Brent Grimes: I Was Benched For Using My Phone At Halftime
January 3rd, 2019
Remember when Brent Grimes didn’t play in the second half against the Bears in Week 4?
Dirk Koetter told everyone it was to get Ryan Smith some reps.
Grimes believes it was for a reason far more ridiculous.
Speaking on his wife’s iHeartMiko podcast, Grimes explained he was in disbelief when he was benched and Mike Smith never gave him a reason why it happened.
But somebody on the coaching staff did.
“They said [I was benched because] I was on my phone at halftime, which is true because I’m on my phone [at halftime] every game of my career,” Grimes said.
Grimes estimated up to 70 percent of players are on their phones doing something at halftime, which he thinks is no big deal and certainly not a reason to be benched.
Why does Grimes really think he was benched? When Miko Grimes suggested on the podcast it was payback for not wanting to shadow Antonio Brown the week before, he agreed.
You can read about Shadowgate here.
What a freakin’ mess the Bucs were this season. Shame on Koetter for not clearing the air with Grimes on these matters. and yeah, if you click the link above, Joe wags a big finger at Grimes and Jason Licht, too.
January 3rd, 2019 at 8:39 pm
Shame on Mike Smith for having a dog sh!t scheme and coaching philospohies.
I wish Grimes the best.
January 3rd, 2019 at 8:43 pm
I don’t actually have a problem with coaches benching players for being on their phones at halftime. They’re professionals doing a j-o-b. Halfitme is when coaches make adjustments, so the players should be giving the coaches their full attention. This strikes me as more than a little whiny on the part of Grimes.
January 3rd, 2019 at 8:43 pm
Grimes should not have even been on the Roster.
I’ll say it again. The Glazer’s are fools for retaining Licht. Dude does not know how to build a winner.
January 3rd, 2019 at 8:43 pm
All we heard was how class act Grimes was during TC only to hear he was straight trash today. SMH.
January 3rd, 2019 at 8:44 pm
Wow, is that true, 70% of players are on their phones at halftime? Why do I have a really hard time believing that? Maybe 70% of Bucs players on their phones because you had a goof as a head coach who got zero respect from his players, but I can’t believe that’s a real number. Unless of course the coaches go off and do their thing without the players needing to be involved, then I guess perhaps that’s what’s happening – but I just can’t imagine, even with difference in tech, that if modern smart phones were around 2002 that you’d have Derrick Brooks, Sapp and Lynch sitting on their phone at halftime. Now I could imagine Keyshawn being on his phone, so perhaps there is something to it.
January 3rd, 2019 at 8:47 pm
I mean. Checking your phone is one thing…do you think the patriots players are sitting around at halftime playing on their phones? I think Grimes is just showing his true colors, and now we know why the coaches were always ducking questions about Grimes not following around the other teams best.
January 3rd, 2019 at 8:50 pm
maybe cuz he knows he cant hang with the big boys that’s why he didn’t want 2 cover Antonio brown cuz he was scerrrrd I hope we don’t bring in that rb from the steelers he got benched cuz he got no heart we all saw it unless you didn’t pay attention
January 3rd, 2019 at 8:50 pm
Hard to believe if 70% of players are on their pone at halftime. Grimes played for Smith at Atlanta and was a baller. Doubt there is anything petty there with Grimes at age 35.
January 3rd, 2019 at 8:54 pm
I think Smith is flipping me off in that picture Lol
January 3rd, 2019 at 8:58 pm
Why in the world do any of these j/o’s need to be on their phone at halftime for any reason? It’s gameday, most of these guys are being paid huge dollars, it’s like 5 hours of work including pregame warm ups and such – if you can’t get off your phone for 5 hours while making millions, then you really need to have a piano dropped on your head. There has to be something to talk about, something to do at halftime that is more productive than checking to see what people said about you on Twitter during the first half of the game.
I just don’t buy 70% of players are doing that, and I certainly don’t buy coaches being OK with it.
In this case however if he was benched for being on his phone that is something his coach should be in his face about, not some passive aggressive nonsense.
January 3rd, 2019 at 9:11 pm
F@ck Grimes and his big mouth wife!
January 3rd, 2019 at 9:14 pm
Let his sorry ass go he has been getting burned since he been a buc, his wife should have been on the field instead of him.
