Tough Guy Tykee Smith
March 22nd, 2026
The Bucs defense was a soft unit last season, but that doesn’t mean every player was a feathery presence, or that each guy was as brittle as Jamel Dean.
(Yes, Dean found a way to leave a critical Week 17 game (shoulder) and miss the must-win affair in Week 18. Anyone want to bet he’s absent in January next year for the Steelers? Joe will take that wager.)
One guy who is not soft is safety Tykee Smith. Yes, Smith’s second season was marred by a shoulder injury — Joe was told late in the season Smith could barely raise his arm above his head — but he was a physical force when healthy and productive.
That was a message delivered firmly last season by Hall of Fame cornerback Rondé Barber on the WFLA-TV streaming show that bears his name.
The Bucs legend said Antoine Winfield, Jr. gets all the chatter because he’s very good and highly paid, but Smith is the more imposing presence.
“Tykee might be the most physical player on our defense. Right?” Barber said. “I don’t know what his actual numbers are but I stand next to him on the sideline and I’m like, ‘Dude, this dude is a physical presence.’ And then you watch him throw like guards and tackles around; he threw a tackle out of the way [last season] and made a tackle. I’m like, ‘Alright, he’s just different.'”
Winfield and Smith are similar athletically with Smith being about an inch taller, per draft combine measurements. But Smith does seem to have a more dawg in him.
Smith dealt with injuries (and illness) in his rookie year (2024), as well. Perhaps 2026 will be his true breakout season.
March 22nd, 2026 at 5:35 pm
TBBF loves him sum’ Tykee!!!
March 22nd, 2026 at 5:45 pm
Yeah, that was funny when he got into a scuffle with big Trent Williams
They both went to the turf
I know Trent got at least 120 lbs on him
March 22nd, 2026 at 5:46 pm
He sucked. Didn’t make hardly any splash plays last year. It was his first year at safety so I give him a pass, that and he probably didn’t have great coaching either.
March 22nd, 2026 at 5:47 pm
He’s a beast. Keep that dude around.
March 22nd, 2026 at 5:52 pm
It wasn’t bad coaching, it was the poor play of the ILBs
When ILBs are sucking in coverage, the SS has to help in support
So it makes the SS look bad, like he’s not doing his job
March 22nd, 2026 at 5:55 pm
Tykee is our best player on defense
March 22nd, 2026 at 6:02 pm
AWJ ✌️ fans,
Just because someone says that Tykee might have a little more DAWG in him, doesn’t necessarily mean one is saying or implying that AWJ is not a DAWG at all. Hence the word “more”.
March 22nd, 2026 at 6:04 pm
He’s no Sabby “the Goat” Piscitelli though
March 22nd, 2026 at 6:05 pm
I gotta say it was a surprise to me when they drafted Smith. He has turned out to be great.
March 22nd, 2026 at 6:07 pm
Is Winfield that good? We should trade him.
March 22nd, 2026 at 6:51 pm
Good player when not injured. Hope he plays smarter this year.
March 22nd, 2026 at 7:13 pm
This guy is great i agree 100%. May be our best defensive player and he played nickle the year before so i see him having a huge season settling in at SS. His football IQ matches his physicality
March 22nd, 2026 at 7:19 pm
Tykee thuds em
He hits heavy!
March 22nd, 2026 at 7:49 pm
Pound for pound, the toughest guy on the D! Bring in some more Georgia Bulldogs on D.
March 22nd, 2026 at 8:16 pm
Did no one else see Tykee look disinterested in making a tackle if the guy wasn’t running right at him?
Must’ve just been me. He has the ability to, lacks 100% want to…
March 22nd, 2026 at 8:58 pm
Maybe they should consider moving McCollum to S?
March 22nd, 2026 at 9:25 pm
Really had high hopes for Zyon. Then he became the JTS of corner backs
March 22nd, 2026 at 9:44 pm
Agreed!
March 22nd, 2026 at 10:09 pm
You can be a ‘dawg’ all you want, I’ll take the ALL-PRO on a HOF career path.
March 22nd, 2026 at 10:12 pm
AWJr trailed too many explosive plays last year including runs and passes. Most surprised guy on the team was Winfield when he made the Pro Bowl. Tykee tougher and the better of the 2 safeties. Of course, that’s all relative considering each were part of a pathetic pass defense in 2025.
