“My Motor Is Contagious”
April 24th, 2026
New Bucs edge Rueben Bain poses with NFL strongman Roger Goodell Thursday night in Pittsburgh.
Get your virus shots up to date. Rueben Bain said he’s contagious.
No, not that way. He doesn’t have The Sickness. But last night in a Zoom call from Pittsburgh, the new Bucs rookie edge rusher Rueben Bain said he’s sort of the Baker Mayfield of the defense.
What does Joe mean? Mayfield’s play is contagious because he’s such a battler. That’s what Bain said he is. All gas; no brakes.
“My motor,” Bain said when he was asked about his best trait. “I feel like my motor and my mindset is contagious because when people see me, [see] how I play and how I care about the game of football, it kind of spreads off on other people.
“I actually have proof of that, and that’s not me just talking. That’s from high school all the way up into college.”
Whenever Joe hears anyone refer to a player as having “a motor,” Joe immediately thinks of Adrian Clayborn, the Bucs’ 2011 first-round pick edge rusher. That’s all anyone said about Clayborn, from black-listed coach Brian Billick to any Bucs fan at the neighborhood bar.
“He has a motor!”
Well, the 2026 Bucs defense needs to be infected by guys with attitudes. And by all accounts, Bain plays one.
(Clayborn had 7.5 sacks as a rookie and then blew out his knee early in his second season. He was never the same.)
Last year, the Bucs’ defense played with a quit-too-often attitude. Joe hopes Bain and the others added to the roster in free agency — and the players drafted tonight and Saturday, are the vaccine this Bucs team needs to be feared again on defense.
If you haven't gotten a text response from Rueben Bain tonight, now you know why | @AKinkhabwala pic.twitter.com/nLR1sp0b9y
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) April 24, 2026
April 24th, 2026 at 5:14 am
I am looking forward to seeing how his game translates to the pro level. From what I can tell he seems like the type of player we need to have on D. Will be interesting to see how he is used and I really hope he is not neutered in Todd ‘the toilet’ Bowles defensive scheme.
April 24th, 2026 at 5:44 am
Shaquil Barrett has an arm length of 32 ¼ inches. Hmm. Great pick!!!
April 24th, 2026 at 6:04 am
likes to talk about himself alot not worst thing in a world maybe a tad immature but hes only 21 im excited to see what he brings. you cant teach competitiveness
April 24th, 2026 at 6:58 am
I wonder if he knows ME13 plays for SF now…
April 24th, 2026 at 6:59 am
Love the pick. Let’s hope the Putrid Pass Defense is a thing of the past.
April 24th, 2026 at 7:05 am
Return of the Kick A$$ Mentality in Tampa
April 24th, 2026 at 7:13 am
This is suffering from irrational exhuberence at its highest level.
April 24th, 2026 at 7:18 am
Hopefully, although I know they played different positions, he has a motor like Vikings DT John Randle. He had a relentless motor.
April 24th, 2026 at 7:36 am
speaking of motors and attitudes, reminds me of Sapp. Hope Bain is a generational player like Sapp. Another high motor player was Shaq who would be a great mentor for Bain.
April 24th, 2026 at 7:45 am
What I like about Bain is that despite opposing teams knowing they had to stop him, he still had an impact. Bain has a chip on his shoulder and he’s angry. I love it! Bowles does not need to develop Bain. He’ll report to duty ready to go.
April 24th, 2026 at 7:47 am
I love his remarks. I love Baker Mayfield. It is obvious what he brings to the game. If Bain can emulate him, great!. He will be a Buccaneer.
April 24th, 2026 at 7:55 am
Bowles needs to leave Bain alone or he will destroy him.
April 24th, 2026 at 8:17 am
JackBall – you stolled my thunder = Totally agree.
April 24th, 2026 at 8:22 am
He’s being asked about his traits and what he brings, who’s he supposed to talk about?
April 24th, 2026 at 8:43 am
the last BUC with “motor” imo was Michael Bennett…and his motor was contagious…robert ayers had “motor” too lol
hope he rubs off on braswell…
would love george grumbs in round 5…that’ll be bye bye brasy
GO BUCS!!!!
April 24th, 2026 at 9:10 am
Brady and Evans? This guy needs an education on the historic defensives of the past.
April 24th, 2026 at 9:31 am
He’s 21 dude, wasn’t even alive when the defense was great.
April 24th, 2026 at 10:11 am
Please don’t compare Bain to one-armed bandit Clayborn. Cameron Jordan was on the board, was bigger, faster, more productive in college, had pedigree… oh, and showed up to the Senior Bowl and dominated all week. Clayborn showed up and decided he didn’t need to show his stuff… and Mark Dominik took him anyways.
April 24th, 2026 at 10:39 am
Maybe this is the dude who is needed to set Bowles straight. Maybe his motor will rub off on Bowsel and get him away from the buffet table to face reality about his “scheme” and playcalling.
April 24th, 2026 at 11:04 am
Bucs turned around their whole 2026 season with this pick
April 24th, 2026 at 11:06 am
Bain wants to hook up with Calijah Kancey–yeah no doubt–imagine these two on this team😀
April 24th, 2026 at 12:16 pm
@Coconut :: Yes he knows crybaby evans rides the bench for S.F. now but he really hopes that mikey will be available when we play them so he can break him in 1/2.
April 24th, 2026 at 1:53 pm
@ HC Grover:
I wonder if anyone got your Chairman of the Federal Reserve Alan Greenspan reference concerning the stock market 😆