Bienvenue, Josh Freeman!
January 13th, 2018
Birthday boy Josh Freeman has a new team today.
Ah, the good ol’ days of 2010, when 22-year-old Josh Freeman was was a total-package quarterback leading the Buccaneers to a 10-6 record behind 25 touchdown passes and just six interceptions.
But by 2013, Freeman was another dashed Bucs dream. And now he has a new team.
Driven, football-loving Freeman, now 30, has never stopped his quest to return to NFL stardom. And there are no signs he squandered the nearly $40 million he earned in the NFL.
Freeman signed a two-year contract to play in the CFL for the Montreal Alouettes, who finished 3-15 last season and have serious quarterback issues. Freeman is expected to compete for a starting job after working out for Montreal during their season last summer.
For those unaware, Freeman was last in the NFL during the 2015 season. He spent that offseason with the Dolphins and was cut after the preseason finale. No NFL team came calling, so Freeman signed with the Brooklyn Bolts, a New York team in a startup semipro league.
Before and after that, Freeman was spotted training at the IMG Academy in Bradenton.
That dedication led the Colts to come calling for him as the 2015 NFL season closed. They had massive injuries at the quarterback position and with just a few days to prepare, Freeman started the season finale against the Titans and won the game.
And then, again, no NFL team wanted him.
So Freeman headed to the CFL for various tryouts, and here he his, a man with a team following a wild and mysterious journey.
Joe wishes Freeman well. Whatever is in Freeman’s past, Joe respects the hell out of Freeman never giving up his football dreams.
January 13th, 2018 at 8:45 am
He will now be known as “Canada’s Quarterback”.
January 13th, 2018 at 8:53 am
Hope he does make it and got rid of the demons that got him in s tampa, hope he turns into some NFL comeback movie story leading a team to the super bowl
January 13th, 2018 at 8:55 am
…and dr stroud, that would be fine. we all love a great comeback. Hope he does well.
January 13th, 2018 at 8:58 am
There must be something in the water or air in Tampa that makes good football players and good coaches suck. Or maybe it’s mons venus.
January 13th, 2018 at 8:59 am
Au revoir, bonne chance, et bon debarras, Josh!!!
January 13th, 2018 at 9:18 am
Josh should consider bringing his b!tch t!ts back. Josh was always the better quarterback with them, plus they provide insulation from the cold. Another piece of advice, don’t play in the snow up there.
January 13th, 2018 at 9:24 am
He is not leaky, sleepy Josh anymore? And now you respect the hell out of him.
No, Joe wrote about respecting Freeman’s drive to return to the game. Extremely rare and long journey he’s been on.–Joe
January 13th, 2018 at 9:29 am
Hope they dont decide to bench this mental midget. He might throw a tantrum, create a mysterious leak, let everyone think it was the coach and before you know it, the whole season is lost.
January 13th, 2018 at 9:44 am
Such a sad story. I hope he enjoys what’s left of his career.
January 13th, 2018 at 9:57 am
Could we have a sequel to Warren Moon? Doug Flutie?
Moon had to go to Canada because the NFL “braintrust” all knew that black players can’t play QB.
By the time Free arrived at least that stereotype was gone. Free brought all his troubles on himself.
Having said that like Rod I’d love to see Free regain his life. Americans love redemption…our favorite stories are of people who failed then returned to success.
January 13th, 2018 at 9:57 am
I don’t respect that he loved partying more than football and went all Shaun King and stopped working hard. Maybe he didn’t squander all of his $40 million but he tore through a lot of it. It is this reason that Freeman keeps trying to get back in the football game, He has nothing else. And how exactly do you know any of that to be true, Mr. Ed? –Joe Maybe he’s cleaned up his act and some shred of work ethic has returned. Chances are he will be beaten out by some Division 2 college scrub who can run. Freeman used to be able to run, that was when he played his best. It will be interesting to see if he can hang on to a team.
January 13th, 2018 at 10:01 am
Couch fan,that sure sounds like the Qb we have on the team now!
January 13th, 2018 at 10:09 am
ZK that makes absolutely no sense but thank you for trying.
January 13th, 2018 at 10:13 am
Im rooting for him too. Its crazy the amount of pressure on these guys at that young age. Ill never get how he had that one great year but couldnt do much of anything after. We know he has it in him cuz we saw it. Lets hope he is sober and confident and has great coaching up there.
January 13th, 2018 at 11:03 am
Hope he does well…. To bad salty fans would wish Doug Martin well before this kid. It’s Canada he better play well because the Joe’s will be all over it
January 13th, 2018 at 11:21 am
He’s not welcome in Canada
January 13th, 2018 at 11:24 am
Always liked Josh. Some say it was drugs. Others say it was Schiano. But ultimately it was Josh. If he had the skills, he’s still be in the NFl today. I hope he does well. Who knows? He might return to the NFl. Stranger things have happenned. But I doubt it.
