Jason Licht’s View Of Bucs Seems To Differ From Pat McAfee’s
August 7th, 2026
Bucs GM defends team culture.
Right about the time Pat McAfee went on the air with his popular weekday show seen on BSPN, Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht was addressing the local pen and mic club.
Licht was very likely unaware — until he clicked on JoeBucsFan.com — that McAfee said of the Bucs, “Vibes seem ass” at One Buc Palace.
McAfee was referring to the two contract hassles the Bucs have with Baker Mayfield and Vita Vea, along with Lavonte David retiring and Mike Evans bolting so he could make less money and pay more taxes.
McAfee sees disgruntled players and thinks the Bucs could implode as a result. You know, no culture.
Interestingly, Licht was asked about the team culture with Mayfield and Vea contract hassles hanging over the franchise, along with Evans running out the back door.
Licht said rather than an imploding locker room, he thinks the culture is top shelf.
“Not at all,” Licht said when asked if the culture is crumbling. “Everybody here is very focused. Everybody here is very excited about this team.
“Everybody is very optimistic. You feel the energy out here, but you also feel it in the building. I feel like the culture is maybe at one of its highest points.”
But yeah, Joe can see how someone can look a Tampa Bay and wonder why some players are upset or want out.
* A Hall of Fame linebacker retired after he said he still has a lot left in the tank.
* A Hall of Fame receiver rejected the Bucs’ lucrative offer and willingly took a massive paycut and moved to a state where he gets gouged by taxes.
* A Pro Bowl tackle demanded a trade.
* The team’s best corner walked out the back door.
* A guy the team has proudly deemed its franchise quarterback is disgruntled and says he was disrespected by contract-extension offers.
The Bucs very well may have a good culture. But Joe can easily see how someone from the outside notices all the people who left or want to leave or have threatened to leave and ask, “What the hell is going on down there?”
August 7th, 2026 at 2:30 am
Better a year early than a year late is a great rule of thumb. It is a business but an entertainment business and these athletes are paid ridiculously well to perform. Both sides get to be cold and calculating. Goes with the territory.
August 7th, 2026 at 3:07 am
Yeah…
I Tried to raide the alarm since the Very First FAILED Cluster F’D “Bozo the clown show”, showed to ALL that he DIDN’T BELONG behind the wheel of Such a POWERFUL TEAM! He SMASHED IT TO PEICES AND THREW OUT THE GUY WHO GOT HIM THE JOB IN THE FIRST PLACE…..
I’ve been THUMPING THE DRUMS ever since. Didn’t matter. … / Doesn’t matter to the Glazers. It’s THEIR FAULT! There just no getting around THAT Fact! I have a REAL HOPE that they SUFFER DEARLY, FINANCIALLY! I want them to suffer DEEPLY as they watch their “purses dwindle down to anorexic”!!!
I was FIGHTING HARD for something very special and we ACTUALLY WERE within Range of making the Ultimate Footballer dreams come true…. I was fighting for a “Dynasty”. I tried hard but ” Sheeple ” Are a Real and True thing in this short life and it takes a Man among Men to bring about that type of Glory. An accomplishment that a man can hold his head up and say.. “I was there”… My team “The Tampa Bay Buccaneers” DOMINATED ALL OTHERS FOR 3? 4? 5! Super Bowls IN A ROW!
We were RIGHT THERE…..
And now, as I’ve taken up resistancey at the Worst Digs in the world, “The Den of the Majorly DEPRESSED”, I DON’T FORGIVE Todd “the Bozo” Bowles, Jason “the delusional LIAR” Licht ( he’s Still the best gm we’ve ever had, so what does that say about us?), and ESPECIALLY the FULL ON “GOOFY GOOBER GLAZERS” for 1,000,000% BLOWING OUR ONE AND “ONLY SHOT” WE’VE EVER HAD AND LIKELY WILL NOW NEVER KNOW WHILE ANY OF US ARE STILL ALIVE!…..
Something STINKS in Denmark alright! And EVERY TIME a Glazer looks in the mirror, I hope the STENCH OF WHAT THEY DID, AND WHAT THEY DIDN’T DO , To and For THE FANS, and the Knife that’s still there in our backs,
August 7th, 2026 at 3:11 am
(Accidentally touched the send button, Oops)
Well, I hope somehow that they pay for that betrayal right where it hurts them the most.. Right in the Wallet so they’re FORCED to sell the team to a Passionate New Owner!
