GlovesGate
November 27th, 2025
Gloves controversy.
Watching from the upper reaches in the corner of the hermetically sealed press box at SoFi Stadium last Sunday, Joe would have bet quite a bit of cash that when Cade Otton was stripped of the ball by Rams corner Cobie Durant, who returned it 50 yards for a Rams touchdown, the ballgame was over.
How many times do you see a bad team (and right now the Bucs are a bad team) rally from such a ghastly play on the road?
Joe could have avoided some trouble and started banging on his keyboard then (Joe did throw in the towel and start typing just before the second half started).
It was a play worthy of throwing up. It was so bad Joe couldn’t help but think of the time O.J. Howard tried a Magic Johnson-like behind-the-back dribble on the 20-yard line and fumbled against the slimy Saints.
(Joe doesn’t know what was worse, that stunt by Howard or the ketchup bottle uniforms the Bucs wore that day — worse than the alarm clocks!)
Otton is a streaky tight end as far as catching the ball. He sometimes goes through bad cases of the dropsies. That play Sunday was his worst and, sadly, not his first strip this year.
And it came on national television in primetime (just like his first). Joe fears that Durant play will be the play for which most football fans will remember Otton.
Apparently, Tom Brady said last year on a FOX broadcast that he got mad at Otton during his last year with the Bucs, which was also Otton’s rookie season, because Otton didn’t like wearing gloves.
Brady got his way with the rookie. Otton wore gloves that season and once Brady left, Otton went commando and got rid of the gloves. Otton has told that story publicly.
So with Otton unable to secure that pass Sunday which led to one of the most gruesome plays against the Bucs you will ever see, Bucs offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard was asked yesterday if he has had a sitdown with Otton about wearing gloves.
In so many words, Grizzard said he’s not Otton’s mom.
“I would never tell someone really how to dress or how they should prepare for game day,” Grizzard said. “I think part of it is just catching it and being quick to the tuck – that way you’re not worrying about that side of it.
“But at the end of the day, he hasn’t worn gloves for a while – I know it’s been a few years.”
Grizzard seemed to politely suggest GlovesGate is blown out of proportion.
“I’ve got all the confidence in the world with him in getting him the ball and continuing that moving forward,” Grizzard said. “So however he wants to dress on game day, really, in my opinion, is up to him.”
And there you have it. Otton will wear gloves if he wants to wear gloves and not a second before.
Joe can’t help but get nostalgic about dudes who want to go old school like Otton. Mike Ditka didn’t need no damn gloves!
And when Ditka played, dudes were allowed to clothesline receivers, not play Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake baker’s man like defenders must now do in Roger Goodell’s don’t-hit-too-hard league.
November 27th, 2025 at 5:22 am
If gloves make catching the ball easier then you wear them! Your not his Mom but you are his coach. There is a reason Brady won 7 superbowls
November 27th, 2025 at 5:25 am
Ditka was also using Pine Tar soooooooo….
November 27th, 2025 at 5:31 am
two times this season he has caught a pass and had a defender pull it out of his hands… so maybe just maybe try wearing the f*****g gloves. 😀
November 27th, 2025 at 5:39 am
Actually Joe, the game was over before the Bucs took the field! Good thing Licht didn’t give Otton a new contract like he did Zyon. That said, Licht probably bids against himself to resign Cade this offseason. He might drop the ball a bit, but he’s the right locker room fit. To bad the games are played on the field, and not in the locker room.
November 27th, 2025 at 6:40 am
I’ve had enough of watching Otton’s dopey plays. Please sign someone else that’s ok with not catching TD passes next season.
November 27th, 2025 at 6:53 am
i guess the drafted huge and fast devin culp to sit in the bench not be a stand in for a tall receiver we’re missing
November 27th, 2025 at 7:24 am
He was down by contact. Otton and the Bucs were royally screwed by the league for not reviewing and by Bowles for not challenging. Malpractice all around.
