“He Is The Fire”
February 1st, 2020
Interesting take from Ronald Jones.
Tampa Bay’s second-year running back was cruising around Super Bowl’s Radio Row yesterday and found time for a quick chat on WDAE radio.
Jones was asked about Jason Pierre-Paul potentially returning, as his contract is expiring. (Thinking Bucs fans realize JPP will want top dollar after betting on himself in 2019, and 21 sacks in his last 26 games.
RoJo didn’t hesitate, and he called out JPP as part of the supreme leadership threesome on the Bucs.
“It’s definitely going to be important,’ RoJo said. “You know, like him and Suh and Lavonte David, those are our guys that, you know, speak up when it’s time for something to be said on the team. So definitely you want to bring [JPP] back because he is the fire and soul on the team.”
The leadership side of JPP intrigues Joe. In 2018, did JPP speak up when Brent Grimes’ vibe was all messed up (all season) because the Bucs asked him to cover top receivers? That Bucs defense was horrible, and Joe has it on very good authority that JPP was prone to freelancing along the defensive line, as in not listening to coaches.
Perhaps JPP’s leadership improved last season. Certainly the defense improved when he returned.
Joe was a bit surprised to hear RoJo name JPP, Suh and Lavonte David as leader while omitting his brethren on offense.
Regardless, JPP is a damn good player, and the Bucs aren’t good enough defensively to let good players walk out of the building. And if he really is “the fire,” well, how could Bucco Bruce Arians wave goodbye?
February 1st, 2020 at 5:33 am
jpp always flexin’ and stuntin’…
sign this dude yesterday broski !
February 1st, 2020 at 5:49 am
No surprise he didn’t call JW the fire, highest paid and least effective !
Let him walk.
February 1st, 2020 at 6:42 am
Easily worth a new contract. JPP is a tough sob on and off the field. There are very few people in the world who could go through what he has and still come out swinging. One of my favorite Bucs ever.
February 1st, 2020 at 6:43 am
Actually RoJo also spoke to another local sports reporter and raved about Jameis, saying the Bucs must bring him back.
February 1st, 2020 at 7:04 am
Not a bit surprised that RoJo singled out JPP, Suh & LVD as the guys who speak up when things need to be said. All three are seasoned veterans who’ve excelled for many years at their positions. Bucs will be fools if we don’t re-sign both JPP AND Suh. No excuses.
February 1st, 2020 at 7:17 am
Joe – you are baffling me again. S few articles ago you all the sudden care about character as important to winning. Now Leadership? You made it clear in articles and Podcasts, you didn’t think leadership mattered. Now it does?
I’ll chalk it up to Sensible Joe vs Shill Joe.
Yes – keep this entire Defense. Get a staring RT, everyone else gets what’s left of the Cap Scraps.
In BA I Trust!
February 1st, 2020 at 8:12 am
2 of the 3 leaders had to be bought!… another ding on Jason Lite
February 1st, 2020 at 8:42 am
I think retaining the defense will be what makes jw leave.Bucs wont be able to afford brady and rivers is worse than jw. I think if they are going for a atron defense and strong qb who plays conservative Bridgewater would be the smarter move and he can also bring.some.of his knowledge of the saints offense along with him
February 1st, 2020 at 8:50 am
Defense Rules
calling jpp a leader is like calling Pee Wee herman a role model for Park Bench monitors…..
i love how you idiots give this dumbarse a free pass yet he is the SOLE reason bucs missed the playoffs….. counting on jpp to set an example for players is also similar to having the Unibomber teach shop class….
February 1st, 2020 at 8:55 am
so when jpp misses games for another dumbarse decision and bucs miss playoffs again I can’t wait for the excuses. JPP is a good player but not a leader and not a player you build a foundation around. he is one late night bad choice away from screwing his teammates AGAIN but you low standard nuthuggers conveniently forget this very similar to the way you rewrite history about dungy the clown who could not field a high school level offense. there is nothing more hypocritical than a senile defensive first bucfan who forgets points wins games NOT one dimensional highly ranked defensive teams.
February 1st, 2020 at 9:01 am
you losers can’t say the defense really picked up when jpp got back and not blame him for missing games and not attending off-season workouts. it’s just hypocritical but I expect nothing less from dungy the nuthugger clones. bash the young offensive savior because you can’t comprehend all three phases of football while giving the defensive knucklehead a free pass…
February 1st, 2020 at 9:05 am
tampa is not a defensive town its a town only known for losing and the largest market in the usa for adult diapers.
February 1st, 2020 at 9:38 am
AlteredEgo Say: Your comment is awaiting moderation. Says
“2 of the 3 leaders had to be bought!… another ding on Jason Lite”
Only because he focused on building a top, young offense around his QB.
And…JPP wasn’t bought, smart guy. We got him in a trade.
February 1st, 2020 at 9:46 am
The best “leadership” JPP exhibited, when he called out She-mc 93 and told her ” you about nothin”!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So glad to hear all the local media try to sell the “real” fans of what a leader and warrior she was!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Its refreshing to hear absolute silence from the local media after wrongly saying of the regret and how Tampa would miss her!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The local media in Tampa are the worst in player evaluation!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Go bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
February 1st, 2020 at 10:02 am
What games has Joe been watching? It was immediately obvious JPP was a leader when he arrived… didn’t he have something to say to 2 clowns dancing on the sidelines during a 2018 loss? Same with Suh this year. LVD Is more vocal than ever now that the 2 dancing fools are gone.
It is refreshing, but not surprising, to see an offensive player confirm the true team leaders. Now, we need to get a culture carrier on the OL and at QB to round this team into playoff form. Take Bryan Bulaga and Philip Rivers, then let the Blameless apologists rant for a month or two about washed up vets… but when the helmets come on you will see the kind of controlled passion and dedication to craft on O that JPP/Suh/LVD bring to the D. The potential is already there with ME, Marpet and Godwin.
February 1st, 2020 at 10:03 am
After the league adjusted to (doubleteamed) Barrett, his production fell off huge until JPP came back. Don’t need to know much more
February 1st, 2020 at 10:04 am
Tmax, you are typing drivel man. Open your eyes.
February 1st, 2020 at 11:01 am
“Bucs will be fools if we don’t re-sign both JPP AND Suh. No excuses.”
Amen D.R.! I’ll take it a step farther…we should sign ALL the defensive guys…Nassib..and some critical backups like Minter.
Once our kiddie corps DB’s grew up our D was actually “ballin” and not just in somebody’s imagination. We should keep them all. I have a word for us today that describes what happened and why JPP may have grown as a leader with the addition of Suh and Shaq.
SYNERGY – the interaction or cooperation of two or more organizations, substances, or other agents to produce a combined effect greater than the sum of their separate effects.
We do not wish to gamble with that synergy so obvious last year.
February 1st, 2020 at 11:50 am
@stpetebucfan
Be careful my old friend, some of that “synergy ” had to do with playing a bunch of. Backup QB’s in the back half of the season!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Go bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
February 1st, 2020 at 12:35 pm
El Buco
You qualified that with SOME so I won’t nitpick….but Matty Ice and Deshaun are hardly backups.
February 1st, 2020 at 1:25 pm
Must keep JPP. No arguement.
February 1st, 2020 at 2:46 pm
@stpetebucfan
Do not think for one moment, that the word “some” was not chosen very carefully!!!!!!!!!!!
Now since you named the two QB’s that they lost two, look at the four wins, which one was Matt Ryan, and three slappies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
go bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
February 1st, 2020 at 6:10 pm
JPP is a must to re-sign