August 7th, 2026 at 4:41 am
Can’t expect Licht to say anything besides keeping to the company line, regardless if he believes it of not. Players aren’t stupid, they can tell if they’re on a team & playing for a HC that offers them a realistic shot to compete for a SB. Some guys will just take the money and go through the motions knowing it’s pointless (see last season for example), while others value winning above everything else. Dean took a pay cut JUST to have the freedom to get the hell outta Dodge asap, and Mike basically did the same. Believe Baker & Vita realize it’s going to be another wasted year, so they’re prioritizing the $$ to help pay for that early vacation they’re going to be taking for the 4th year in a row. All of this could’ve been avoided but it’s the path the Glazers chose.
August 7th, 2026 at 5:12 am
Teams defense was horrible last year. It’s worse this year.
No Dean, No David.
If it’s a only really good player, Vea, leaves, it will be nauseating this year
The offense lost one of its two top players. The other one wants to leave.
Last year, Godwin looked like injuries have robbed him. EE was invisible for the last half of the season. What other WR do we have?
This all fell apart, because Licht refused to address the pass rush, and because Bowles has regressed as a coach every year.
Macafee is right. The team has lost it.
A shake up at GM and Coach is required.
August 7th, 2026 at 5:50 am
Both sides knew Dean was gone before training camp.
LAVANTE may have thought he had a lot left in the tank, but the film sure didn’t.
Mike…meh. His production wasn’t worth $22 million, esp when we NEED another corner, but couldn’t afford the $3.8 million Washington spent on Rasul Douglas
Baker’s contract stuff is over, it’s no longer a subject he comments on.
Vita? We NEED him
August 7th, 2026 at 6:29 am
Agreed plus there’s no inflation and Publix has the lowest prices in years!
August 7th, 2026 at 6:33 am
Obvious One: Are you OK? Take it easy pal
August 7th, 2026 at 6:36 am
I agree with JL.
I agree with the Baker contract.
Give me a break. You want him for 5 more years? 4? A smaller guy prone to injury? They did the right thing. Rebuild. Painful, yes.
Would have relieved Todd of his duties, however. That’s the only thing.
August 7th, 2026 at 6:41 am
You should say “the team’s best corner” when he felt like playing, when he wasn’t “injured” and when he wasn’t playing too far off his man. He also got himself a large pay cut before “leaving”.
August 7th, 2026 at 7:02 am
Lighten up Francis – Rich McKay was the best Bucs GM ever – Licht should have never been promoted past the field scout level – he is probably qualified to be an equipment manager as well
August 7th, 2026 at 7:13 am
They are a couples years too late. The rebuild should have started two seasons ago. Maybe they could have kept some of the culture Brady built in take. I think we’re going back to the ruff Buc years before Arians got here and it’s not going to be pretty. At some point ownership will be forced to do the right thing and get rid of Bowles. I wouldn’t be all surprised to see Tomlin here next year. Owners have always wanted him. They thought Raheem was going to be the next Tomlin and we all saw how that worked out.
August 7th, 2026 at 7:15 am
First off holy spit, someone needs a nap.
Secondly, of course he’s going to to that. He cannot be honest; you think he’s really going to say “ ME13 was fed up with the def and bad HC and BTW sorry the Glazers are too cheap the pay Baker”
Thirdly, let the old, often injured, over 300 lber go, the man child was never going to be here forever.
August 7th, 2026 at 7:24 am
There has to be an economic windfall for the Glazers in all of this. Or, there is a social reputation involved (DEI, i.e. Bowles and staff). The uber wealthy don’t think like the commoners.
August 7th, 2026 at 8:07 am
“What the hell is going on down there?” Classic Vince Lombardi. “Grab, Grab, Grab”.
August 7th, 2026 at 8:10 am
ObviousOne, try decaf.
August 7th, 2026 at 8:25 am
“I feel like the culture is maybe at one of its highest points. The players seem really happy we are not paying big money to our leaders! Braswell is playing great!”
August 7th, 2026 at 8:29 am
“Teams defense was horrible last year. It’s worse this year.