January 13th, 2018 at 11:26 am
The only demon he had in Tampa was “Coach Toes On The Line” !! TAKE A KNEE…KEEP AMERICA FREE…BURN MARALARGO BURN!!
January 13th, 2018 at 11:36 am
Must have a good Coke connect in Montreal
January 13th, 2018 at 11:37 am
I always thought he was mis handled. He was a mobile QB in a system that wanted him to be a pocket passer. And as far as his dedication to the team, he led a mini workout with the team during the recent NFL lock out
January 13th, 2018 at 11:38 am
Just think……there is more doubt surrounding Winston. Going into his 4th season. Than their was for Freeman.
January 13th, 2018 at 11:43 am
He seems like a decent enough guy.. Im sure he got in with some shady people in TB…. Apparently theres 2 or 3 strip clubs in the area..im told…
His 26 TD 6 pick year in 2010 was the most impressive Bucs qb season I had seen…He lost it after that …I hope he tears up the Intermural Further-North Dakota League!!
January 13th, 2018 at 12:14 pm
That freeman I wish him the best man
January 13th, 2018 at 12:20 pm
His downfall was the effeminate “Michael Jackson” pic. Scary.
January 13th, 2018 at 12:22 pm
****************
Freeman, RG3, Vince Young, Jamarcus Russell, TeBow , Kaepernick and maybe a young rook like JT Barrett should all call up Vince McMahon and say, you have the 6 of us be the starting QB on 7 of your new XFL teams and the viewers will come … sprinkle in a little Ray Rice, Greg Hardy and other guys that have been black-balled from the NFL, and the XFL could blow up!
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January 13th, 2018 at 12:42 pm
Couch fan I for got your a FSU fan,let me spell it out for you! Your little boy Jamise is a head case,he has mental problems!
January 13th, 2018 at 1:28 pm
That 2010 Bucs team was so much fun to watch. The future looked bright with Raheem and Josh.
January 13th, 2018 at 1:54 pm
There is no doubt about Jameis. Your hate does not translate to doubt. Winston will be the Bucs QB until he decide to leave. Bunch of loser putting other people down. Bunch of Dump DEPLORABLES!
January 13th, 2018 at 2:14 pm
Josh Freeman is still just 30 years old, that is amazing considering it feels like he’s been around forever. It’s a shame the way that the Jersey Trash ™ Schiano broke the kid – then leaked his medical records. I do know Fat Freeman was a really good NFL QB, go back if you forgot how good he looked in games, he really reminded me of Ben Roethlisberger in the way he moved around, could run if he had too and could drag defenders. In Freeman’s best year I think he played at around 270lbs or more, and at 6′ 6″ he could just throw guys off of him.
Anywho at just 30 years old I wonder if he could work his way back into the NFL. He has the size and arm that would make you think someone would take a chance on him again. But I really do wonder what happened to him – like I get why he got ran out of the NFL, but if he’s cleaned up and been clean, how does he not get another legitimate chance by someone? If he’s even remotely close to the guy he was with the Bucs then he’s better than most backups in the NFL.
January 13th, 2018 at 2:20 pm
Im a life long Gators fan ZK. But continue trying to spin this into a winston article. LMAO
January 13th, 2018 at 2:22 pm
My wife suspected he was gay.
January 13th, 2018 at 2:38 pm
Freeman will be starting for Green Bay next year year.
January 13th, 2018 at 3:00 pm
BucTrooper – Oh wait… so his weight loss could have been from HIV then… in that case don’t sign me up for whatever he was taking, I don’t need any vitamin D, I’m good.
January 13th, 2018 at 3:02 pm
There MUST be a lot more to the Josh Freeman story than we know. There seems to be a cone of silence on the why’s of his situation. Is he gay, drug user, lazy, or simply a head case? How did that happen? Was he always that way? Why did he fall out of favor with teammates, who didn’t want him as a captain? It will come out someday, long after people stop caring.
January 13th, 2018 at 4:25 pm
Shiano wanted to start his favorite, who has since proved to be a complete BUST with Chicago, as I said all along despite his mob here, and Schiano drove Freeman into a mental case and a drunk, and ruined his NFL reputation. Otherwise we would have already had a future franchise QB. I wish Freeman the best. It is as simple as that.
January 13th, 2018 at 4:52 pm
Couch fan.I’m not trying to spin anything,if you can’t see the way he acts,then I don’t know what to tell you!! But anyways the Gators suck to
January 13th, 2018 at 5:27 pm
Good for Josh, for all the issues he had down the stretch when he was in Tampa he is still the 2nd best QB in franchise history. Whether it’s in Canada or the NFL I wish him well.
