Former Bucs Sideline Reporter T.J. Rives Speaks Out
August 26th, 2026
Former Bucs sideline reporter T.J. Rives with legendary former Bucs radio voice Gene Deckerhoff.
A lot of Bucs fans are wondering, now that the Bucs have played a couple of worthless preseason games, what happened to the team’s former sideline reporter T.J. Rives.
Well, Rives, who was a finalist for the Bucs’ radio play-by-play gig that eventually went to Tony Castricone in the wake of long-time Bucs voice Gene Deckerhoff retiring, surfaced this week to explain why he’s no longer with the Bucs.
Simply put, Rives is puzzled why he did not get to succeed Deckerhoff. He says he left the Bucs because he thought it was the proper thing to do for all parties.
And, Rives said, he wanted to keep his options open in case another play-by-play job opened up, whether that is an NFL gig or college football.
Rives is adamant he left the Bucs without any rancor, but while discussing not succeeding Deckerhoff, Rives did come across a bit frustrated. After all, Rives put in years working in a secondary role as a sideline reporter in hopes of someday being the Bucs’ radio voice.
So why speak now (he appeared on the “J.P. Peterson Show”) when he had months to talk, Rives was asked by Peterson.
“There needs to be awareness that I am not there. … And the why,” Rives said.
Rives said fans still ask him if he is working Bucs radio broadcasts and why he didn’t get Deckerhoff’s job. This, he said, motivated him to come out of the shadows.
“I could sit here for an hour and tell you the entire truth,” Rives said. “I don’t need to tell you the entire truth because you are going to get the truth out of the picture that I tell.
“Just know there is a full truth that doesn’t have to be aired out publicly.”
Rives noted he worked with the Bucs for 20 some years because he knew Deckerhoff would retire, someday. At age 80 last season, Deckerhoff finally packed up his headset. So Rives very much had Deckerhoff’s seat circled for many years.
Rives stated he could have been an NFL play-by-play man 15 years ago but he coveted Deckerhoff’s seat and wanted to work in his hometown and passed on the opportunity. Tampa is his home, he said, and he wanted Deckerhoff’s job.
“There was no formal agreement,” Rives said, referring to whether he was promised Deckerhoff’s gig. (Rives didn’t mention anything about an informal agreement, either.) But Rives added it is “fantasyland” if the Bucs ever suggest they didn’t know he wanted to replace Deckerhoff.
“Obviously I wanted the job,” Rives said.
Deckerhoff had told his colleagues on the road trip to Miami last season, which included Rives, he was throwing in the towel on his spectacular career once the Bucs’ season ended.
Rives waited for the Bucs to interview him. February came and went. And then into March. Rives said the Bucs told him twice, “Sit tight,” that the interview process was about to start.
“The more truth I tell, the worse it gets,” Rives said. “As March becomes April, and now [the Bucs] have hired a consultant and I am told, ‘You need to talk to the consultant.’ In another market. Who has no idea who I am.
“And I’m on the phone with the consultant who three minutes into this says, ‘You are the ideal type candidate they are looking for.’ No kidding.”
Rives suggested that after speaking to the consultant the Bucs hired to find Deckerhoff’s replacement, it seemed like a dead end.
“I really believe, and I guess this is wrong and this is naïve, I really believed once I and the others had talked to the consultant, the process would escalate at that point. And then they would look to make the hire.
“That did not happen in April.”
As the process dragged into May and Rives learned the Bucs were holding auditions — which did not include him — Rives said he had family members tell him, “This is not good. You gotta find something else.”
Rives said when he returned from a family cruise in mid-June, he learned Castricone was hired.
Joe has to be fair to Rives and the Bucs here. Why would Rives need to audition? And why would the Bucs have him audition? The Bucs have tape of him calling real Bucs games live, working alongside Dave Moore, on a live broadcast. Deckerhoff missed games here or there and Rives pinch hit admirably with maybe just hours to prepare, which is tough.
Rives did say the Bucs invited him to keep his old job as sideline reporter, but he chose to leave not out of spite or any ill will, but because he wants to do play-by-play. If that means for another NFL team, then that means he would leave the market.
“It needed to be a clean break, he said.