No Dean, No David.”
Dean = injured & lazy… only getting older.
David = love the guy, but washed
Evans = older, oft injured and no longer needed
Healthy Kancey, healthy Walker.
Added Bain, Trotter, Scott
Added Anzalone and Robinson.
You can say the defense is worse this year but they haven’t played a snap yet and have a lot of new parts… better parts. Should be better but I’m waiting to see it on the field. That statement shows that you should toss that crack pipe and/or crystal ball.
August 7th, 2026 at 8:36 am
I guess no one is paying attention to Evans or the 49ers. He along with the entire team are injured already. He’ll be lucky to play 10 games this season healthy. David can barely walk never mind run so no he’s got zero gas left. Dean was a the best out of a terrible group. Does that make you the best turd in the punch bowl? Not to mention the plays he completely took off last season. The Bucs have $8.5 million in cap space so both Mayfield and Vea are trying to get their piece of the pie. Like Gruden said the other day this will all work itself out!
August 7th, 2026 at 8:53 am
And everyone is sleeping on Al-Quadin Muhammad…..solid depth if anything.
August 7th, 2026 at 8:58 am
Wow what a spin job Joey.
LVD retired because he was washed up. If he thought he had “something” left in the tank he would still be playing in the NFL. I’m sure every player that comes to terms with bring washed up still thinks in the ba k of their mind they could probably still play a game or 2.
Dean “walked out he back door”. Hilarious! The “teams best” CB when healthy, aging, left in big games, always gimpy. Bucs choose to left him hit FA.
The disgruntled QB signed a 3 year contract just 2 years ago. The franchise QB has some things to prove before he is handed the bag.
Vita is a 31 yr old NT. Very good player for mamy years. JL wisely understands after this season, it may be time to move. Last thing you want to do is start paying vets that are back end of their careers and not be able to pay younger guys who are the future.
The “vibes” might look bad from folks who don’t really cover the Bucs, but I’d expect a little better perspective from those that do. Guess by now, I should know better.
August 7th, 2026 at 8:59 am
Fun game in Canton last night. It is funny when some posters continue to call Baker short when an even shorter QB is in the same diVision. The Panthers looked dangerous last night but not because of the slow Smurf Bryce but the UDFA out of GA Tech Haynes King. He looked poised In the passing game and ran for a walk off TD at 00000 on the clock. By comparison.
QB Height 40-yard dash Arm strength
Haynes King 6’2″ 4.46 Very good
Baker Mayfield 6’1″ 4.84 Very good
Bryce Young 5’10” 4.58 Good–very good
If Canales cuts King we need to snap him up. They are paying Smurrf Young and Kenny Nose Pickens so likely King will get cut.
August 7th, 2026 at 9:04 am
It’s hard to take licht serious at this point,12 years into his tenure. We didn’t do anything until spytek came to us and ever since he left we’ve gone downhill. It’s clear spytek was the brains of the operation. How is licht still here he’s been here 12 years and still hasn’t found a franchise qb. Baker ain’t it.
August 7th, 2026 at 9:12 am
JL is having to play damage control right now. He is filling the leadership void for Bowles lack of leadership. This all started going south when they gave the HC job to Bowles. Bowles lived off of BAs success and a weak NFCS, but last year was the year it all finally fell apart, but it started coming apart the minute Bowles became HC.
August 7th, 2026 at 9:25 am
The Glazer kids absolutely LOVE the culture Todd Bowles provides.
Winning?? Not so much. That’s secondary to culture.
4-13
August 7th, 2026 at 9:34 am
It’s a Coach, Gm and Ownership Group that needs a couple of Players to Lead . To Ultimately do the part of their JOB that all three are not very good at !! Enter Trotter, Bain and Your new D Tackle !!
If they can get a win or two and somehow get decent db play ( Licht is again letting everyone down) ? The defensive effort and attitude will be totally different . Improved performance will follow !!
Licht quit being a stubborn mirror fan of yourself and go get another corner !!
Morrison basically doesn’t exist !! That’s the hand not the fools gold in your Jason I love the Licht pretend mirror !!