January 3rd, 2019 at 9:14 pm
I felt that something was wrong at one bucs place. you could just look at the players performance and clearly see something was going on. I fault Licht for bringing in Grimes and Jackson which I now understand both have been a major a distraction to the team and I fault Koetter because he should have handle this and not let those players become cancers to the team. we all know he kept his friend Smith to long. this is why I think we need Arians, he wouldn’t put up with this crap.
January 3rd, 2019 at 9:16 pm
I can’t believe any player on any team would be allowed to be on their phone during halftime. It’s only 15 minutes and that includes walking into the locker room and back out again. Wouldn’t the Head Coach institute a team-wide rule banning that? I can’t stand it when people are on their phones in the stands. Either way it means your head isn’t in the game.
January 3rd, 2019 at 9:16 pm
I agree
January 3rd, 2019 at 9:16 pm
Well, this and the D Jax stuff (and probably a lot of other junk) explains our record the last 2 years.
January 3rd, 2019 at 9:17 pm
Very odd. These players sign contracts which presumably include clauses dealing with non-compliance, such as forfeiture of pay. Something’s missing here…
January 3rd, 2019 at 9:18 pm
And Licht still has his job? His free agent signings are almost as bad as his second round draft picks!
January 3rd, 2019 at 9:19 pm
There’s a reason he looking for his fourth team.
I’ll say it again, free agents who sign with losing organizations are only hustling to the bank on payday. The Buc exceptions, over the years, to that statement, you can count on your thumbs.
January 3rd, 2019 at 9:22 pm
“Bunch of BS. Kobe never seen a player talking on the phone
Your leader needs to be a disciplinarian and not a buddy for these entitled babies to run over you
3 years ago, Kobe was nonstop in his evaluation of Klueless leadership buffoonery. Kobe was verbally assaulted by this website and the Klueless apologists…I might forgive some but not all”
Kobe Faker
January 3rd, 2019 at 9:22 pm
Shane in Grimes for telling things that should be kept inside the locker room, and males worst when the coaches arent en n the Building anymore. You should have performed better y instead of throwing tabloide gossips in your wifes podcast…..you are a puppet and your wife is the ventriloquist……Good CB on the first year….. then average ay best……PUPPET!!
January 3rd, 2019 at 9:32 pm
No wonder the Bucs always looked like they never made any adjustments at halftime. The players were too busy on their cell phones to pay attention to the adjustments. If the 70% statement is true, this staff should have been gone long ago for tolerating that nonsense.
January 3rd, 2019 at 9:35 pm
maybe this mess is why Licht still has his job. maybe the Glazers told him he made this mess now clean it up. LOL. to me its starting to become clearer that Licht did a lot more screwing up than I previously thought. Grimes, Jackson, Spence, R Jones, Curry just to name a few
January 3rd, 2019 at 9:35 pm
This is 100% on the coaching staff as they have to set the tone and be straight forward, which they clearly were not. Then the players walked all over them, disgraceful.
January 3rd, 2019 at 9:36 pm
Grimes is a poison in the lockerroom
Get rid of the ME players
January 3rd, 2019 at 9:39 pm
This amount of disfunction that exists in this organization is amazing.
January 3rd, 2019 at 9:40 pm
NFL halftime is 12 mins long. Real teams use that time to rest up, bandage some nicks and adjust their game plan for the second half. I would assume that most coaches would want their guys paying attention, offering ideas, and discussing what their specific units could be doing differently. That has always been my assumption of what professional football players did while out of sight for those few minutes. Now I am picturing 70% of my team rushing in the locker room to fire up their phones, see if they are in any posted highlights, talk with their agents/ stock brokers or wife ( Grimes) instead of giving a damn about what is happening on the field.Sickning. Joe- use your contacts and see if this is what goes on with other teams at half time. Be an interesting study and probably answer a lot of questions why these guys so often draw a v@cuum.
January 3rd, 2019 at 9:42 pm
Kinda explains our awesome halftime adjustments? Everyone’s on their phones what a joke!
January 3rd, 2019 at 9:44 pm
Halftime in the NFL is only 12 minutes long. During that limited amount of time, the coaches are suppose to make adjustments on things that aren’t working correctly, and explain to their players what they collectively need to improve on in the second half. If approximately 70% of the players in the Bucs locker room spend that time on their phone, then this team has a big problem on their hands. It would explain why this team looks totally different in the second half of games, but personally I don’t believe what Brent is saying.
