Gerald McCoy Blasts Bucs’ Pass Rush Coaching
April 6th, 2026
Todd Bowles points out something to ex-Bucs defensive tackle Gerald McCoy.
Joe has railed about the Bucs’ struggles developing pass rushers.
Last week, one the great interior pass rushers in Bucs history took his own shot at Tampa Bay’s pass rush coaching.
Gerald McCoy let his frustration show when it comes to the Bucs’ pass rush during his sitdown on The Arena Gridiron. Alongside him were retired ex-Bucs Lavonte David and Aqib Talib, along with Skip Bayless and iconic Kinsey Wolanski.
McCoy doesn’t miss a Bucs game and said he was pained watching the 2025 Bucs pass rush and texted Lavonte David to vent and look for answers.
Talib said he sees the Bucs squarely in the mix for a division title next season because he thinks the Bucs are talented and it’s hard to have a pile of significant injuries two years in a row. McCoy then cut Talib off.
“We got to coach up their pass rush, man. We gotta coach it up,” McCoy said, adding the Bucs have pass rush talent but didn’t get enough out of it.
“You can coach up any group. They were so uncoordinated. They were not coordinated together and I’m texting [Lavonte], ‘man, hey, what do we got to do, man? [Bucs pass rushers] are just not on the [same page].”
McCoy added that David never responded by throwing specific coaches or players under the bus.
“I’m watching the pass rush and I’m like, ‘well, like, who’s the [pass rush] game’s calling?’ Who got the 1-on-1?’ It gotta get coached up, man,” McCoy said.
Bucs defensive tackle Calijah Kancey was a huge loss last season, per McCoy, who called Kancey “a freak of nature” and the key to the Tampa Bay pass rush.
“Calijah is the driving force of our pass rush,” David agreed. “He makes everything go. He frees up everything for everybody.”
David and McCoy went on to say 2025 rookie Elijah Roberts was a huge dropoff from Kancey and it showed, though they didn’t mention Roberts by name.
McCoy said Roberts got “flipped and dipped” too often and David said Roberts didn’t know how to work with Vita Vea. Per David, the defense was night and day better in the season finale with Kancey back on the field, his first action since Week 2. The Bucs beat Carolina 16-14.
April 6th, 2026 at 4:35 pm
Better take a DT that’s a 3 technique in the first or second round then cause one thing we know is Kancey will always miss time.. there is a great opportunity to get a talented DE and DT with R first two picks..
April 6th, 2026 at 4:38 pm
Stop asking them to cover Wipeout and running backs in the pass defense
April 6th, 2026 at 4:53 pm
“McCoy said Roberts got “flipped and dipped” too often and David said Roberts didn’t know how to work with Vita Vea. Per David, the defense was night and day better in the season finale with Kancey back on the field, his first action since Week 2”
It was funny and true, but I’m looking forward to seeing what Yr 2 Roberts looks like. My opinion, but I think he’d be a much better pupil of Will Gholston than Hall ever was.
April 6th, 2026 at 4:54 pm
Elijah Roberts, as a rookie, wasn’t all that bad. His snaps/sack were better than YaYa:
Roberts: 5 sacks 507 snaps 101 snaps/sack (Roberts only had 2 sacks. –Joe)
Yaya: 7 sacks 783 snaps 112 snaps/sack
With last year’s experience, and new coach Marcus West, maybe Roberts will step up this year.
April 6th, 2026 at 4:54 pm
go to coach em better
April 6th, 2026 at 4:56 pm
I think the biggest problem was being too small up front on the D-Line
Roberts and Hall were both liability, against the run, and pass
I said it a thousand times last year, they were getting pushed around
I’m glad GMAC is bringing it up now, because last year it was ridiculous
Charlie Strong is out, Mark West is in
Logan Hall is gone, Elijah Roberts probably won’t see the field
A’Shawn Robinson, Nacho is new additions, they bring much needed toughness
April 6th, 2026 at 4:57 pm
Shut up Gummy.
