Rueben Bain Just Wants To Play Football
April 24th, 2026
Bucs DL Rueben Bain.
Years ago, in the prehistoric age, say before the Vietnam War, the NFL was about football. It was also the No. 3 sport in the country behind baseball and college football. Maybe even boxing.
Then former NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle learned the sport could grow by adding drama, glitz (Joe Namath and Jim Brown) and excitement (the forward pass). The NFL quickly overtook baseball as America’s unofficial pastime.
Later, the NFL learned adding entertainment (halftime shows not featuring “Up with People”) and non-stop media coverage would help it further grow. Now the NFL is equal parts schtick, entertainment, drama, suspense, and, oh yeah, football.
The draft has become mostly schtick, some entertainment (a roving circus) and a little football.
Part of the schtick is to have newly drafted players walk down a hall, grab a cap of their new team, preen into a two-way mirror, and then hug NFL strongman Roger Goodell like he is a drunk Livvy Dunne alone in a thumping Vegas club before hundreds of thousands of people fully blitzed on $20 Bud Lights (but it’s free admission!).
So last night when the Bucs selected Rueben Bain as their new edge rusher, Bain walked down the hallway and, without breaking a stride, swiped the Bucs cap off a table and fully ignored the part where he was supposed to gawk in the mirror so millions on TV could see his grill up close.
Bain was asked about that viral social media moment. He said he just wants to play football and not be a two-bit actor in a badly scripted play.
“I feel like [this] is all about business,” Bain said about the draft schtick in Pittsburgh. “I am not in it for the glitz and glamor.”
“I just want to play football.”
In two weeks, his NFL journey begins at Bucs rookie minicamp. And there is no glitz or glamor involved in that.
Rueben Bain could not have cared less about posing in the mirror with his draft hat 💀 pic.twitter.com/XzIWFlrnog
— NFL Memes (@NFLMemes) April 24, 2026
April 24th, 2026 at 5:49 pm
Try another coach or wait it out. Learn to play Linebacker in coverage as you get burned by pros over the middle.
April 24th, 2026 at 5:50 pm
Is that JTS? Or Howard?
April 24th, 2026 at 5:50 pm
Looks like a fiddler crab.
April 24th, 2026 at 5:52 pm
Love this kid
April 24th, 2026 at 5:58 pm
Love his attitude
April 24th, 2026 at 6:04 pm
Reading his body language, guessing what he was thinking:
“We don’t need no stinkin’ mirrors. We need a QB to crush. Stupid hats…let’s GO!”
Love this pick and this guy.
April 24th, 2026 at 6:04 pm
Love the idiots who hate the player because they hate the coach or because the Bucs didn’t draft who they wanted them to.
Will Bain work out, that’s what we’ll find out over the next few years. But RD1 couldn’t have gone any better for the Bucs. With Bains attitude and ability I’m willing to bet this pick will be well worth it.
April 24th, 2026 at 6:05 pm
I hope we get Ponds – similar mindset albeit in a much smaller frame.
April 24th, 2026 at 6:13 pm
I’m all for drafting D’Angelo Ponds
He’s a stud CB
April 24th, 2026 at 6:32 pm
DROY and it won’t be close.
April 24th, 2026 at 6:39 pm
You can tell from today’s Press Conference that Bain does not like talking much.
And that’s just fine with us. His play does the talking for him. Joe, if this guy is anything close to what is advertised? We got ourselves a real winner in town. God knows we need him on Defense. I think his play is going to pump up a lot of Buc players.
April 24th, 2026 at 6:46 pm
Yea. That part was great. It does get kinda hokey. But he just walked out. Respect.
April 24th, 2026 at 6:47 pm
Love that attitude. Draft JRod and he’ll bring it too.
April 24th, 2026 at 6:55 pm
Love it! No BS, just ball!
April 24th, 2026 at 6:55 pm
I wonder if he’ll give any of his fortunes to destiny Betts family?
April 24th, 2026 at 7:16 pm
B-Rex gives 3.28 The Warms.
April 24th, 2026 at 8:11 pm
My favorite moment.