Rives was also very direct about having zero hard feelings for Castricone, whom he said he has never met nor spoken to. Rives wants Castricone to be the best he can be for the Bucs and Bucs fans.
Rives says he has been humbled by the supportive feedback from “hundreds” of Bucs fan since the team made its choice.
“I can’t respond individually to everyone,” Rives said.
Peterson tried to get Rives to speak freely about the Bucs with inside stories. Rives wouldn’t take the bait because, he said, if the feedback was positive, people would dismiss it as Rives trying to kiss up to the Bucs to get a job. Or, if Rives’ stories were viewed as negative, people would dismiss him as having sour grapes and having an ax to grind.
Castricone is a full-time Bucs employee, and perhaps that affected Rives candidacy for the play-by-play gig.
Rives is a freelance broadcaster with his hands in a lot of things, including play-by-play of college football, college basketball and boxing as well as various podcasts. Rives also hosts the Big XII’s in-house Saturday morning football pregame show.
If the following helps clear things up for fans, so be it: Roughly a few days prior to the Bucs announcing Castricone would succeed Deckerhoff, Joe received a text from an acquaintance who is one of the premier national sports media writers in the business and a friend. This source told Joe the Bucs were down to Castricone and Rives and it was a toss-up.
So it appears that not getting an audition was not some dealbreaker for Rives.
The Bucs have auditioned a pair of candidates for Rives’ old job as radio sideline reporter. Each has worked a preseason game this summer.
Former WDAE-AM 620 host and current local podcaster Jay Recher is one candidate. The other is former Tampa Bay Times multimedia producer and former Tampa Bay Lightning reporter Rachel West.
Joe’s guessing one of the two will begin work Week 1 at Cincinnati.
Earlier Tuesday, I appeared with my 30 year friend @JPPetersonshow to discuss why I have left my role with the #GoBucs after 21 years due to being passed over for the radio play by play job. WATCH a portion of the comments here (see link in the comments for the full 25 minutes… pic.twitter.com/ddh6fbeasY
— TJ Rives (@ItsTJRives) August 26, 2026
August 26th, 2026 at 12:20 am
TJ Reeves, a truly ethical reporter. Wish him the best.
August 26th, 2026 at 12:20 am
There’s Johnny Carson and then there’s Ed McMahon.
Ed would never secede Johnny as Johnny.
Ed was great, but he would never be Johnny.
I think this analogy works here.
August 26th, 2026 at 12:30 am
Fair and balanced piece.
August 26th, 2026 at 12:48 am
Good write-up Joe.
To Rives, while I’m not your biggest fan, I will say you never want to be the man to replace the man. You want to be the man who is fired after failing to replace the man.
Tony is OK, but very generic sounding, doesn’t have a great grasp of the Bucs yet (which is to be expected to some degree), and we’ll see if he improves. I assume he has a multi-year deal to leave his gig with Washington and move all the way across the country, but who knows. While I’m not doom and gloom on Tony, I can see his generic calls and generic voice getting on peoples nerves pretty quickly. But we shall see – and again, not rooting against or anything, as I said I’m not that big of a fan of Rives either. I guess I’m just spoiled having listened to Gene for decades.
August 26th, 2026 at 1:14 am
Great write up, Joe. Like one of the best in a while. I’ve listed to TJ since the old AM 820 days, and his stint doing USF Basketball during the Greenberg/McCollum era, and obviously the times he’s filled in for Gene. I wanted and felt he should’ve been given the job. But like you said, the Bucs probably wanted a full time guy to work in their in house media shop. So that may have been an issue. I got no ill will to Tony, just not a huge fan of his voice.. but that’s a me thing. And like someone else said, there’s a lot of PBP guys coming and saturating markets from the generic monotone Syracuse school of broadcasting and I hope Tony grows into being a distinct voice and not just be a guy.
I wish TJ the best, but sometimes loyalty isn’t valued or rewarded. Wish he would’ve left and got that break elsewhere and figure out the rest later..
Similar situation: Todd Kalas did sidelines on Rays TV for nearly 20 years, presumably hoping for take Dewayne Staats’ job, that wasn’t gonna happen timely enough and Todd left to go to Houston and do the Astros. Sometime you gotta get uncomfortable and do what’s best for ya career, and not be overly loyal.
