Gerald McCoy Speaks
May 24th, 2012
Yesterday afternoon, Bucs defensive tackle Gerald McCoy dropped a phone call to talk to co-hosts of the widely popular, footballholic show “Movin’ the Chains,” Pat Kirwan and Tim Ryan, heard exclusively on SiriusXM NFL Radio. GMC spoke on a wide variety of subjects from the New Schiano Order to Brian Price to Aqib Talib. GMC also, when given the chance, gave a less-than ringing endorsement of former Bucs coach Raheem Morris but lauded his position coach Keith Millard.
Tim Ryan: Brutal year for the Bucs at 4-12. He’s going to accept the Pop Warner Youth Inspiration Award in Orlando this weekend, here’s the third-year defensive tackle of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, here’s Gerald McCoy. Hey Gerald, How are you doing?
Gerald McCoy: What’s up brother, hanging in there brother, grinding like I am always doing.
Ryan: Sounds like you are tired, sounds like you are back on scholarship.
GMC: Man, we have a few things going on, a little bit different, yeah; you have to bear with me.
Pat Kirwan: Tell me about your new coach. Sounds like we should start there. Is he pushing you guys? And I would like to get a reaction to the locker room to Kellen being shown the door.
GMC: As far as coach, discipline. That is one of the things he is drilling in our heads. Have to have discipline; we have to learn how to be professionals. We have a young team which is still learning how to win and lose. There are ways to do both. You have to learn how to win and keep your poise and learn how to lose and keep your poise and be able to bounce back. He is teaching us how to be professionals and bring discipline back and get to where we need to be. As far as Kellen, great teammate and greet player, but we wish him the best and that is why they say it is a business. Business is business. We have to move on and take the next step to where we want to be.
Ryan: Gerald, go back to last year for a second and it ended early with an injury to you, again. But, I remember the story last year going into training camp, youngry and young and hungry and all of that stuff and then the fall off during the last several games during the course of the season, I know the excitement was sky high coming off a 10-win season the year before. Yes, you had some significant injuries. Talk about 2011 before we move on. What happened?
GMC: One of those things like I mentioned earlier. We had to learn how to win. You had a bunch of first- and second-year guys who had gone on to a 10-win season and miss the playoffs by a few points. Had a lot of guys who had success early in their careers. Inexperience meant we didn’t know you could do the same things to win. Warren Sapp told me, he said, ‘Young fella, listen: If you are going to be successful in this league, you can’t do the same thing year in and year out. You have to do some things different.’ Given our experience, we didn’t know that. So we tried to do the same things as players and our inexperience showed on the field. Inexperience and lack of discipline.
Ryan: How is your health now.
GMC: Oh, I’m good. I’m participating in everything, 100 percent, workouts and practice. I’m back and ready to go.
Ryan: What did you learn last year? I know you were excited to play for Keith Millard, he was teaching you things and you were ready for a break out year and then you had the injury. What did you learn from him that you will take with you for the rest of your career?
GMC: Oh, man. Coach Millard, he was the best. I took in everything I could while I could. I studied and studied and studied everything he showed me. I will always remember it and will always keep it with me, the things he showed me. We have a great new coach in Randy Melvin, and, you know, taking it all in and putting it all together.
Kirwan: Let’s talk technique a little bit. You have a new coach come in and he may want to change your technique, change your stance, tweak a little bit, maybe lean some more some way. How difficult is it to change your technique when you have been doing things a long time through high school and college and now in the pros. If they start tweaking things, it can be difficult to do what they want.
GMC: Yeah, it is difficult. But that is the thing with being a professional. I have had three different d-line coaches in three years so I am learning something new every year. You just try to take it all in and be a professional. That is what Coach Schiano is teaching us now. To be professionals. The best defensemen are the ones in the Pro Bowl year in and year out so I am just trying to learn to be one of those guys.