January 13th, 2018 at 5:31 pm
What an interesting journey indeed. It’ll make a great 30 for 30
January 13th, 2018 at 6:32 pm
Owlykat – I agree with you completely. Freeman was a franchise QB with his big weakness being that he wasn’t very mentally tough. The Jersey Trash ™ Schiano came in and I think he hated the fact Freeman was a quiet and reserved guy, and he also didn’t like that he was fat. I never heard any rumors about Freeman prior to Schiano getting here, so I don’t know if I just didn’t see them, or if in fact Schiano drove Freeman to a life of drugs – which is what I suspect. Also one of Freeman’s biggest traits was creating time for WRs, he could keep plays alive by moving around – and when Schiano came in he strapped knee braces on Freeman and told him he had to stay in the pocket, completely taking away a big strength. Why did he do that? Because that’s what Brady does – and we know Schiano’s worship of his buddy Bill. Meanwhile he gets the miniature giraffe Glennon since he knows he can’t move outside the pocket and from the moment the Bucs took him Schiano was determined to play him. I don’t know how much Freeman played into that, I guess there was some issues with that opening game in New York, but again prior to Schiano getting here I just never heard of any issues – but maybe I was just out of the loop.
January 13th, 2018 at 9:09 pm
Everyone loves a comeback story, cheering you on Josh!
January 13th, 2018 at 9:48 pm
Mystery Man
January 13th, 2018 at 10:55 pm
Joe, you know what happened, why don’t you spill da beans. I always here a lot of innuendo, but I want to know why this guy just woke up and forgot how to play quarterback.
January 13th, 2018 at 11:52 pm
lets make him the backup to JW3
January 13th, 2018 at 11:56 pm
So called Buccaneer fans loved Freeman that year probably even after his rookie year after he beat Greenbay his 1st game as a pro but soon as he started having problems started jumping off his ship. It’s funny he had no issues when Raheem coached him but once chiano got there they developed. If it’s true he let chiano get in his head then it’s on him he should have worked harder and squashed Glennon since he had more ability and skill. His biggest football problem was his short game but threw a beautiful long ball. Hey Chiano ran off Blount and Talib( he did them a favor) because they weren’t his kinds of guys and neither was Freeman who I think was simply too standoffish and lackadaisical. Maybe he had the Ricky Williams syndrome and shoulda smoked some ganja and calm his nerves. I wonder how many fans quickly jumped off the wounded dog running Trent Dilfer bandwagon once he proved he sucked.
Unfortunately for Freeman he’s lost what he had that magical season and if after all these years he can’t stick with even a semi pro team he’s got no hope for a pro career at 30.
Since some clown made this about Jameis lets look at that. Just as Freeman had the competitiveness coached out of him Jameis has had the same done to him. Freeman ran 14tds in college but came to the NFL and they forced him to be a pocket passer. Jameis as a rookie ran for 6 td but 2 in the last 2. Koetter needs to get out of his way and let him run when he feels the need to. One of his greatest plays came on a19 yard run.
ZooKeeper you should leave diagnosing mental issues to the professionals because you know nothing. Jameis a head case? Head cases are mentally weak and there is nothing that shows he’s mentally weak. If anything you’re a head case. Was that your sister who willingly gave him the booty then falsely accused him in order to get a payday after she found out he was gonna be the top pick in the draft? You and all the other Jameis haters/Mariota lovers need to give up on the Bucs and root for teams with qbs who look like you because Jameis has gotten better each year so he’s going nowhere unless he gets tired of the the gutless fans who smile in his face for an autograph but come up to boards like this and talk dog about him. Tim Brown was telling the truth about what he said about fans in Tampa bay. If you losers drive him out of Tampa Bay then the Bucs will deserve to continue to be cellar dwellers of the NFL.
January 14th, 2018 at 12:05 am
My brother was a high end python dealer that lives in NPB, Fl., Josh used to buy snakes from him. Heard that Josh would arrive high as a kite.
January 14th, 2018 at 12:37 am
@firethecannons
a little ironic that your brother deals pythons in NPB while 60 miles away people are paid bounties to kill them.
No judgement. just sayin.
January 14th, 2018 at 7:15 am
When is the 30 for 30 special airing on Freeman?
January 14th, 2018 at 11:35 am
@Buc. Bill–
No doubt
My brother is less into it now, but back in the early 2000’s he made a ton of money. He developed a rare variety that he named “GHI” one time I saw pic a of Josh holding a ghi python. Anyway the words were that he was “coked up” I did not even watch NFL till 2015 so I have no opinion on Josh.
January 21st, 2018 at 9:55 am
Tampa, where Careers come to die