“The Effort Is There”
January 10th, 2026
Effort not an issue?
Interesting if not strange words from Bucs coach Todd Bowles last week in his season wrap up.
Joe could be wrong but a lot of the consternation on the Bucs this year — Lavonte David unloading on the team twice, Bowles twice and Baker Mayfield once, all in a span of six weeks — Joe thought was because the Bucs weren’t giving effort. No killer instinct. Not giving enough of a s(p)it.
Bowles suggested, in discussing the decision to bring in Jason Pierre-Paul — which screamed “desperation” — was not related to player effort. But when JPP returned, outside linebackers coach Larry Foote said he thought it was to add needed “juice” to the defense.
“I think we evaluate differently every year based off what we didn’t see from the year before in our team,” Bowles began. “We try to evaluate differently and bring guys in that are a little different from the guys that we have.
“I think the juice factor … It’s probably not a juice factor. The effort is there. That’s not saying they don’t have juice, but certain guys have a different type of energy when they come in and, probably more from an energy standpoint [or] from an energizer standpoint, probably more of that fact that I think [Larry] Foote was talking about.”
So, why were players and the head coach himself unloading on the team then if effort wasn’t an issue? Iconic Bucs receiver Chris Godwin himself said players needed to compete “harder” and “strain” more on the field.
Strange message from Bowles.
Maybe a lack of sleep from having to prepare for exit interviews had a hand in this?
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