Ryan: We know that Coach Schiano is a defensive guy and you bring in Bill Sheridan as the defensive coordinator. Schematically — just on the surface, you don’t have to get into it — still a four-man front? Still a shade player on the offensive guard? Penetrate right into the B-gap? How are they going to use you?
GMC: Yeah. They drafted me to do what it is I do. They are going to use me in that exact way and that is to penetrate and wreak havoc in the backfield. The defense is a four-man front and that is exactly how they are going to use me. Just taking it one step at a time. Same ole, same ole, wreak havoc in the backfield. Just as I’ve always done.
Ryan: How much is big Carl Nicks going to help out the interior of your offensive line?
GMC: That dude is a monster. I’m going to go on record and just say that. Everybody wants to quote different things, you can just go ahead and quote that one. Carl Nicks is a monster. Put a guy with that kind of talent next to a Donald Penn who is a Pro Bowler and you have Davin Joseph on the other side who is a Pro Bowler, you can’t beat that. You have to love it in practice because if you go against those guys day in and day out it can’t do anything but make you better and if you aren’t getting better, then that’s your fault because they are bringing it enough to make you work. I love having him on the team, I love it.
Kirwan: A lot of new faces on that roster. It’s only your third year as you have pointed out. As you look at that roster today, Carl Nicks, Vincent Jackson, Dallas Clark, Doug Martin, Amobi Okoye. There are a lot of guys who are new. How does it feel? How long does it take to build a football team where everyone gets to know everybody?
GMC: It is great but coach is taking the steps so that we know everybody. Have guys introduce themselves have guys speak to say what it is they expect from the team. Just different things so we get to learn the new personalities of all the new players and for the new players to learn us. I have been around for three years. So coach is taking necessary steps to learn each other so we can go out and function on the field.
Ryan: I feel bad about your defensive line teammate Brian Price and all the things he has been through in his life, growing up with the loss of some siblings and the catastrophic injury he suffered getting into pro football and now losing his sister, talk a little about Brian Price.
GMC: Whoa, for a guy like Brian Price, to be able to function the way he does and to play the game the way he does, it’s really surprising for all he has went through. But “BP” as we call him, he’s a tough guy and always finds a way to fight back and to show up. I am sure he will continue to do the same things. Life is a rollercoaster. So many twists and turns, upside-downs, twists, all that types of things, that is what life is. He takes it better than anyone I have seen. Applause goes to him.
Kirwan: Tell us the status of Aqib Talib.
GMC: I support him 100 percent and I believe Aqib is handing all of his situations like a true professional. I love having him on my team and having him out there on the field.
Kirwan: Last question for me and it’s a bit sensitive. Do you, personally, feel bad what happened to your former coach last year, Raheem.
GMC: (Period of dead air) Well, ah, you know, you never want to see, um, anybody lose a job at any moment. I have had teammates that were released and teammates being cut and all the coaching staff got released last year. You never want to see anybody, you know, be released. So of course that’s not something you ever want to see. Um but business is business and moves have to be made. Ah, when people do have families, hey, I’m a family guy to so it’s not just a coach, it’s anybody. You hate to see them lose a job or take a pay cut or anything of that sort. I feel for them because they have families to support. That’s anybody. But you have to understand about being a professional, being in a professional league, business moves have to be made and if we want to get to where we want to be, certain moves had to be made and we just have to understand that.
May 24th, 2012 at 8:52 am
seem GMC is ready to take that step..im sure ready 4 him 2
May 24th, 2012 at 8:55 am
Thanks Joe. Cue Thomas’s hate shortly …
May 24th, 2012 at 9:07 am
What do you think of Raheem Morris being fired?
(period of dead air) well uhhhhhhh, uhhhhhhhhhhh…………..its a busineess.
Classic.
May 24th, 2012 at 9:08 am
What a great interview by GMC. Polished eloquent & respectful answers…and he cut down on the hyperbole lol.
Wreak havoc in the backfield young man…and for the love of God break down and actually tackle somebody when you get back there!