August 7th, 2026 at 9:49 am
It’s all coach speak. Or in this case, GM BS. JL knows he’s on the hot seat as well as his HC, DC. There’s only so much money to go around. It’s like the saying, you can pay me now or pay me later. Well, fortunately, it’s going to be a new day in Tampa Bay very soon.
We’re going to have to suffer through some growing pains AKA rebuild, very soon.
August 7th, 2026 at 10:16 am
Oh no! The sky is falling.. Doom and gloom
August 7th, 2026 at 10:32 am
A Hall of Fame linebacker retired after he said he still has a lot left in the tank. – That’s not what the tape said. The tape said one year too late.
* A Hall of Fame receiver rejected the Bucs’ lucrative offer and willingly took a massive paycut and moved to a state where he gets gouged by taxes. – We love Mike but face it, he’s become more and more injury prone. Secretly, the Bucs were probably happy to get rid of the salary.
* A Pro Bowl tackle demanded a trade. – Not unusual. As soon as they get what they want the declare they want to be here for life.
* The team’s best corner walked out the back door. LET walk out because of his injuryproneness.
* A guy the team has proudly deemed its franchise quarterback is disgruntled and says he was disrespected by contract-extension offers. A 28-26 “franchise QB that the team wants to prove himself.
Might I say that with the exception of Dean, they are all on the wrong side of 30.
August 7th, 2026 at 10:36 am
An “average” GM in a 4 team division and a 32 team league wins 3 division titles. 3/4’s of a conference championship, and 3/8’s of a Super Bowl in 12 years.
Licht is 1 division title, 1/4 of a conference championship, and 5/8’s of a Super Bowl above “average” so far, and the odds of at least another division title are at least even-ish – better than that if Vea does not commit career suicide.
Vea played on the same team as Reddick did last year. Vea should ask Reddick how it worked out for him when he forced a trade rather than playing out his contract.
If Vea comes to his senses and plays this year like he wants to get paid again come free agency, the Bucs defense should be very good this year.
If Vea commits career suicide and sits out the season, the Bucs defense will not be as good this year, but they will still have Vea under contract next year for this year’s unspent money.
I believe that Vea has some good years left. If he would take it, I would extend Vea if the money was low in the $20’s M with incentives to hit mid $20’s M with a season any better than last year and to hit $30 M if he finishes the year in the top 5 for his position.
But, I just don’t see how Vea has the leverage to do anything except hurt himself as much or more than he hurts the Bucs.
Maybe Vea thinks that Licht and Bowles are on the hot seat and that they will mortgage the future to buy wins this season. The Saints look like they dug a hole doing that. But, I think that the Glazers keep Licht on too short of a leash to do that even if he was otherwise inclined to do it, which I am not sure that he would be.
Didn’t Licht say recently something to the effect that what keeps him awake at night is trying to figure out how to keep the team together and strong without sinking too much of his budget in any one player?
August 7th, 2026 at 11:07 am
Eagles 2023 collapse after a 10-1 start is a prime example of where we could be after last year. The signs are there where defensive players start being accused by a HC/DC guru for “l oafing” and top players leave for “greener” pasture. Between GM, HC and coaching staff this defense has gotten worse since the SB win. 2024 Coen and his mastermind covered for a lot of the defense’s weaknesses inspite of the HC/DC’s inept scheme but in the end couldn’t cover for it’s inability to stop offenses when it absolutely mattered and our qb choked the ball away at the worst moment. In 2025 that same qb was on an mvp type level until the #1 excuse for him happened and as per his career play tanked and we missed the playoffs.
Coen saw the writing on the wall and as soon as he was “offered” a HC he did all he could to bolt w/o tampering protocols being “broken” which who could blame him it’s why they coach. Glazers bound themselves to Bowles because they extended him to HC too early because of Arians/Brady and was forced to let Coen walk w/o paying Bowles dead money as well. Last year we were forced to go thru Lizard Lick offensive calling and we all saw it’s result. Even tho Robinson is an improvement over him Atl’s offense was barely any better than ours. At least he did great against his present HC/DC. If Mike Tomlin is in play as some believe, Glazers are trying to tank w/o looking like they’re trying to tank while giving him some talent on the defense
August 7th, 2026 at 11:13 am
We all saw that Jaymiss Winsnot ATM can be the result of tanking
August 7th, 2026 at 11:14 am
Only one poster is happy about that tank!
