Simeon Rice Mentors Yaya Diaby
Buccaneers’ legend Simeon Rice mentored Tampa Bay edge rusher Yaya Diaby and took him through a pass rush tutorial at the AdventHealth Training Center. As the past and present merged, Rice discussed counter moves, the nuances of utilizing speed-to-power, operating out of a two-way go based on alignments, instincts in the trenches and establishing habits during practices with Diaby. The pair simulated rushes and talked through Diaby’s go-to moves and the ones he is working to enhance, including a club.
Rice, a recent inductee into the Buccaneers’ Ring of Honor at Raymond James Stadium, became one of the most formidable quarterback hunters during the era he played. He produced a Hall-of-Fame-worthy career, including a league-leading 101.5 sacks during an eight-year period from 1998-2005 (five with the Bucs). Rice concluded his NFL career with 122.0 sacks and he recorded eight seasons in which he hit double digits in that category. That is tied for the seventh most 10+-sack seasons in league history, behind only six members of the Hall of Fame. Rice was selected for three Pro Bowls and was a three-time Associated Press All-Pro selection, including a first-team choice during the 2002 Super Bowl season. Rice was also the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1996.
Last season, Diaby led the Bucs’ defense with 57 pressures and generated 13 run stuffs (loss or no gain) in 2024. He was just one of eight edge rushers to record 50-plus pressures and 10-plus run stuffs (Myles Garrett, Jared Verse, Jonathan Greenard, Brian Burns, Greg Rousseau, Will Anderson, Maxx Crosby) in 2024. In Tampa Bay’s division-clinching win over the New Orleans Saints, Diaby nabbed five tackles (four for loss), 1.0 sack and four quarterback hits. He became one of four players in 2024 with four-or-more tackles for loss and four-plus quarterback hits in a single game, joining Aidan Hutchinson (Week 2), Trey Hendrickson (Week 9) and Nick Bosa (Week 17). Diaby found various ways to maximize his power and knock opposing quarterbacks off their spot.
At the end of the training session before the pair walked off the field, Rice offered Diaby advice as he enters the 2025 slate.
“Be unapologetically confident in what you want to become,” said Rice. “Once you have that understanding of, ‘This is a big year for me,’ rise to the level of your expectations or surpass them. It is on you. Continue to think counters – counter fast, counter quick…Think there is nothing you can do that I do not have a counter for.”