April 6th, 2026 at 5:02 pm
This coming from McSoftie who use to get tired and pushed around like a WalMart shopping cart!
But says nothing about Bowles the Guru
😂😂
Joke
April 6th, 2026 at 5:13 pm
Bowles Week After Week …
“Coaches gotta coach ’em better. Players gotta play it better.”
To quote the great M1K3: “3-28!!!!!”
We hear you, Mike. Licht doesn’t, but we do.
April 6th, 2026 at 5:15 pm
Did McCoy have a microphone implanted in his mouth?
Seems, at least as of late, the guy’s become a walking quote machine.
Good for the Joe’s, I guess, especially when seeking to empirically fortify the obvious.
Since I’m about 100 lbs shy of the average pass rusher, my personal experience is null. But is pass rushing something you can really coach, or just tweak? To me, it appears the great ones are born with the ability.
Watch the old clips of Leroy Selmon. He didn’t look the part by being super imposing, but he sure played it!
April 6th, 2026 at 5:25 pm
Gerald McCoy Blasts Bucs’ Pass Rush Coaching
Not good enough, he should have come out and said:
HIRE JIM SCHWARTZ!!!!!!!!!!!!
April 6th, 2026 at 5:27 pm
I’m sure they wouldn’t have to coach up an Aaron Donald
But, with that said, we were too soft up front last season on defense
A’Shawn and Nacho brings a lot of toughness to this defensive front
April 6th, 2026 at 5:31 pm
On a side note
If Mr (Ben&Jerry) call you soft
Then bro you gotta be soft as charmin toilet tissue
April 6th, 2026 at 5:32 pm
To be fair, Gerald had a great first step and good moves. He just blasted off to wherever the QB wasn’t.
April 6th, 2026 at 5:38 pm
If the tush push is legal on offense is it legal on defense? I could just picture A’shawn pushing Vea by his butt to tackle Jalen Hurts on 4th and 1, lol!
April 6th, 2026 at 5:53 pm
“Just gotta coach it better, scheme it better, play it better.” – Toad Bowels
Funny how these guys just can’t seem to figure out what the problem actually is on defense.
Couldn’t be the Guru in charge of the defense could it???
Nah. We got rid of the problems. OC, ST coaches and most of the defensive assistants.
But kept Todd in place. Love that culture!!!!!
April 6th, 2026 at 6:09 pm
If only we had a defensive minded head coach…
The beatings will continue until morale improves… as that tee shirt goes
Jasmine Lite is responsible for this malaise
Liam should be the head coach…
April 6th, 2026 at 6:17 pm
Honestly, I wish he just would go bother the Cowboys fans.
April 6th, 2026 at 6:29 pm
I wish they all would. Bunch of crybabies….waaaaaah! I don’t like Bowles or Licht! Waaaah! I know nothing about football and it’s obvious! Waaaaaaaah!
The Bucs are a well coached, well managed really good football team that has been shredded by injuries the last 2 seasons that knocked them out of contention. There- how about a full dose of reality?
So tiresome. You think they wake up every day, crack their knuckles and say, “let’s see how many people’s cornflakes I can pee in today”? What a boring, frustrating life.
April 6th, 2026 at 6:37 pm
Got to coach it better, got to play it better. Come on. It’s a Bucs life
April 6th, 2026 at 7:00 pm
Dexter Lawrence is seeking a trade. Now there is a DT to get excited about.
April 6th, 2026 at 7:11 pm
I thought Charlie Strong was going to be a great D-Line coach
He came with a boat load of experience, with some great college teams
I guess it’s harder to coach up pro players than college players
Maybe Marcus West will get better results
April 6th, 2026 at 7:26 pm
If this is what you think is a well coached, well managed, really good football team I never want to see them when you think they suck. Plenty of football knowledgeable Bucs fans on this site who are not on board with your frivolous optimism. It’s a blog for opinions. We don’t dog you for being giddy. Get over it.