August 7th, 2026 at 11:14 am
ObviousOne = The Truth
August 7th, 2026 at 11:17 am
Mike Evans’ Contract Scenarios:
Total Face Value Estimated State Income Tax True Gross Value49ers Base Deal
49ers:
Projected offer (CA): $42,500 3 years.
STATE income Tax – $5,652,500 (13.3%)
Adjusted offer 3 years.$36,847,500
Max Incentives (CA)$60,400,000.
State Income Tax $8,033,200 (13.3%)
Adjusted Income after State Income Taxes – $52,366,800
Bucs:
Projected Offer (FL)$81,000,000.
State Income Tax -$0 (0.0%)
Adjusted offer – $81,000,000
Guess he REALLY wanted OUT of Tampa.
Chance for another Ring?
From California?
Did not like the Bucs’ coaches?
Did not like the Bucs’ offense?
Did not like the Bucs” defense?
August 7th, 2026 at 11:42 am
Licht is really looking more and more like a one hit wonder.
Where are the Shar Barrett’s, the SUh’s, The JPP’s, The Gronks, the Lennys, the AB’s, the Brady’s…he assembled all that talent and since Brady left? He can’t sign Jack. Why did he suddenly suck at getting FA’s? Weird.
I think the ship is sinking and there’s nothing anyone can do to stop it.
August 7th, 2026 at 11:53 am
It will be interesting to see what happens with VV and Baker in the next few weeks.
The contract offer reports to Baker after being “disrespected” really blew up in his face. I wonder if he’ll sign a deal.
Licht stating they aren’t trading VV puts VV in a tough spot. Let’s see if he folds or digs in. It would be tough to just stand on the sidelines. Most of these guys actually love playing.
August 7th, 2026 at 11:58 am
80sBucsFan Brady was that lone human celestial body with his own professional gravitational pull that real football players were drawn to, our present qb only draws moisty boyyz who makes their hearts palpitate and cause uncontrollable salivating
August 7th, 2026 at 12:14 pm
The only concerning one is Evans leaving. If I were the Glazers, that would give me pause about Licht, Bowles and Baker.
August 7th, 2026 at 12:14 pm
I mentiond concern about the “vibes” a few days ago and was attacked by casuals.
Something is off about this team that positive spin can’t change.
Even Radio Morris’ “youngry” team had a +vibe.
August 7th, 2026 at 12:23 pm
Guess what I’m asking… WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON OVER THERE?????
Of course a 5W 3L start would make me say “So far so good!”. We’ll see what happens soon.
August 7th, 2026 at 12:24 pm
“It’s over, turn the lights out and get the bulldozers in here to turn this place into a parking lot!”
August 7th, 2026 at 12:55 pm
Only reason Nike left was because he didn’t believe in baker all these other narratives are pointless…no wr leaves a QB they love
August 7th, 2026 at 3:48 pm
I have seen some posts that one of the reasons Mike left for the 49’s was the QB.
I did some research on Bakers ratings vs Purdy Ratings. What I found follows:
2025 NFL QB Rankings
Mayfield Purdy
NFL.com 17 15
Pro football network 24 1
Yahoo Sports 24 4
365 Scores 20 7
Bleacher Report 16 6
Fox Sports 20 6
NFL Spin Zone 17 13
Total 138 52
Average 19.71 7.42
August 7th, 2026 at 5:39 pm
This team needs an enema!
August 7th, 2026 at 5:46 pm
KAbucs
A healthy Kancey- lol. He’s tiny,. As I said the week he was drafted, he will never been healthy. And he never will. Makes me laugh that you are such a big believer in in Walker, when you have NEVER SEEN HIM PLAY. Almost as hilarious as you thinking 5 rookies are all gonna be key contributors to the defense, when 90 of all drafted players are bust, and never become NFL starters.
The fact that you think the defense can win, counting on Rookies, tells us that you don’t know anything about football.
Evans was the best wr on this team.
Pretending that Evans, Dean, David, Vea, and Mayfield aren’t the only above average players this team had, just means that you are swallowing all the fertilizer that the Bucs are feeding you.
Buy your Season tickets. BELIEVE that this team is great.
You’ll be trying to sell them for half price on game day.