“Hostility, Anger And Aggression”
July 8th, 2026
Defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson.
Soft, soft, soft.
That’s one way to describe the Bucs defense through much of last season. The result was Tampa Bay looking for nastier, more aggressive and hungrier players this offseason.
The front office believes it landed several, and one is veteran defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson. He won his introductory news conference and has talked an amazing game. But he’s also drawn praise from Bucs teammates and coaches. And remember, Joe talked privately to Carolina head coach Dave Canales about Robinson, who played there last season; Canales said Robinson is a “gives everything every time” kind of guy.
Robinson is a gentle and altruistic giant off the field but is known for flipping a switch and being an angry and very vocal teammate.
“When I say something, I’m not saying it to be an A-hole, I’m saying it from a place of love and peace that I want us just to be that great because I know we can,” Robinson recently told Buccaneers.com.
Robinson is all about bringing others into his angry playing persona.
“I need all my brothers to be right there with me, because we’re coming with that same hostility, the same anger and aggression to go do what we need to do for 60 minutes of the day,” he said.
The veteran is used to being the on-field bully. He said he had a beard in fifth grade — “a stache and all the chin hair” — and chose the Bucs because they’ll let him be aggressive.
“That was the biggest thing for me [coming to Tampa],” Robinson said. “Am I going to be put in a situation where I’m just a body, or am I going to be put in a situation where I can be aggressive off the things we call?”… …
“I’m going to bring the juice and I’m going to do my job to the utmost.”
July 8th, 2026 at 3:15 pm
“The veteran is used to being the on-field bully. He said he had a beard in fifth grade — “a stache and all the chin hair” — and chose the Bucs because they’ll let him be aggressive.”
I like how you didn’t bother mentioning how he said all this in response to the question :
“how excited are you to have someone like Todd Bowles as your Head Coach and defensive coordinator? How big of a factor was that in you wanting to come here(Tampa)?”
Can’t call a defense soft, when the player being interviewed has said “it’s aggressive all the time” in being a big draw for him in free agency.
July 8th, 2026 at 3:21 pm
With vets like Vita and A’Shawn I hope they are given some freedom to freelance a little if they see a weakness. I’m guessing that A’Shawn and Reuben Bain will be next to each other — and wreck offenses.
July 8th, 2026 at 3:43 pm
Sounds good to me
July 8th, 2026 at 3:52 pm
Good
July 8th, 2026 at 4:24 pm
At least he didn’t mention his Batman dolls.
July 8th, 2026 at 4:36 pm
These here boards are not the natural homes of the International Society Bowles Supporters. But if we look at where the Bucs have been we can get a better idea of where they are, and where they’re headed.
Bowles was a last-minute anointed in the fallout when the BA era collapsed. Jason Licht had some big fish to fry, starting with Brady (is he retiring? heading to Miami?). He had to deal with the destruction of the offensive line. On defense there was the departure of JPP and the Achilles of Shaq Barrett as well as the freak out of D. White. So the GM was in no position to help, and the best of the talent was leaving — or fleeing — the scene.
Plus, the game was changing. Large bodies were back in vogue. But the Bucs with Kancey, Hall and others chose small, quick bodies and ‘tweeners to replace Su, Gholston and Krewe. The Bucs were stuck preparing for the last war while the NFL was heading into a tight end dominate era. And this doesn’t touch the back end problem — and nobody but nobody wants any back end problems.
Bowles bears some blame. A lot falls on Licht, and more came from the fallout of the Super Bowl season followed by the freak injuries. In general it seems that Bowles foresaw the problems but just didn’t have the resources in place to handle them. The free agents who came here post-Brady were not up to snuff. Coaching doesn’t reset the clock for the old or add speed to the slow.
The key question going forward is whether the Bucs will be predator-tough or prey-soft. Joe has been pining for an edge rush. Bowles has, too. Sending Shaq after the qb was one thing; blitzing JTS or Braswell takes hope and, even more, prayer.
This year there are at least five new starters: 1 DL (Robinson); 1Edge (Bain); 2 ILB (Anzalone and Trotter); and 2DBs (Scott at N and Parrish moved to CB). This group features lots more weight up front and an upgrade in speed for the secondary. Along with the change in personnel and the change in ability we should also see a change in tactics and approach. Bain is not built for much coverage; the new depth pieces like AQM aren’t coverage specialists either.
IMO the new look Bucs defense is made for the front to “meet at the quarterback” while the LBs are supposed to collect tackles on the rush and take the area between the hash marks in coverage. Bowles likes a flexible secondary; it’s much easier on paper than on grass. I’ve long thought of Bowles as a good defensive coordinator but a below average coach, and his career reflects that. This is the year to turn it loose and go all in with his specialty. If it works well, great; if it doesn’t, there’ll be another head coach next year.
July 8th, 2026 at 5:02 pm
I like your take Lou.