This team is in desperate need of a true leader like Bruce Arians, who’s going to demand 110% out of every single player and coach. He wouldn’t tolerate the type of things that DeQuit Jackson and Brent Grimes have gotten away with.
January 3rd, 2019 at 9:50 pm
Sounds to me like grimes is being a baby. If he didn’t like his contract extension for 7 million he could of walked. I don’t think this is Lichts fault for resigning him. Grimes signed his deal and should’ve done whatever his team asked. He signed with Tampa cuz he knew he wouldn’t make anymore money elsewhere at his age
January 3rd, 2019 at 9:57 pm
After the coaches give their talk, the players all use their phones all the time 😱
January 3rd, 2019 at 10:20 pm
@Deborah Hall
I’m the son of Dirk Koetter, and I can confirm that he gave them permission to use their phone during halftime. They all gather around and watch the first 10 minutes of the 1996 movie Kazaam, starring Shaquille O’Neal.
But seriously, can you please stop acting like your Brent Grimes’ mother.
January 3rd, 2019 at 10:27 pm
I’m with the group that does not believe 70% of players are on their phone at halftime. Grimes became a problem this year. He sucked and got benched. I am thinking his offers to play will be very sparse this coming year.
Idiots happen with good teams too. Look at Antonio Brown’s and L’veon Bell’s selfishness on Pittsburgh this year.
January 3rd, 2019 at 10:42 pm
The shame of it all is he didn’t seem to play like a number 1 when covering a teams number two. Probably related to not being 100% healthy all year, but at his age and health history in 2017 would the bucs have gotten the production of a number 1 salary corner? Let’s think about that for just a second… ya long enough that would be a NO. But still the best corner on this team and not even by a close margin. So maybe Licht should of over payed him.
January 3rd, 2019 at 10:52 pm
Man I’ll say it again, it was a wasted year keeping Koetter this past year, with a real coach we could have made the playoffs.
January 3rd, 2019 at 10:53 pm
Why would anyone listen to a Miko Grimes podcast anyway
January 3rd, 2019 at 10:55 pm
Now this I dont give af about. Who cares? Lol like these garbage a$$ coaches could make an adjustment worth a damn is hilarious. They were clueless af. I’d be on my phone too.
January 3rd, 2019 at 10:55 pm
EA,
If we had no Mike Smith’s Defensive Scheme hindering us, then we’d have been much better off.
January 3rd, 2019 at 11:14 pm
Whatever. He’s not a Buc anymore anyway.
But just to get this straight…he cruised after he got paid and took plays off, and then complained when he was benched?
Sorry, Brent, but this is a case where it’s all on you, whether Miko agrees or not.
January 3rd, 2019 at 11:15 pm
Grimes is discounting the fact that when he was on his phone, he wasn’t paying attention to what the coaches were telling the team.
January 3rd, 2019 at 11:18 pm
Shame on Grimes for lacking competitive fire, for not giving a damn about his teammates, and for crapping on the end of his career and exposing himself as a jerk.
January 3rd, 2019 at 11:21 pm
Okay it has become clear why Bucs underachieved. Players had no respect for coach. Could that be a symptom of a team has such disrespected owners? Just saying…
January 3rd, 2019 at 11:26 pm
Sorry teammates, I’d help but my pockets’ too light bc the *best market deal I was offered and signed* has my pockets too light to care about losing and the implications it brings for all of you.
I’m already paid and don’t really need it, so I’m good! 💩
January 3rd, 2019 at 11:28 pm
Brent Grimes will forever be known as Glass Grimes. That is his legacy.
January 3rd, 2019 at 11:29 pm
If the dude wanted bigger money to play the game why did he sign the contract for 7 million? He was not even worth that.
January 3rd, 2019 at 11:29 pm
Is this one of the players JPP was referring too?
January 3rd, 2019 at 11:41 pm
Just so everyone is clear – it’s never Brent’s fault. Nothing. Ever.
January 3rd, 2019 at 11:49 pm
Let’s say you were a player for the Bucs this year.Koeter is talking to you. You are having a hard time taking him seriously–why—just look at that face–doesn’t make a person feel very confident.Best for your future Grimes.
January 4th, 2019 at 12:09 am
But didn’t Jason say we have great guys in the locker room? 😉
January 4th, 2019 at 12:52 am
This is shocking just shocking. Seriously Grimes and Jackson can suck it. Please don’t screw up any more FA Licht.
