Catches eye of former NFL lineman.

Joe was pretty stoked to get to see in person what may turn out to be a historic game for the Bucs last Sunday in Cincinnati.

No, it wasn’t good history for the Bucs as they lost a season-opener for the first time since Bowles has been head coach.

However, a certain rookie linebacker sure demonstrated he belongs in the NFL.

Second-round draft pick Josiah Trotter had a debut that many NFL defenders will never have. You don’t often see a guy get a pick-six, a sack and rack up 10 tackles in a game. Not many veterans. Not many rookies. And very few in their debut game.

Trotter did.

One of Joe’s favorite features during the football season is when Brian Baldinger, a former NFL offensive lineman, breaks down tape of players and offers analysis on the social media site.

Trotter’s pick-six and his sack weren’t the only plays Trotter made Sunday. Baldinger highlights a play where Trotter didn’t even record a sack but with the Bucs in goal line defense, Trotter lit up a Bengals offensive lineman, if for no other reason than to let the guy know Trotter is alive and well.

Trotter shattered a Bucs franchise record held by Derrick Brooks and Mason Foster for most tackles in an NFL debut. Joe’s not expecting Trotter to be the next Brooks, but if he is the next Foster, that’s not too bad.

Hey, Foster started on a playoff team (Washington). But yeah, he wasn’t good enough for lousy Lovie Smith.

(Man, Joe is pretty confident he has never met anyone in the NFL who was as pathetic at player evaluation as Lovie was. #LostDecade)

.@Buccaneers @Bengals @TrotterJosiah @JTrotter_54 in his first game recorded a TFL; a sack; a pick six…Already filling up the stat sheet while single handedly getting the Bucs back in the game. #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/jCxy5vbQhK

— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) September 15, 2026