August 26th, 2026 at 1:30 am
I don’t know Rives at all, but waiting for a position to eventually open is one of the worst plays for a job a person can make. It’s too passive and rarely succeeds in fields where replacements with enthusiastic pitches swarm like vultures on LinkedIn and similar.
I can’t help but think he’d have found just as much to love about a play-by-play job in a lot of places besides Tampa over the years. It’s a big world with lots of great places to work and live.
Anyway, hopefully he meets his goal and it works out for him in the long run.
August 26th, 2026 at 1:44 am
It sounds like TJ has handled this with as much class, publicly, as possible. Now we have to wait a few years for him to feel comfortable enough to tell those inside stories. I’m looking forward to that.
August 26th, 2026 at 1:47 am
Gruden would’ve been great as Deckerhoff’s replacement, in my opinion. Gruden said he wanted to switch to play-by-play like Gifford did.
August 26th, 2026 at 2:30 am
TJ is kind of a strange individual. Nothing implied by that, just a strange individual.
August 26th, 2026 at 2:51 am
I very rarely ever listened to TJ Rives (or Gene for that matter) because I barely listen to radio at all. Mostly just after leaving Bucs home games for the post-game interviews.
He was good, but he was also more truthful and negative than the Bucs probably would have liked. I’m sure they wanted someone who is always super optimistic and spinning everything in the proper light PR-wise.
August 26th, 2026 at 4:07 am
That’s a shame, really enjoyed TJ on the radio. Tony sounds boring and generic.
August 26th, 2026 at 4:58 am
When Geno made his announcement I thought TJ was a shoe in. It seems like they had been grooming him for years to take over for GD once the day finally came. TJ has such a strong unique radio voice and is really good at his job. When he filled in for Gene on occasion it just felt so natural with him calling the games. I was rooting for him, but here we are. Nothing against Castricone, I’m sure he’ll seem like the right pick after listening to him for awhile, but dang it seems like a missed opportunity right now.
August 26th, 2026 at 6:15 am
What is a guy from WASHINGTON gonna know about the history of this town and franchise??
August 26th, 2026 at 6:31 am
bucs wanted someone to support whatever narrative they want out there ie bowles is a good coach, glazers arent cheap, etc.
August 26th, 2026 at 6:56 am
“Former WDAE-AM 620 host and current local podcaster Jay Recher is one candidate. The other is former Tampa Bay Times multimedia producer and former Tampa Bay Lightning reporter Rachel West.”
Two HORRIBLE options. Jay might be decent (at best) in that role, but I just can’t stand him. Most of these women are empty, and have ZERO depth, no context, or any real substance (just cliches, etc), and don’t know anything about the full history of past players, coaches, games, & etc. So, it’s worthless and is only checking a box and virtue signaling. Unless, they are just ‘smoking hot’ (good for ratings), but ONLY in a very narrow ‘in-game’ sideline-reporting role. I hope it’s NOT that “Lightning-Tv” gal they put on WDAE, cause she’s AWFUL. I don’t believe it is. I think I know which one she is… A Pretty WEAK Choice. Jay, I guess, would be ok in that role, as long as it’s JUST on the BUCS… I don’t need HIS Fricken opinion on ANYTHING ELSE, other than that. Cause he’s a fake virtue-signaler, too. Total Moron. Seriously, THIS is the best they can do!?
August 26th, 2026 at 7:00 am
@ Rod Munch – VERY generic. And, I knew he would be after listening to his entire introductory interview by T-Karass on WDAE, while sitting in a Wawa parking lot on Gulf-To-Bay. LoL
August 26th, 2026 at 7:34 am
The Bucs fumbled. The had possession of the replacement.
It reminds me of the last game we played in KC. We are running up and down their defense. Todd decides to tie the game not go for two and go into OT!?!? Who’s KC’s QB?
I wish TJ nothing but the best. I always enjoyed him. I’m going to miss his NOTHING BUT BUCS podcast after each game. He did a great job there too.
