quarterback
July 23rd, 2026 at 10:26 am
Joe needs another handle for Ira! Maybe:
“Ten years on Ira”
“doughnut-eating Ira”
“salad-eating Ira”
What is Ira telling Baker in the first pic?
“now Baker, back in ’63 I told Johnny Unitas to …”
“before the Superbowl, I tipped Brady about their linebacker…”
July 23rd, 2026 at 10:28 am
Yes o began reading your site about a year ago. A large part of that is because of Ira. He is spot on with analysis. He is totally objective and I love his being straight forward. He is great to listen too. Yes he appears really well connected. I think that is because people he interviews recognize his being genuine and sincere.
July 23rd, 2026 at 10:42 am
Congrats !!!
July 23rd, 2026 at 10:48 am
Sage!!!
Thanks for being here!!!
Go Bucs!!!
July 23rd, 2026 at 10:51 am
Ira thanks for your dedication and love for the Bucs!!!
July 23rd, 2026 at 11:10 am
PEACE IRA, great job. Always on the ball!!
July 23rd, 2026 at 11:10 am
Congrats!
Much love for you guys.
July 23rd, 2026 at 11:12 am
I read you and Tom McEwen’s words religiously back in the day Sage. I am so glad you hung in there with us and the Joes. Thank you sir! I am sure I am not alone in this. Happy Anniversary! Hope we all get many more!
Go Bucs!
July 23rd, 2026 at 11:28 am
Congrats, Ira – and thank you!
July 23rd, 2026 at 11:32 am
Love me some Sage.
July 23rd, 2026 at 11:32 am
Ira, keep plugging and chugging, man!!! Stay healthy.
Love your work.
July 23rd, 2026 at 11:43 am
Ira and his articles = head and shoulders above the rest around here.
July 23rd, 2026 at 11:57 am
“Joe also was witness to Kaufman getting a detailed explanation from an ownership type of why Bucky Irving fell to the Bucs in the draft.”
Joe, where is this story on JBF? Why did he fall?
July 23rd, 2026 at 11:57 am
Ira’s the man. I’m still working two days a week at 70 1/2 and have been reading Bucs news since that first win in 1977. Please keep it up!
July 23rd, 2026 at 12:19 pm
Happy Anny Ira!
You have represented the Tampa Bay sports area well sir and have been a swell guy along the way doing so. Now go treat yourself to a nice beet salad.
July 23rd, 2026 at 12:39 pm
Confidential. Maybe Joe will release it after Bucky’s NFL days are done.
July 23rd, 2026 at 12:42 pm
Grats, Sage, but Joe… for the love of God… never mention the name of the guy that replaced Gruden again. ‘Cause blech.
July 23rd, 2026 at 12:43 pm
Keep up the good work, Ira!
July 23rd, 2026 at 1:46 pm
Ira is a legend and he’ll be missed when he does decide to retire. I remember meeting Ira at a watch party at Big Storm in 2020. It was the Atlanta game. Ira stopped by our table to chat with my boys and me. No tater tots were touched. What’s funny, I told Ira I graduated from Chamberlain High School in 1985 (along with Jay Gruden) which was the same year Ira started covering the Bucs. I remember in Ira’s next two columns, he mentioned Chamberlain in both stories (he also mentioned Jesuit in one). I l loved it!
July 23rd, 2026 at 3:32 pm
I remember when the Sage was slinging Caddys instead of Cherry Red Ford Escapes!
July 23rd, 2026 at 4:12 pm
Irv…the best free agency signing since Tom Brady & Reggie White before him.
Casting the single/solitary HOF from Tampa is huge…not to mention his lobbying skills…Sapp & Brooks 1st ballot and Ronde not too far after. Probably tipped the scales for Lynch…who was borderline as well.
July 23rd, 2026 at 4:39 pm
The Ira Kaufman Podcast is a highlight of my week year round. Great job Ira! Coming from another Boston Terrier guy.
July 23rd, 2026 at 5:02 pm
Ira! What a delight it’s been. Looking forward to the next 10 years.
July 23rd, 2026 at 5:05 pm
Absolutely love the podcasts, and he’s an outstanding writer as well.
Totally looking forward to the podcast with Ira’s greatest hits from the past 10 years.
Thank you for all you do, Sage.
July 23rd, 2026 at 5:11 pm
Congratulations Ira! I’ve been a fan since your tribune days and was thrilled when Joe hired you. I can honestly say, if you wrote it for the trib or for Joe, there’s a 99% chance I read it.
July 23rd, 2026 at 6:40 pm
The sage is a treasure. Love his podcasts and laugh.
July 23rd, 2026 at 7:50 pm
Congrats Sage! Hope you are here for another 10!
July 23rd, 2026 at 8:21 pm
Been reading you since I was a kid, Ira… and I’m now in my 50s!
Hopefully you’ll be around for at least another decade, you got to get a lot of guys into the Hall still, like David, Evans, Wirfs, Winfield, maybe give another go at Simeon Rice – and I’d say Warrick Dunn as well (he has more yards from scrimmage than Bettis).
July 23rd, 2026 at 9:04 pm
I keep hearing references about Ira’s long and successful run which is well established. When you deem it time to retire Ira, I hope you do it on your terms and not because some idiot tells you it’s time because you’re still on top of your game and your experience and insight puts most in your field to shame. I hope you continue for a very long time if it’s what you want to do.