May 24th, 2012 at 9:18 am
He sounds like he is growing up.
May 24th, 2012 at 9:21 am
“Gerald McCoy Speaks” Really? When do he don’t speak? I hope he play a entire season, and be a true leader.
May 24th, 2012 at 9:26 am
I listened in on that live as well, and that few seconds of dead silence was a bit odd.
May 24th, 2012 at 10:01 am
that was a less than ringing endorsement?
May 24th, 2012 at 10:26 am
Wish we could have Melvin & Millard as DL coaches. Yeah I know turn the page…
Not to short Randy Melvin, everyplace he has been as gotten very good DL play. I’m looking forward to seeing his coaching results.
McCoy is growing up, I like the pause before he gave his response, shows me he is thinking before he responds to a question. It he just didn’t want to have to give his true feelings on this subject. Better to be silent and thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.. ain’t that right Capt.
May 24th, 2012 at 10:27 am
” business moves have to be made and if we want to get to where we want to be, certain moves had to be made and we just have to understand that. ”
Pretty telling … Basically .. I hate to see anybody get fired … But uhh ,… He had to GO !!
I dont blame Raheem, There are not alot of people equipped at 33 to be a HC in the NFL.
May 24th, 2012 at 10:38 am
I applaud Gerald for honestly blasting his former coach by saying this:
Kirwan: “Do you, personally, feel bad what happened to your former coach last year, Raheem.”
GMC: “(Period of dead air) Well, ah, you know . . . if we want to get to where we want to be, certain moves had to be made and we just have to understand that.”
LMAOROF!!!!!
So all of you sheep who think that Rah was happy with his 3rd overall pick’s play (when not on IR) when Rah called Gerald “pop warner fundamentals,” and that Gerald was supportive of Rah need to admit how ridiculously wrong you were.
I have said before that Rah thought Gerald sucked and was soft. I think Rah blames Gerald for the demise of the franchise. Gerald thinks/thought Rah was the reason that Gerald stunk. Who is right I don’t know? Guess we will find out.
I love it when the truth becomes clearer and clearer. Applause to Gerald for his interview – now if his play could only be half as good!
May 24th, 2012 at 11:07 am
The dead air was GMC thinking back to what his momma always told him. If you don’t have something nice to say then don’t say anything at all.
GMC always seems like a kid who is calm and thoughtful. I am sure he didn’t appreciate the frat house atmosphere employed by Raheem.
I hope he flourishes with Schiano and Sheridan calling the shots.
May 24th, 2012 at 11:08 am
Very good interview. Very good.
(bear = bare)
GMC could always become a politician after that final response. Reminded me of Brooks in his answer.
May 24th, 2012 at 11:13 am
Nice, at least we know if things don’t work out for McCoy in football that he has a future in politics.
May 24th, 2012 at 11:17 am
Raheem Morris?
uhhhhhhhh uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Sorry, just had to relive that again.
Hilarious.
May 24th, 2012 at 12:28 pm
Leave it to Thomas to make another ridiculous post. If you think that Rah blamed Gerald for the demise of fhe franchise then you just admitted that McCoy WAS the difference maker on the defense. See, I knew you’d come around.
May 24th, 2012 at 1:38 pm
Come on Bobby you must be better than that.
Gerald being a bust for Rah as the 3rd overall pick – an important pick that must be spent wisely, wasn,t and accordingly the failure of the pick due to subparplay and injury led to Rah’s demise.
Certainly you are able to get that – maybe not?
May 24th, 2012 at 1:58 pm
Sub par play? We won when McCoy played..we lost when he didn’t. Rah was correct, the absence of McCoy hurt badly.
May 24th, 2012 at 3:35 pm
I didn’t get to hear the interview, but based on the transcript he was being careful to give a politically correct answer. Some animosity between those two?
May 24th, 2012 at 3:44 pm
Bobby,
Here we go again.
SUBPAR PLAY FOR GMC= NOT STAYING HEALTHY.