January 4th, 2019 at 12:55 am
70% of the team is on their phones at halftime? No wonder this team looks like garbage in the 2nd half.
January 4th, 2019 at 1:25 am
1yr Later Review – Lol JBF Archives
https://www.joebucsfan.com/2018/01/miko-grimes-brent-told-mike-smith-retiring/
January 4th, 2019 at 1:54 am
#
January 4th, 2019 at 1:59 am
I listened to the whole thing and this snippet is taken out of context somewhat.
This is a good listen (skip to where they talk about the season, like an hour in) because Brent is brutally honest and I can understand where he is coming from.
He talked about how before he came back this season they promised they were switching the defense to play less man and more zone,apparently mike Smith said you can’t play zone in the NFL.
Well Brent said ya I’ll help teach the young guys zone and this year will be better and signed up for this year. Then in training camp he realized they were teaching the same awful scheme and BS coaching styles. He said that deflated him for the whole season.
He said multiple times that there is plenty of talent here (including vh3) and that the coaches just left the players out to dry.
January 4th, 2019 at 4:50 am
What a bunch of BS. No wonder our team never jelled with Koetter and his misfit personnel.
January 4th, 2019 at 6:21 am
Seems koetter wasnt as candidnwith his players and coaches as he was with the media before he got promited
January 4th, 2019 at 7:11 am
There’s Ole Mike Flipping you guys off again!!!!
January 4th, 2019 at 7:35 am
The only reason Grimes was still playing was because Licht had to justify paying him his rediculous salary. He should’ve been benched for his poor play.
January 4th, 2019 at 7:38 am
Folks go listen to that podcast (the portion where they breakdown the season together). It’s eye opening. And I don’t mean only for the reasons reported so far. Actually it’s the best insight into the team (on the defensive side) we’ve probably ever had in any context
January 4th, 2019 at 7:43 am
Grimes collected his million dollar paychecks from the glazers
Him and his wife should be smiling like big fat softie Gerald McCoy
January 4th, 2019 at 7:49 am
@Alaskan that’s pretty much what I came away with from listening. And I went in with pitchforks at the ready. It’s a great listen
January 4th, 2019 at 8:04 am
The Bucs came back in that game with him on the bench. #ByeByeBrent
January 4th, 2019 at 8:07 am
I’m absolutely perplexed as to why our beloved Bucs lost (again) this year. Djax opting out of returning punts and Grimes opting out of shadowing elite receivers as the top-paid Bucs corner.
Just perplexed.
Dirk was fired because he’s a PU$$Y…letting two primadona players collectively making over $20,000,000 per YEAR, yet letting these two POS bully the coach on what they are or are not willing to do (for themselves) versus being all in (for the team).
RIP Dirk! You deserve what you got for taking it up the pooper from YOUR players.
Lord, deliver unto us Kris Richard, please.
Let him cast the primadonas into the fire pits of football hell.
January 4th, 2019 at 8:09 am
Some of y’all don’t understand what goes on in a locker room at halftime.
There is not that much of “adjustments” as you think. Adjustments are made on the fly and between possessions, not necessarily big Pow-Wows at halftime. This isn’t high school with no communications from the coaches box to the field.
Halftime os a time for players to physically and mentally regroup. I see no big deal with a cell phone call at halftime. Hell, in The Day, we had written notes coming and going because we didn’t have cell phones.
Much ado about nothing.
January 4th, 2019 at 9:02 am
i didnt want grimes back after 2016 and folks said i was crazy……lol….
this all points to how dirk never had a grip on the locker room and how the coaches combined with their scheme sucked!!!!
#REALISTKNOWSNOTHING!!!!…#ADIOSDIRK!!!!…GO BUCS!!!!
January 4th, 2019 at 9:09 am
813
Remember (before the trade deadline) I said “trade him for 3 round pick” – to a contender lol.
January 4th, 2019 at 9:11 am
@813 in 2016 he was rated as the top Corner in the league. Go look it up. So yeah you were crazy then.
January 4th, 2019 at 9:12 am
Maybe we won 5 games because 70% or our players were on their phones when adjustments were being made.
Can’t wait for a new coach to come in and turn this locker room into winners. Step 1:
1. Burn that ping pong table!
January 4th, 2019 at 9:22 am
Mike Smith was a total joke of a coach…. pathetic
January 4th, 2019 at 5:54 pm
That picture of Mike Smith and his middle finger is classic!!