Jason Pierre-Paul Felt Good About His Play; Bucs GM Has High Hopes
December 22nd, 2025
Joe was rooting for Jason Pierre-Paul in a big way yesterday.
It’s so rare for a player to get a comeback shot after being out of the game for two years, especially a pass rusher in the trenches.
A Super Bowl–season hero for Tampa Bay, JPP was on the field Sunday, his first playing time since a sniff with the Dolphins in 2023.
Joe was not expecting the iconic three-time Pro Bowler with 98 career sacks to appear, and neither was JPP. He got 12 snaps and appeared to move like a real football player, not bad for two weeks off his couch and a week shy of his 37th birthday.
In the postgame locker room, JPP said he was impressed by his fitness.
“This is what I put in the work for,” JPP said. “It’s a big change. I haven’t hit anyone in two years. … Me getting out there and just taking a couple of snaps and feeling the defnse and getting the calls and doing it back over again feels great.”
JPP said he can get sharper on the defensive play calls and practice harder. And he looks forward to doing that. Of course, this time of year players aren’t hitting in practice.
Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht said JPP is capable of greatness.
“JPP kind of defies all conventional wisdom, and being able to play and come out here and play after being on the team for a week, it just kind of defines him,” Licht said. “He’s still good for a few great plays, and hopefully we get them [against the Panthers].”
The Bucs didn’t get those great plays yesterday from JPP, but Joe is very intrigued to see what progress JPP makes Sunday at Miami.
Considering the fellow Bucs edge rusher Anthony Nelson walked off the field injured yesterday and didn’t return, Bucs fans may see plenty of JPP trying to ball out for a new contract.
December 22nd, 2025 at 10:18 am
He is a non factor. Here for the paycheck.
December 22nd, 2025 at 10:21 am
THIS TIME OF YEAR PLAYERS ARENT HITTING IN PRACTICE, LOL APPARANTLY THEY ARENTY HITTING IN GAMES EITHER
December 22nd, 2025 at 10:22 am
Brought back the wrong guy-Ndamakong Suh should have been the one.
December 22nd, 2025 at 10:25 am
This is so embarrassing. Jason Licht couldn’t draft, sign or trade for anyone worth a damn so this stiff is out there taking someone else’s spot.
This isn’t a winning formula.
SMDH
December 22nd, 2025 at 10:27 am
Started the game lining up inside, played some on the outside & didn’t look like the game was moving too fast for him.
I’ll take JPP lining up where Logan Hall has been for the rest of the season, let him and Reddick run some rush games. Hall & his swim move can go
December 22nd, 2025 at 10:28 am
But how did he look in downfield coverage though?
December 22nd, 2025 at 10:29 am
What I said about Jason Licht I take it back. Vita Vea and Kancey, everyone else he’s drafted up front is mediocre at best. No he didn’t say the guy he cut to play JTS is capable of greatness and he’s 36 years old. Our gm is just a scout. He should be the VP someone else needs to build the roster
December 22nd, 2025 at 10:30 am
GM is high …🚬
December 22nd, 2025 at 10:31 am
High hopes for an aged vet thats been out of football for several years?… What a silly comment.
December 22nd, 2025 at 10:33 am
Jason Licht has to go
He’s the most pathetic GM in the NFL
Last year it was Shaq Barrett, Ryan Neal
The Bucs has become a comical team
They are more laughable than the YUCS every was
December 22nd, 2025 at 10:37 am
So embarrassing
December 22nd, 2025 at 10:37 am
Wow. Night & Day. Anyone else see that Jaguar locker-room again yesterday, postgame!? ELECTRIC.
December 22nd, 2025 at 10:38 am
Signing JPP is a great move. He’s no more productive than Reddick, but a lot cheaper . And it’s not like Licht is capable of drafting a productive Edge.
December 22nd, 2025 at 10:38 am
Is this a joke???
What on the hell JL is saying??? What are you smoking GM????
Is This guy is with alzahimer???
