'Then we just kind of take the assh*les and the d*uchebags off' — Bucs GM Jason Licht has a water-spitting moment on the Pat McAfee Show
Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht has had quite the run in the last half decade. With the wooing of Tom Brady to Tampa, the Bucs found the final piece to get over the hump and win their second Super Bowl championship in 2020. They've won the NFC South every year since as well […]
Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht has had quite the run in the last half decade. With the wooing of Tom Brady to Tampa, the Bucs found the final piece to get over the hump and win their second Super Bowl championship in 2020. They've won the NFC South every year since as well with two more playoff wins under their belt.
But the Bucs' success goes far beyond just landing Brady. Licht has done a terrific job building a strong foundation through the draft. As well as anybody in recent years, it's turned out.
So, what's been the secret to his success? Licht went into detail on the Pat McAfee Show on Wednesday. He explained how character is a huge part of their evaluation, and he didn't mince words about it either.
"It's really not that hard," Licht said. "We put the players that are worthy of being drafted on the draft board like every team does, but then we just kind of take the assh*les and the d*uchebags off, and the guys that don't love football and guys that have proven they don't like it, that are difficult to deal with, and we just kind of mitigate our risk. We're taking great players that are great humans."
Licht also had an amusing response to if some player ever told him he didn't want to come to Tampa Bay in the draft.
"I try to think of something new to say, but when the call is made, I say, 'hey, we're going to turn your name in. What do you think?' And one day one of them is going to say, 'well, I don't want to be there', and I'm going to have to say, 'hey, f*ck you, I'm going to pick somebody else' (laughing)."
Well, that's one way to confirm that you clear your board of players with character concerns. Indeed, the Bucs have been done well not just with identifying players who have produced on the field, but also those who've managed to steer clear of being problems.
Of course, you can't always have high character individuals. Licht did bring in Antonio Brown, but the Bucs might not hoist the Lombardi Trophy in 2020 if not for him, so sometimes you have to have to bite the bullet and put up with some people for their talent.
Still, Licht's philosophy has paid off very well for him, and it appears again to have netted a draft class this year that should address some key areas and continue to fortify that foundation for years to come.
And Bucs fans shouldn't expect to see any of their newest faces from the draft in the news for the wrong reasons. After all, Licht would have already marked them off his list.
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On paper, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers put together another draft class that has the potential to make an immediate impact in Year 1. Last year showed us what that can do for a roster via Bucky Irving, Jalen McMillan, Tykee Smith, and Graham Barton. It's safe to say the sky is the limit if the […]
