Musings From Tez Johnson On Bucs, Football And Speed
May 10th, 2025
Rookie/receiver Tez Johnson.
Bucs new (punt returner?) wide receiver Tez Johnson is anything but boring. For that reason alone, Joe really hopes he makes the team.
Johnson’s personality is huge. He has a lot to say. Often, it’s hilarious. Here are some tidbits from his first press conference at One Buc Palace on Friday.
* On what it felt like walking into One Buc Palace for the first time.
“Felt like home. Felt like I am going to be here for the rest of my life.”
* On telling his close friend and former Oregon teammate Bucky Irving last season how the Bucs had to draft him.
“His mom, our mom — I call her ‘mom,’ too — she said, ‘When you come to Tampa Bay next year, I will have to cook for you.’ I would say, ‘Mom, stop saying that.’ She said, ‘It’s going to happen.'”
* On Bucky’s speed.
“Who’s faster? Me! Check the 40 time. … But he’s going to say, ‘You’re lighter than me.’ He’s fast, but he’s still going to get caught on the back end.”
* On Mike Evans calling him:
“I kinda got starstruck.”
* On Johnson, 154 pounds, taking a picture with 464-pound UDFA defensive tackle Desmond Watson.
“Nah, if I take a picture with him, it will make me look even smaller.”
* On his current roommate, LSU running back Josh Williams:
“He can’t even sleep with the TV off, bro. I got to put a pillow over my head to where I can’t breathe.”
* On how his football speed is better than his combine speed.
“I just feel the game is not a 40. … Plus, it’s a lot of adrenaline for me. I’m kind of small out there, so I am running away from these big guys. I don’t want to get touched.”
* On being drafted in the seventh round:
“One thing my brother said, he just told me, ‘Nothing has been easy for you your entire life. Why should it be easy now during the draft?'”
* On Baker Mayfield blocking far downfield for Bucky Irving.
“Either he’s really fast or Bucky’s really slow.”
Tez Johnson returning punts. pic.twitter.com/LoO0Ju51zB
— JoeBucsFan (@JoeBucsFan) May 9, 2025
May 10th, 2025 at 12:27 am
“Either he’s really fast or Bucky’s really slow.”
I’m ##%^ing dying!
May 10th, 2025 at 12:42 am
I had a fourth round grade on this guy. I’m so glad the Bucs drafted him. He and Desmond Watson are the type of players a team can have when the roster in general is solid.
May 10th, 2025 at 12:42 am
He mentioned how his roomy falls asleep with the TV on. That might get old, quick.
May 10th, 2025 at 12:43 am
Dude is a sound byte a minute and really does sound like a good guy as long as he realizes that it’s the following —
“ so I am running away from these big guys. I don’t want to get touched.”
That makes home the next Laelen Darden, App State Dexter Jackson underwear hero, NFL footnote.
May 10th, 2025 at 12:50 am
The last one about Baker blocking and his / Bucky’s speed is hilarious.
May 10th, 2025 at 3:09 am
Solid pick Jason…
Might be our 4b….and of course #1 returner
May 10th, 2025 at 4:56 am
It’s going to be fun watching him take a flanker screen, and running behind Wirfs. The squirrel will be running behind an elephant herd. Good luck finding him, and getting him down.
May 10th, 2025 at 4:59 am
Good stuff to read. Excellent pick too. Can’t wait to see what Tez does.
May 10th, 2025 at 5:22 am
Bucky is shifty but slow. Though look how much that helps him when he weaves through defenders. But the second he is in the open field he is cooked. Bucky also falls really hard and doesn’t run out of bounds. Those hits will catch up to you. Baker throwing blocks is to sustain him LOL
May 10th, 2025 at 6:26 am
Tez has a lot of football moms rooting for him. That says something about this young soundbite!
May 10th, 2025 at 6:43 am
Not complaining and I really hope for the sake of “Buc Fandom”, myself included, Tez works out. I just can’t recall a seventh round pick getting this much run. I’m more excited about last years bigger faster seventh round pick, Devin Culp.
May 10th, 2025 at 6:48 am
I had a metabolism like his when I was his age, I couldn’t gain a pound no matter how hard I tried and how much I ate.
Not anymore, looking at Ben and Jerrys on sale at Publix and I gain 2 pounds before I get home 😇
May 10th, 2025 at 8:06 am
First Last echoes my concerns about Bucky’s longevity.
The faster player may outrun the quicker player, but that doesn’t mean that the quicker guy gets tackled.
When being overtaken from behind, if the quicker player properly times a sudden break to the side, the faster guy can be made to miss.
And, if the quicker player is being intercepted by the faster player at an angle, in the words of the Maverick, “… put on the breaks and he will fly right by!”
Tez seems to have mastered evasive moves for the slower guy. Hopefully, Bucky can learn that from Tez.
May 10th, 2025 at 8:09 am
Sometimes, a “mouth” guy can spew hurt.
Tez seems to just let things flow from a good place with the results being spirited and positive.