Please show some respect to the fan base and stop with this nonsense!!!!!
December 22nd, 2025 at 10:40 am
Desperation is a stinky cologne. The only play I noticed…he immediately went to the ground. This is the Ring of Fire GM trying to prove his once good trade for JPP is still a blockbuster. Next up: an early extension for Braswell. It’ll prove he was a great pick!
December 22nd, 2025 at 10:41 am
Licht talking up his free agents and draft picks like they are HOFers.
Dude is now average, just like the rest of Licht’s Losers
December 22nd, 2025 at 10:45 am
OMG, “He’s still good for a few plays?” Really. Are we in the Twilight Zone…
December 22nd, 2025 at 10:47 am
NFL JUST ANNOUNCED THE REMAINING 2 GAMES WILL BE SHOWN ON THE COMEDY CHANNEL, W BENNY HILL MUSIC PLAYING IN THE BACKGROUND
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER
December 22nd, 2025 at 10:50 am
It’s a desperation move. When a player who hasn’t played in years is the best option, it highlights serious issues with player development programs and roster talent. Short-term fixes aren’t solving the bigger problems.
December 22nd, 2025 at 10:55 am
I saw a guy who had no push. Maybe he was just up against a tough line. And I’ve only watched the game once. Maybe he flashed? I certainly didn’t see it. He looked like he new the concepts. He didn’t look powerful. Just getting handled easily.
December 22nd, 2025 at 10:57 am
PoopyPants said: “…APPARANTLY THEY ARENTY HITTING IN GAMES EITHER.”
The problem is that they *ARE* hitting in games when they should be tackling.
December 22nd, 2025 at 11:01 am
POOPY PANTS: ON the same channel, they are showing the Bucs SB win and and the celebrations for the last 4 years as being the NFC South Champs.
What channel should we tune into to watch your team?
What a complete and utter loser. GO WIPE YOURSELF and your dirty ARSE
December 22nd, 2025 at 11:02 am
Poopypants,
Back in the day it was called football folies. It would be a highlight of every single creamsicle Bucs game usually involving Barry Sanders running wild on our 2-14 team. Slow motion comedy at it’s best! I do like the Benny Hill reference though. Long before everyone became woke.
December 22nd, 2025 at 11:03 am
Hawk – EXACTLY! Dennis and many others lowering their shoulder instead of WRAPPING UP!! This team is poorly coached and managed! Soft defense and lost offense! This team needs a reset/overhaul at many positions but especially the coaching staff!
December 22nd, 2025 at 11:06 am
desperate times over at One Buc…
In Tampa, the GM is tasked with shopping for the groceries the HC wants, it has been this way since McKay lost his power struggle with Gruden
Jason is doing what Todd wants done, period. At the end of the season, the owners will tell Jason what they want done and he will execute it.
Jason is a tremendous GM and when Bruce was here, he had no issue shopping correctly for him.
No one is perfect in the draft, and we need some better talent evaluators for the defense obviously, but overall, he has become very astute in finding talent.
The issue is not our talent; the issue is clearly coaching.
No matter what happens in the next couple weeks, no one can convince me we should move forward with this staff.
December 22nd, 2025 at 11:06 am
I think JPP was brought in more as a motivator than a playmaker. He did look like he belonged out there though which was a surprise. This may P!SS people off here, but the Bucs will win their last two and the Panthers will lose their last two. Don’t blame me it’s just what they do year after year.
December 22nd, 2025 at 11:09 am
Did as well as Vita on the stat sheet….ZERO
December 22nd, 2025 at 11:11 am
This site has become so overwhelmingly negative that I no longer want to read the comments. This is supposed to be a site for our favorite team? None of us has watched practice, and those who have say JPP is good enough to start in a game. That IMO is fantastic, and JPP seems to think so, too.
December 22nd, 2025 at 11:12 am
Bucs4ever Says:
December 22nd, 2025 at 11:01 am
POOPY PANTS: ON the same channel, they are showing the Bucs SB win and and the celebrations for the last 4 years as being the NFC South Champs.
