Dirk Koetter Assesses Tom Brady Improvement, Talks Bucs’ Super Bowl Difference & Emotion
July 9th, 2021
A former round-the-clock reader of this here website, former Buccaneers head coach Dirk Koetter, is a quite an authority when it comes to the Bucs and quarterbacks.
He faced Tampa Bay as Falcons offensive coordinator the past two years after being fired by Team Glazer. And Koetter, a former college quarterback himself, was always known as a bit of a QB guru during his many years of NFL coaching.
Joe stashed Koetter’s takes from Idaho sports radio 93.1 FM since Super Bowl week. And today seems like a great day to share.
First, Koetter was clear that he saw a stronger version of Tom Brady in 2021.
“You know, one thing, we played them the last game of the year. And just watching him in warmups and watching him from the press box in the game, I thought he had more velocity on the ball than I remember from [playing against him] in other years,” Koetter said. “It’s hard to believe he’s 43.”
As for the Bucs, Koetter was eager to gush about their defense. And while he didn’t pick a Super Bowl winner, he said multiple times that fans should watch out for the underrated Bucs defense as the key to the game.
“I think the thing that gets overlooked about Tampa is how good their defense is,” Koetter said. “Those two edge rushers, there’s just not too many teams in the league that have a guy on both edges that can rush like that. And then they got Vita Vea back … they got two great inside linebackers in [Devin] White and Lavonte David. … The one rookie kid, Winfield, is probably going to be runner-up for Defensive Rookie of the Year.”
Koetter is retired now and back in his home state of Idaho.
He also shared that watching the Bucs get to the Super Bowl wasn’t just another day. “It was a little bit emotional, I’m not going to lie,” Koetter said, noting how he cares deeply for many in the Tampa Bay organization.
Koetter put Mike Evans and Lavonte David atop that list.
July 9th, 2021 at 5:07 pm
Koetter was a good coach in a bad organization. The whole attempt to switch to Gruden and then letting him come back for a year was a kneecapper. Thank god Tom Brady is here
July 9th, 2021 at 5:10 pm
It was always enjoyable for me to listen to Dirk talk football. It was far less enjoyable watching teams he coached play football. I think he would make a quality analyst or maybe color guy on live broadcast. I’d recommend that for his next career, if he gets bored in retirement.
July 9th, 2021 at 5:12 pm
I still think Koetter was a better Head Coach than the record would indicate. There were so many unfortunate things out of his control from missed kicks, turnovers, untimely drops. Seemed like a good guy too and always enjoyed his honest and thoughtful press conferences.
July 9th, 2021 at 5:14 pm
Western Buc
He was a good OC.. in over his head as a HC.
July 9th, 2021 at 5:34 pm
^ yup. He was in over his head as a HC.
The Godfather! Lol.
But I always appreciated his candor. I think Ira nailed it on the last podcast when he said Dirk was probably the most honest of our last 4 head coaches.
July 9th, 2021 at 5:39 pm
Like Koetter, the man brought in to develop Winston, and probably knew long before anyone else that Winston….was….a…bust….and dishonest as well. Thank God Winston is a Saint now.
July 9th, 2021 at 5:43 pm
Dirk first coach with the stones to bench winston.
July 9th, 2021 at 5:46 pm
I always liked ole Dirk. His problem was his loyalty to Mike Smith the worst defensive coordinator I have ever had the displeasure of witnessing.
July 9th, 2021 at 6:04 pm
Koetter was a decent offensive coordinator, but in over his head as an NFL head coach.
He was a great college coach at Boise State.
I always liked him because when asked a question, he always tried to answer with a minimum of BS.
His loyalty to Mike Smith cost him dearly.
He should have gotten rid of him sooner.
July 9th, 2021 at 6:29 pm
I wonder if he kept the painting?
July 9th, 2021 at 6:30 pm
Yep…if Kotter had a better DC than MIke Smith, he might have stayed with the Bucs a little longer.
July 9th, 2021 at 8:18 pm
Everyone blaming him keeping Mike Smith, what good DC is coming to town when everyone and their mother knows the owners wanted to replace him totally got played by Gruden?
Thank god for Tom Brady
July 9th, 2021 at 9:05 pm
I think Koetter’s biggest problems were:
The Glazers for not letting him jettison America’s Turn Over Machine
Mike Smith for not resigning when he stopped caring
His own misplaced loyalty. Loyalty is for friends and coworkers who still care
July 9th, 2021 at 9:29 pm
Man Dirk was trash lol 😆😂🤣 !!
July 9th, 2021 at 10:33 pm
Once the aforementioned painting was handed off by the creeper not to be named, things went sideways in a huge hurry.
July 9th, 2021 at 11:00 pm
Koetter is a good guy and I think that sticking with his buddy Mike Smith and Jameis for too long was his downfall. Seems like most teams give a qb 3 years to develop and then kick em to the curb. Not us man, we are masochists and gotta keep these bums around for at least five. Sad, but hopefully that practice is over.
July 10th, 2021 at 1:43 am
Koetter was responsible for the Mike Smith defense. Otherwise he could of been decent, we all know he was stuck with Winston against his will.
July 10th, 2021 at 6:53 am
How did I know that O’Neil would be on here calling Dirk trash .
July 10th, 2021 at 8:15 am
Organizationally the Buccaneers as a whole did not get a lot of breaks during his tenure, a 1st week bye, Hard knocks(a complete distraction imo), the worst schedule possible , QB with off field issues (smh). The guys worst trait as the head man was that he was too loyal to his friends.
July 10th, 2021 at 9:41 am
He’s a good X’s and O’s guy but horrific at player development.
July 11th, 2021 at 11:32 am
Anonymous . Because I’m the only one who don’t feed off emotions . I’m the only one who looks at the game as a whole. Go ask Davonta Freeman and any other young runningback he coached. If it wasn’t for Jack Del Rieo in Jacksonville over turning some of his play calling you would have never heard of Morrice Jones Drew . If it wasn’t for Lovie Martin would have never had 1,400 yards rushing that year. He never wanted or couldn’t develop a runningback in his whole career as a coach. Look at Matt Rayn the moment he left he became a MVP . Freeman became a super star runningback when Dirk left. And what happened to Freeman when Dirk went back ?? Lol 😆 the same thing happened to the bucs when he became the head coach no running game!!