Bucs rookie OL Luke Goedeke bonds with Ali Marpet.

Joe understands why fans want to see popular, lunch pail players get into coaching after their playing days. Hey, if they worked hard and were smart players, why not use those qualities as an assistant?

NFL assistant coaches put in sick hours. Former Bucs Super Bowl-winning coach Bucco Bruce Arians’ and his five o’clock-cocktail-hour schedule is very, very much an outlier in the NFL. In fact, it’s unheard of outside of Arians.

A 90-hour work week not counting gameday is common. Players who stashed money in the bank during their careers don’t need the money that bad — much less bouncing from NFL city to NFL city every few years.

So Joe is typing this because of the inevitable question. “Will Ali Marpet coach with the Bucs?”

Marpet seems to be at least be dabbling with the idea without the 90-hour workweeks.

The former Pro Bowl left guard who retired this spring and is unlikely to return as a player. Anyone who follows him on social media can see how much weight he’s shed. He almost looks like a different person.

That doesn’t mean he has a clean break from the Bucs. He’s been involved in Bucs community marketing and service efforts. And it seems he is building a bond with a guy who may take his place in the starting lineup.

Today, second-round rookie offensive lineman Luke Goedeke met the Tampa Bay pen and mic club in-person for the first time. He brought a cool story about one of his early experiences with the Bucs.

Goedeke said he heard from Donovan Smith and Tristan Wirfs right after he was drafted. And a third guy, it was Marpet!

Of course, Goedeke knows all about Marpet. Shocked that Marpet would reach out to him, Goedeke texted Marpet back asking if he could pick Marpet’s brain about moving to Tampa, what to expect going from a small school to the NFL and whatever techniques he may need to rely on to succeed.

Marpet said sure and this led to a 30-45 minute phone call. And it seems there was more.

“He’s an elite offensive guard,” Goedeke said of Marpet. “I’m hoping to earn that starting guard spot. Being able to have those conversations with him, I am fortunate for that. I was surprised [at Marpet’s kindness].

“I think that speaks volumes to the culture that the Bucs’ organization has here. I was totally caught off-guard. Suprised. But again, very thankful that he did reach out. I was able to ask him quite a few questions. … I’m very fortunate for that.”

Goedeke said his biggest takeaways were learning how much of a higher level football is from college, living in the Tampa area and what Marpet used in order to become a Pro Bowl guard.

When Goekeke was asked about possibly playing next to fiery Bucs center Ryan Jensen, his face lit up.

“I know he likes to get after defensive lineman,” Goedeke said. “That’s right up my alley. … Heard he likes to smack-talking a little bit which I partake in here and there.”

Goedeke said watching cut-ups of Jensen gets him fired up.

Don’t we all?

As far as Marpet goes, Joe doubts he ever becomes an NFL assistant coach. Maybe if he gets the itch, possibly as a local high school coach.

Reaching out to touch base and help a rookie who may succeed him at his position just demonstrates what a class act Marpet is.