What channel should we tune into to watch your team?
What a complete and utter loser. GO WIPE YOURSELF and your dirty ARSE
What an angry fella Bucs win the RE RE Division on the NFL LOL… go JAGS…. DUUUUUVVVAAALLLLLLL
December 22nd, 2025 at 11:12 am
Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht said JPP is capable of greatness.
This is so friggin gross! We can’t draft and/or use successful edge rusher so do we go out and sign someone of someones else practice squad….NO.
Did we do what a normal team would do, trade for someone’s proven player to merge with existing roster,,,NO.
What we do is sign some guy who was great 5-6 years ago and that we kicked to the curb 2-3 years ago! And, he is supposed to retain or get better after 2-3 years on the coach? Ridiculous! To me this is just performative attempt by Licht to show the fans or the Glaziers that he is on top of the need for a pass rusher. Yet, we have JTS, Logan Hall, Braswell and company.
This is worthy of a healthy barf!
December 22nd, 2025 at 11:13 am
Kudos to JPP. But I don’t think it matters now. As Johnny Cash once said, the water is 3 ft deep and rising.
December 22nd, 2025 at 11:15 am
woman idiot hahahahaha
December 22nd, 2025 at 11:16 am
oh, and don’t worry about the snake Liam Cohen what he did to us he will do to the jags a snake never changes
December 22nd, 2025 at 11:22 am
None of this matters. Season is over. Who’s going to be our next coach? Where are we going to draft?
December 22nd, 2025 at 11:22 am
As John McKay once remarked when asked this question.”What do you think of your team’s execution?” McKay replied, “I’m in favor of it”.
December 22nd, 2025 at 11:26 am
This team is a JOKE !!!
December 22nd, 2025 at 11:38 am
Reddick stat line: 3 tackles. Zero sacks. Zero tackles for loss. Zero passes defended. Zero quarterback pressures.
December 22nd, 2025 at 11:39 am
Vea stat line: zero tackles. One pass defended. Zero sacks. One QB pressure.
December 22nd, 2025 at 11:41 am
Winfield stat line: Two tackles. Zero passes defended. Zero interceptions. Zero QB pressures. Zero tackle for loss.
December 22nd, 2025 at 11:41 am
And we care about JPP why again? The problems are way bigger than him.
December 22nd, 2025 at 11:47 am
You said it again Joe. “Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht”.
🤮🤮🤮
December 22nd, 2025 at 11:47 am
Kenyatta jackson jr next draft….after Sonny styles.
December 22nd, 2025 at 11:52 am
But … but …. We have UFP Roswell ….. errr Braswell …
December 22nd, 2025 at 12:00 pm
Well I give the Joes credit to try to find something positive to talk about the Bucs these days. Seems like it may be slim pickings. I am a big JPP fan and I’m glad he’s back but it shows the creativity needed to keep the fans feeling hopeful during these “days of woe”.
December 22nd, 2025 at 12:03 pm
Should of bought back Tom Brady and Gronk
December 22nd, 2025 at 12:05 pm
Since Wednesday through Friday have been declared Federal Holidays in observance of Christmas, Bowles has suspended all practices this week.
December 22nd, 2025 at 12:12 pm
Clean house!
Ronde 4 GM
December 22nd, 2025 at 12:24 pm
I’ve been Licht’s #1 supporter for the past 5-6 years but I’m waning.
His “I’m that Guy,” profile is way off. The team is slipping backwards quickly. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Bucs do a complete overhaul.