SMH
August 26th, 2026 at 7:41 am
If the team wanted the successor to be a full time employee, and Rives was unable/unwilling to do so, then the team did what the team needed to do.
August 26th, 2026 at 7:48 am
“There is no unity in this comm-unity.” Y’all know exactly who that was even without the gruff Baltimore pipes.
You’ve got to get known for yourself and not just for some character trait. Or here, character flaw.
Brady left. Baker came onboard. It’s the way of the world.
August 26th, 2026 at 8:07 am
With Tony they got the most annoying generic voice in broadcast. He doesn’t have real excitement so he emphasizes excitement with fake back of the throat calls that sounds like any other college football team play by play announcer. I don’t think I will ever tune in to listen.
I loved Gene. Most iconic voice in sports. Even when I watched the game in person I wanted to hear his call on big plays to relive the excitement.
August 26th, 2026 at 8:16 am
I have not heard much of Tony but what I have heard is the same as everyone else: ordinary and generic. Perhaps the excitement in his voice will come as he gets to know the Bucs and becomes a fan. If that doesn’t happen, then we’ll have to get someone else.
Does he have a childhood favorite team? Would be interesting to hear him call our games against that team.
August 26th, 2026 at 8:16 am
By the way, this was an excellent bit of information Jose. Muchas gracias.
August 26th, 2026 at 8:31 am
Tony seems like a nice guy, but after two games I have to say there is nothing special about his voice or his game calling. Too generic. Sounds like a corporate guy doing a college game. boring.
TJ at least has a distinctive voice and he knows this team better than anyone.
August 26th, 2026 at 8:55 am
Once a consultant is hired… it’s over.
August 26th, 2026 at 8:55 am
cut throat business especially dealing with the tribe.
August 26th, 2026 at 9:22 am
If I’m being honest, I feel bad for TJ and think the Bucs should have gone with him. No ill will on my part to Castricone either, but where Castricone will never be perceived as being a replacement for Gene (that would be unfair to Tony), TJ would probably have been the closest thing we got because it would have felt more like a passing of the torch than like a completely new and different era.
Having some measure of continuity in a change like this one would have made the transition easier for whoever ended up in the role, and for us listening.
August 26th, 2026 at 9:23 am
also… forgot to add…
“Rives wouldn’t take the bait because, he said, if the feedback was positive, people would dismiss it as Rives trying to kiss up to the Bucs to get a job. Or, if Rives’ stories were viewed as negative, people would dismiss him as having sour grapes and having an ax to grind.”
Exactly the right decision. This is precisely how it would have gone down.
August 26th, 2026 at 9:26 am
They’ll hire the skirt. Hard to beat the sex appeal.
It sells.
August 26th, 2026 at 10:15 am
I like Rives…but the team decided on someone young and fresh.
No one can ever replace Gene…so this was an opportunity to change directions.
I’ll give the ‘kid’ a chance.
August 26th, 2026 at 12:51 pm
Do sideline reporters ever get promoted to play-by-play? If so, Erin Andrews should have been calling MNF games years ago.
August 26th, 2026 at 4:43 pm
I loved Rives as a sideline reporter, and he is a very good talk show host who kept listeners engaged with his hot topics. I listened to TJ Rives from his days on 820 AM and 1010 AM, so I have heard him plenty on the airwaves. Gene was special. In fact, that’s how I fell in love with the Bucs growing up in the late 80s and early 90s: they weren’t on TV during the blacked-out home games, so I had to listen on the radio. No disrespect to TJ, as he may be reading this, but his style is just too monotone and boring in my opinion for the play-by-play aspect. Many enjoy Rives’ play-by-play ability, so this is just my two cents. I feel the same way about Neil Solondz of Rays Radio after he took over for the late great Dave Wills. Neil was perfect with his knowledge and insight on the call-in shows, but I don’t get excited when he makes a dramatic home run call the way I did with Dave Wills. I wish Rives all the best and hope he continues to pursue it soon and lands his dream job as a play-by-play commentator for a professional sports team!
August 26th, 2026 at 7:15 pm
Beej: he spent 7 years at IMG, he knows the area .
Tony Castricone spent more than seven years working with IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, serving in multiple multimedia and broadcasting roles.