November 27th, 2025 at 7:26 am
My guess is even wearing gloves he still muffs that ball.
November 27th, 2025 at 7:28 am
Agreed that the knee was down play was over.Nuts and bolts we got screwed
November 27th, 2025 at 7:31 am
Can’t say it enough, no one in the league gets beat down more than Otten. You just don’t see other TE’s taking the beating he does, rather they deliver it.
November 27th, 2025 at 7:33 am
Cade is Cam Brate 2.0
Glad he is on the team, wish he was TE2
November 27th, 2025 at 7:42 am
Let the man wear what he wants….
November 27th, 2025 at 7:44 am
We need a legit tightend n Cade isn’t remotely close to being average. He’s passive, can’t hold on to the ball, allow undersize defenders to strongarm him for the ball, n for some reason has a habit of just standing while open waiting for the pass to come to him giving defenders time to break up the pass vs coming back to the ball to make the catch (basic football). Defensive players around the league know Otton is soft n an easy target for always. When we drafted him, I said yes he’ll be better than OJ Howard but he’s mirroring what OJHoward did. What’s up with Payne Durham n Devin Culp. Bench Otton n try something else.
November 27th, 2025 at 7:45 am
“I would never tell someone really how to dress…” Seriously? What an inane statement. It’s not about fashion, you moron!
November 27th, 2025 at 7:50 am
Cam Brate was a much better TE.
November 27th, 2025 at 8:16 am
RagingBrisket Says:
“He was down by contact. Otton and the Bucs were royally screwed by the league for not reviewing and by Bowles for not challenging. Malpractice all around.”
Unfortunately, he wasn’t. He didn’t make a football move, so it didn’t count.
It’s one of those odd things that can happen, and no amount of rule making will fix it.
November 27th, 2025 at 8:18 am
Everyone is just piling on Otton. These things can happen. Otton is a great player…but no one is perfect.
November 27th, 2025 at 8:19 am
Bonzai- how can you make a football move with your knee on the ground. If it had been properly reviewed it would have fairly been ruled a catch. Stop making excuses for league incompetence and Bowles ineptitude.
November 27th, 2025 at 8:20 am
“How many times do you see a bad team (and right now the Bucs are a bad team) rally from such a ghastly play on the road?” – Joe
They are not a bad team, lol.
They got beat by one of the best teams in the league. They’ll end the season with 11-12 wins.
November 27th, 2025 at 8:22 am
RagingBrisket, I’m sorry…but according to the league, you are wrong. I’m not making excuses, just quoting the league.
I personally would have ruled the way you would, but then I am biased.
November 27th, 2025 at 8:24 am
Sorry, I was wrong about the football moves thing:
“he never established clear possession of the ball long enough for it to be considered a catch before a defender secured it.”
November 27th, 2025 at 8:29 am
I pray we let Cade go in free agency. Time for a new TE. But Licht will extend him
November 27th, 2025 at 8:57 am
I agree with razorramone: Brate was a much better TE than Butterfinger/short of the first down stick Otten. Add TE to the wish list for next year along with edge rusher, ILB, CB, DL, backup QB, etc….
November 27th, 2025 at 9:04 am
Yes I initially thought it was a bad call. However, after watching it again, I agree I don’t think he ever had possession and it was a fumble. Yes, Otten like so many others Otten has been subject to poor play . I am thinking Otten and many of them are bored too. Yes the way they are playing they are clearly boring people watching too..
November 27th, 2025 at 9:08 am
Otten is trying to be Old School in my opinion! He tapes a couple fingers. If his drops continue just don’t resign him
November 27th, 2025 at 9:50 am
I’ve always been a big Otton supporter. Going to try to hold my judgement until the end of the season, but so far there’s two games where that big guy just can’t hold on to the ball and they seem like game losing plays(remeber the lions game? Bad call but corner ripped it out of his hands regardless)
November 27th, 2025 at 9:54 am
What the hell does Tom Brady know?