December 22nd, 2025 at 12:24 pm
This is just LAUGHABLE to begin with, but this is coming from a GM who JUST this past offseason, was SO weak, lazy, and incompetent, that HE allowed an ELITE head coach to just walk out the building. AND, extended Chris Godwin (and a washed-up Reddick) to the tune of 3-years and $66-MILLION, with $44-MILLION FULLY GUARANTEED… EVEN, when knowing that HE was drafting a WR in the 1st-ROUND. Everyone has been talking about COHEN all morning, and saying just how much “coaching” MATTERS. And, THIS GM chose to continue rolling with TODD BOWLES, when we all already KNEW WTF HE WAS and WTF HE always will be. Now, let that sink in. HE chose to keep BOWLES over COHEN. HE could not close the DEAL, and let HIM walk. I said (and took ALL the incoming) with still 4-5 games left in the season, that THEY BETTER BE gettin’ their ducks in order, concerning Cohen. That, “whatever it takes, you CANNOT allow HIM to leave the building. PERIOD. End of Story. WHATEVER IT TAKES. Including, sending Todd upstairs to a mentor and advisory role, Etc.” But, LICKT offers HIM some BS offer without ANY guarantees, and then doesn’t immediately RUN to get-it SIGNED. How PATHETIC. It was HIS JOB to know what the hell was going on inside Cohen’s head, and where Cohen stood… And, thennnn WHAT IT WAS GOING TO TAKE. HE WAITS all the way until Cohen is already in JACKSONVILLE, before they all started PANICKING. Just totally incompetent and UNPREPARED. Hahahah What a JOKE. Anyone with at least one good eye, knew what the obvious move should’ve been. He should’ve seen this coming from a mile away! Now, I get to listen to McAfee and everyone on HIS show talk about Cohen and Trevor. It is unbelievable what HE has done with Trevor Lawrence. Baker has got to be SO SICK. It was on LICKT to have advised the Glazers on Todd versus Cohen… It is HIS JOB. It is what he is being PAID FOR.
December 22nd, 2025 at 12:25 pm
Another pointless article. This is a lost season. It’s been lost since the Rams game. Start digging into new HC prospects and the big changes of upcoming trades and releases of veteran players. That’s actually interesting!
December 22nd, 2025 at 12:26 pm
Everyone can see this is a total act of desperation to get a once a Probowler for league minimum and see if he can affect anything on the field for the defense……………….that’s how bad this defense is……it’s “sign a guy off his couch for the last two years” to answer a Hail Mary for the HC and the GM.
It doesn’t anymore…
These Bucs don’t deserve to be in the playoffs period!
December 22nd, 2025 at 12:30 pm
EXCELLENT
Melvin Jr!
December 22nd, 2025 at 12:31 pm
Just think what this has done to the trajectory of Baker’s career now… Hell, Lawrence would’ve prob been out of the league entirely, or at best a career BACKUP within the next 2-3 years, if not for Cohen. The guy was a horribly incompetent NFL QB with low-energy, and seemed disinterested. NOW THO, only the sky is the limit. Coaching. Matters. More so in football, than in any other sport… By far, and it’s not even close.
December 22nd, 2025 at 12:32 pm
Mike Evans is a Free Agent…
Do what Brady did Mike !
December 22nd, 2025 at 12:33 pm
HOW could anyone have any faith in, or believe ANY-FREAKING-THING that Lickt would have to say!? Especially, at this point. I mean, Goddddd… Come. Onnnnn.
December 22nd, 2025 at 12:35 pm
The late, great 3-time SB champ coach Bill Walsh said it’s always better to move a player a year too early than a year too late. I’m talking about Vita. If his contract allows it, trade him in the offseason for at least a 3rd round pick. I’d trade the underachieving Winfield and overrated McCollum too if possible. Clear the crazy contracts use the picks for a couple of heavy defensive drafts.
December 22nd, 2025 at 12:37 pm
@ MelvinJunior
You’re acting like you know all the intricate details about all the discussions they had together….which obviously YOU DON’T!
I’m not a Jason Licht or Todd Bowles defender at all…..but we cannot just assume it’s as simple as you are making it.
Infact, when it comes down to hiring Head Coaches, obviously the Glazers (owners) have 100% control in every aspect of choosing who they want…..and maybe they we’ren’t just yet ready to let Todd Bowles go? Who knows? We may never know those discussions……..