March 22nd, 2026 at 10:26 pm
Being the toughest piece of charmin is a beastly accomplishment .
March 22nd, 2026 at 10:53 pm
Gipper Says:
March 22nd, 2026 at 10:12 pm
AWJr trailed too many explosive plays last year including runs and passes. Most surprised guy on the team was Winfield when he made the Pro Bowl.
————
Typical low-IQ take from a moron that has no idea what they’re watching.
Then again you think Baker is a 1st ballot HOFer and the best QB in the NFL right now, so moronic takes from you is what should be expected.
March 22nd, 2026 at 11:31 pm
AWJ was great for a season, and then he got paid. Last year he looked like a pudgy toddler chasing after plays, often late, never really saw his “help.” You’d think an all world team captain playing safety would occasionally help clean up the center of the field, not just tap helmets after opponents make first downs. Maybe as captain you help get your team mates set up, you see McC and SVD struggle and you mind the gap, that’s greatness, not having the angle on Bijan and end up chasing him to the endzone. Also, check his injury history; he rivals Dean for tub time. The freak goaline stripper even had injury excuses last year. Over paid. Over hyped
March 23rd, 2026 at 12:05 am
So this is a news article that “someone said something” in 2024. Hilarious.
March 23rd, 2026 at 12:10 am
ChiBuc, the truth is Ronnie Lott or John Lynch or (name any hall of fame safety) would play like a one legged steer under this coaching regime. Everyone – every player – has regressed. Every one of them.
That’s a really hard thing for a coach to do. Todd is truly special.
March 23rd, 2026 at 12:11 am
ChiBuc, the truth is Ronnie Lott or John Lynch or (name any hall of fame safety) would play like a one legged steer under this coaching regime. Everyone – every player – has regressed. Every one of them.
That’s a really hard thing for a coach to do. Our head coach is truly special.
March 23rd, 2026 at 1:44 am
Munch,
Go play with your Barbie dolls. You are a fake, make believe football analyst. Dean, Winfield, LVD, Dennis were big contributors in your world to the magnificent Todd Bowles defensive schemes. Winfield playing 20 yards deep as a true free safety still couldn’t close the angle on TD runs from a rookie QB versus NO. He had a big angle on Gibbs in Detroit game and watched Gibbs bust a long TD. Everything just fine on defense. In case you missed it Licht is in the process of replacing 7 starters on your favorite defense. The 2025 season is all on tape. It is hard to watch the repeated explosive plays allowed by Bucs defense. It is harder to read your asinine comments about what constitutes effective defense.
March 23rd, 2026 at 6:25 am
omg the days of sabby and conte…
remember when conte got mushed and steamrolled by vance mcdonald from pittsburgh on MNF…and geraldini was helpfully & lovingly picking up big ben off the ground…
conte ironically never played a down after that…
and shortly after than we transformed into the BA era…and things changed
March 23rd, 2026 at 6:31 am
He low key a bum 💯
March 23rd, 2026 at 7:48 am
@3.28,
Truth. However, if there is 1 player in the scheme, who has eyes on the entire play and defensive set up in front of him, is a team Captain, and likely has the most leeway in both scheme and position to limit large chunk run/mid pass plays, it would be your all world S, AWJ. Greatness rises above circumstances. He never did. Look at all of the large chunk over the middle plays allowed last year…hard to imagine a Lott/Lynch (both intimidators, AWJ is NOT) or a Reed allowing such failures week after week. In fact, we have Lynch on tape getting guys in position in the SB. AWJ is satisfied collecting his check and working out in the free gym
March 23rd, 2026 at 11:59 am
How soon can JL give him a 20mil/year extension?
March 23rd, 2026 at 2:56 pm
Draft the best Georgia defenders and you won’t go wrong … hello CJ Allen.
March 23rd, 2026 at 3:08 pm
I agree , bring in more UGA DAWGS !!!! They hit the ground NFL re a dy.
March 24th, 2026 at 12:29 am
ChiBuc — I’m with you. Dungy or Gruden would never have let Lynch slide to what Antoine has slid to. Antoine has slid because he gets no hard coaching, challenging him to be his best self. Any of the greats would end up regressing like Antoine and everyone else has thanks to we know who but won’t say because of the sensitive topic.