Tough to be a “difference maker” on the sidelines with “pop warner” tackling skills.
McCoy can justify his SALARY and DRAFT STATUS by staying HEALTHY for 16 games.
What good is a DT that plays 4 games a year? Not a damn thing.
May 24th, 2012 at 3:59 pm
Doesn’t anyone remember the reports that the specific injuries GMC suffered were predictable because of his specific physiology and that the surgery to repair that injury when it happens leaves the affected bicep muscle STRONGER than it was before?
It has sucked beyond words that we were without GMC for so many games during his first two years, but in his specific case, those injuries and the surgeries performed to repair hem have made him a stronger and healthier player. This is not a guy we can judge based on his injuries.
May 24th, 2012 at 4:49 pm
I only judge McCoy for whar he did on the field. He was very good wheb he played. If he can’t stay healthy we will obviously have to move on and get another DT but the nature of his injuries suggests that if he does get injured it won’t be a torn bicep. Those injuries do not reoccur on the same arm. As far as McCoy’s tackling technique…they had him ranked as the #2 DT behind Suh and no one criticized his technique before the draft. I think if he had ‘pop warner’ fundamentals it would have raised a flag. Do you people even think before you post? You call Morris absolutely clueless but when it comes to his analysis of Gerald suddenly he is Mike Mayock…?
May 24th, 2012 at 4:50 pm
I hate typing on a cell phone!!!!!
May 24th, 2012 at 5:36 pm
Bobby,
We do think.
We also think the $13 million in next year’s cap is going to be cleared out if he doesn’t step up big time.
May 24th, 2012 at 7:57 pm
GMC didn’t perform for his paygrade.
PERIOD
May 24th, 2012 at 9:05 pm
Same stupid argument, pretty much weekly. All you have to do is say GMC, and you get the two extremes. Some think he’s our best player, others are calling him a bust. Some think he’s already in the hall of fame, others think he shouldn’t speak until he is in the hall of fame. Both sides sound like idiots because it’s too early to judge him. I also find it comical how people can take so much from words that were never said, especially from geniuses like Thomas. If he’s like me, he’s probably moved on from Raheem Morris, and doesn’t really want to talk about it any more. Or maybe he hates Raheem Morris with a Thomas-like hate. Who really give a sh!t? All I care about is Greg Schiano and the players on THIS year’s team.
May 24th, 2012 at 9:08 pm
GMC was injured you imbeciles. That is different than not performing for your paygrade. I saw what he did when he was healthy. I look at McCoy like I look at Stafford. He’s worth waiting on to get healthy. He will be the anchor of the defense.
May 24th, 2012 at 11:05 pm
Bobby,
You are such a “Homer Simpson”.
You would pay an exuberant amount ($13 million), for not even half of what was paid for (“Games Missed Constantly”)?
Get real, Bro. Quit insulting “realists”.
10% of our salary cap for 1 player? This is a make or break year for GMC.
I hope he tears it up, and before you go all “Mathew Stafford” on me, look at the numbers. Stafford threw for 50 TD’s last year, I’d like to see GMC get 5 sacks.
If he can’t stay healthy, then he’s gone. Period.
May 25th, 2012 at 8:08 am
@stevek…You really are the master of the obvious aren’t you? If he can’t stay healthy he’s gone… Wow! You must have studied hard for that one! My problem you you and your alias Thomas is that you ignore McCoys impact on our defense when he was healthy and just act like he did nothing, even when healthy. Those of us who ARE realists know that he is going to be one of the best DT’s in the game this year. I’m not really even concerned with his health.
May 25th, 2012 at 8:52 am
McCoy has done “ok” when in the game.
He hasn’t been $12+ million good, and that’s a fact.
We need that kind of investment on the field, if not it is wasted.
Okoye might get a pay day from the Bucs if he does well this year?
Lastly, McCoy’s impact (when healthy) has been no where close to Matthew Stafford’s.