December 22nd, 2025 at 12:37 pm
Annnnddd, Teddy… REALLY!? Just Please. GTFOH
December 22nd, 2025 at 12:38 pm
Melvin Jr
The players DON’T
Either should the Glazers
I pity the season ticket holders!
They make a major financial and time commitment.
December 22nd, 2025 at 12:40 pm
New front office and coaching staff
Ronde for General Manager
December 22nd, 2025 at 12:44 pm
@ TheBucsAnthem – ohhhhh, yes you can, too! It is HIS JOB as GM to advise the Glazers on such decisions. And, IF he was overruled by THEM… Then, it should be ON THEM to go public with that information to the FANS. Before making and announcing ANY decision on keeping HIM. They freaking completely PANICKED trying to get ahold of Cohen, as soon as they got word that he was already meeting with Kahn (a very shrewd businessman) in Jacksonville. Literally. Tore. THEM. UPPPP.
December 22nd, 2025 at 12:44 pm
bucnjim – Think they did too along with Teddy. Didn’t work.
Mike Evans and Chris are the real deal of who can give the team a boost.
December 22nd, 2025 at 12:52 pm
Im happy for JPP and this isnt meant to disrespect him, but this season turned pathetic so quickly. They are signing guys that havent been on a roster in two years and bragging them up.
December 22nd, 2025 at 12:53 pm
@ Kayla – I would too, but depending on the new HC, I would prob try to wait until next season’s trade-deadline. I said it last ‘off-season’ that they really needed to be ‘thinking about’ Vea. You never want to hand an aging player (especially at his position) north of 30, ‘Top of the market $$$… Annnndd, drafting his ‘potential’ future replacement was a PRIORITY in last season’s DRAFT (Deone Walker). That was ANOTHER ball completely DROPPED by JL. McCollum’s brand new contract will prob make-it almost impossible to move him anytime soon.
December 22nd, 2025 at 12:55 pm
@ SB~LV – Yeah, I mean… Come onnnn. 💯
December 22nd, 2025 at 1:01 pm
And, I BET if you lined-up and put Deone Walker’s stats this (‘rookie’) season up against Vea’s (and I haven’t looked)… I BET they are very close to being just as good, and that has been with a very limited number of snaps, too!!!!
December 22nd, 2025 at 1:01 pm
he was brought back to be a spy for the glazers
December 22nd, 2025 at 1:08 pm
LOL……. JPP a spy?????
interesting twist?????…………………
December 22nd, 2025 at 1:10 pm
I’ll tell you what though….JPP is building some future media buzz for himself….because he’s DEFINITELY gonna spill the beans on what’s going wrong in that locker room after the season is over
unless he signed a NDA that prohibits him talking about the team in anywaym shape, or manner that could be perceived as negative
December 22nd, 2025 at 1:32 pm
Should’ve traded for Garrett, Crosby, phillips or parsons. So many options were available bit Licht had to keep his picks. We edge guys have been Braswell, jts and diaby. Good players but not elite. We need elite pass rushers.
December 22nd, 2025 at 1:46 pm
Lots of hype about his physique but he didn’t look in shape to me.
JL is starting to lose it.
December 22nd, 2025 at 1:50 pm
I hope too.
Star Light, Star Bright
First Star I see Tonight
I wish I May, I wish I Might
Have JPP & Me Be 25YO Again, All Right!
December 22nd, 2025 at 3:11 pm
Licht also had high hopes for Reddick and was saying that Braswell and Kancey would have breakout seasons.
December 22nd, 2025 at 3:12 pm
ronde for GM. nice
December 22nd, 2025 at 3:13 pm
POOR JOE,
MUST BE A SOB HAVING TO RIGHT PUFF PIECES ABOUT PLAYERS FROM ERAS GONE-BY.
December 22nd, 2025 at 3:47 pm
JPP looked great in coverage on one play that I saw. He stuck to the guy like glue. He’s probably our best cover guy right now.