David Walker Doesn’t Seem Frustrated With Lack Of Play
October 24th, 2026
David Walker wraps up Steelers drama queen quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
It’s about to boil over.
Joe is outraged. Fans are angry. Former Bucs players are frustrated. National NFL analysts are confused.
Why isn’t outside linebacker David Walker on the field more?
You’d think the defensive coordinator/head coach of a 1-5 team that is 3-12 since last year’s bye week who is also under siege with fans at full throat for his head on a platter, would want his best players on the field most of the time.
You know, players that consistently make an impact? If for no other reason than to maybe save his career?
Well, if you think that, you don’t know KitKat-eating Bucs coach Todd Bowles. For reasons only he knows, Bowles has been rigidly resistant, if not hostile, to the concept of getting Walker on the field of play.
Through six games, Walker has but two more snaps (99) than a career backup, Anthony Nelson (97). This, despite the fact Walker has four times as many sacks as anyone else on the roster.
Four times!
Walker has four sacks in six games without starting once.
And the stat-geeky numbers back up that Walker’s not a fluke
He has the best pass-rush win-rate in the NFL (26.0 percent). He also has the best sack rate in the NFL (7.0 percent).
Now we all know Bowles thinks sacks are irrelevant if not trivial. He’s all about stopping the run. Well, Walker has the second-best run-stop rate in the NFL!
So Bowles can’t say Walker isn’t doing the all-important “other things” Bowles always covets.
Either Bowles is trying to tank and get fired and jettisoned off into retirement, or he’s guilty of coaching malpractice; that’s all there is to it!
After last week’s overtime loss to the Steelers, a game in which Walker had two sacks — double what any of his teammates have done this season — you wouldn’t know Walker is frustrated in the least bit about not having more playing time.
Walker is happy as can be that he’s contributing, even though it is not (yet) showing up in the win column.
“Man, I am just excited when the coaches put me in,” Walker told Joe. “I just try to make the plays as they come to me. Just doing what I am supposed to do.”
In other words, Walker is being the good soldier.
And a good teammate. In the same loss to the Steelers, Rueben Bain, Al-Quadin Muhammad and Keionte Scott each had their first sacks of the season, and for the Bucs. For Bain and Scott, it was their first NFL sacks.
Walker seemed happier for them than he was for getting a pair of sacks.
“Yeah man, it is a confidence booster,” Walker said of his teammates joining the sack parade. “Especially Bain getting his first sack in the NFL — many more to come. Muhammad, finally getting one here in Tampa.
“It is exciting to see that the guys are doing what they were brought here to do. It has been fun.
“Every day, we are talking, who is going to get the next one? Who is going to get the first one?”
Meanwhile, Bucs fans are wondering when the hell the head coach is going to wake up from his other things-coma and start Walker. Just yesterday he muttered to reporters how badly he and the Bucs need a win.
Todd, a little free advice: You increase your chances to win games when you play your best players. Trust Joe, it helps.
And it may help you keep your job and save your career, if it is not too late.
October 24th, 2026 at 2:19 pm
no need to toil…it’s about to boil………….over
walker knows bowles is gone on black monday
October 24th, 2026 at 2:20 pm
Todd is cashing his paychecks laughing all the way to the bank! The only true planning he is doing is retirement if he gets fired or after the contract is over.
October 24th, 2026 at 2:26 pm
Todd is a low IQ person. That’s all there is to it.
October 24th, 2026 at 2:26 pm
If you ask me, I think he is sticking it to the Glazers for trying to interview Harbaugh. He is probably letting Robinson whatever he wants since it’s creating havoc for the Glazer’s due to his incompetence.
Joe needs to investigate that angle. Last week’s game was a head scratcher.
October 24th, 2026 at 2:37 pm
Bowles is gone at the end of the season!
October 24th, 2026 at 2:41 pm
I have hope that the next coaching staff will be able to maximize this man’s potential.
October 24th, 2026 at 2:41 pm
I’m gone at the end of this season.
October 24th, 2026 at 2:46 pm
This team is unwatchable outside of David Walker
October 24th, 2026 at 3:21 pm
It’s too late. Outside of a miraculous run and a playoff win, Bowles better be gone on that last cold Sunday in January.
Walker is absolutely doing great and I had no idea his stats were that good Joe.
Bowles makes zero sense with this and many other decisions. Add comments like “there is nothing more we as coaches can do”, and it’s a wonder he is still here.
October 24th, 2026 at 3:27 pm
Joe … ‘It’s about to boil over. Joe is outraged. Fans are angry. Former Bucs players are frustrated. National NFL analysts are confused.’
There are a number of things that Todd is doing from a personnel-usage standpoint Joe, but why don’t you media types just ASK HIM?
October 24th, 2026 at 3:35 pm
There are a number of things that Todd is doing from a personnel-usage standpoint Joe, but why don’t you media types just ASK HIM?
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Because these media types have become The Pied Pipers for Trolls and not information!
October 24th, 2026 at 3:43 pm
Maybe it’s all he can handle? He’s coming off an ACL. His snap count is the least of our worries. Scoring for example seems to be a bigger problem to me.
October 24th, 2026 at 4:00 pm
I called this dude as a hit when we drafted him which gave me hope that we would be good again…still holding on to that during a bad time of year to be a Bucs fan, he is fast off the ball even faster than Gerald mccoy
October 24th, 2026 at 4:02 pm
“Meanwhile, Bucs fans are wondering when the hell the head coach is going to wake up from his other things-coma and start Walker. Just yesterday he muttered to reporters how badly he and the Bucs need a win.”
Yea man, screw it start him at RB too while we’re at it