“He Wants To Be A Strength Coach”
May 3rd, 2022
Rookie Bucs TE Ko Kieft
After hearing his candid college head coach rant about Ko Kieft, it’s hard to imagine the rookie tight end won’t stick on the Bucs’ roster this season.
Kief, the Bucs’ sixth-round pick last week, was a blocking tight end at the University of Minnesota for high-energy and successful head coach P.J. Fleck.
Fleck was a receiver for the 49ers before coaching at Rutgers and joining the Buccaneers’ staff as a receivers coach in 2012. He ranted about Kieft last season with extraordinary compliments.
“He’s one of the toughest young people I’ve every met, mentally, physically, emotionally,” Fleck said.
“When you talk about somebody who loves the weight room, he wants to be a strength coach one day. And he just loves the weight room, loves to improve, loves the science behind the body and the kinesiology and the study of how the body grows.
“He’s very smart. Very intelligent. Very tough. Loves his teammates. Just an incredible football player. Knows his role. Not ever sitting there saying, ‘I don’t like my role. I need to do this. I need to be catching 10 passes per game.’ Knows his role. Knows what he’s really good at. Does it at an extreme level. But he is really the attitude of this team.”
Joe’s intrigued by Kieft’s love of the weight room. Maybe he can bulk up his 6-4, 259-pound frame another dozen pounds to be more punishing? Or perhaps he’s already sort of maxed out from an elite training regimen.
Joe can’t find anything wrong with an intelligent tough guy who loves the gym and has a guy like Fleck calling him an ultimate team player and tough guy.
May 3rd, 2022 at 12:46 pm
He’s listed at 6′ 5 265
May 3rd, 2022 at 12:49 pm
Let’s Go Ko.
Beefed Kieft.
May 3rd, 2022 at 12:56 pm
Flabby arms for a guy who loves the gym… do you even lift, Bro 😉
May 3rd, 2022 at 1:03 pm
I was thinking that AC.
let’s just hope he can block like Gronk and catch the occassional lob
May 3rd, 2022 at 1:23 pm
I would love if this player make it!!!!
May 3rd, 2022 at 1:24 pm
I hope he pans out.
May 3rd, 2022 at 1:26 pm
Not comparing his play style to gronk but they graded gronk poorly and some even said he was slow. We all know how that turned out. If this guy can make the team and block for us with some key receptions he’s a W in my book. Should provide some much needed depth in the TE room.
May 3rd, 2022 at 1:29 pm
Bring it!
May 3rd, 2022 at 1:31 pm
He’s going to love the TB12 method.
May 3rd, 2022 at 1:36 pm
This guy’s growing on me. Most of our draft picks are actually. This was the first year I actually looked into the players, and that’s why I’m salty about how it went.
May 3rd, 2022 at 1:57 pm
I’m still not sure what position he’ll end up playing. On the surface, he’s obviously a TE, and he’ll certainly see most of his action there, at least at first. But he could, as Joe mentioned, take snaps as a FB. He’s a tad tall to play that position, but he loves hitting hard. If he can add more weight, he could even work as a developmental swing tackle. He’s athletic enough, I believe he played basketball which takes good coordination and lateral movement. He’ll need at least another 35 lbs., which might be possible as he doesn’t have the potbelly of an O lineman.
May 3rd, 2022 at 2:31 pm
We also have Atoine Winfield Jr. & Tyler Johnson from Minn…..I’m quite sure they were asked about him along with Fleck…..great source…especially for a late rounder.
We traded up specifically to pick this guy…..
Every team needs a blocking TE.
As far as those “flabby” arms…..I will bet that they could kick your a$$
May 3rd, 2022 at 2:33 pm
Only time will tell. Draft is a crap shoot. But I’m rooting for this guy.
May 3rd, 2022 at 2:43 pm
I used to workout at the same gym as a Pro Bowl OG. The man’s musculature was not well-defined, and his gut just hung out. The big uglies on the O Line work out for strength rather than definition, and any spare tire serves as ballast.
May 3rd, 2022 at 3:14 pm
Lamb chop is right on. He’ll love TB’s work ethic.
May 3rd, 2022 at 3:40 pm
Yeah passingthru..big difference between workout regimens for power vs body building. Compound exercises of max 5 reps with a few mins rest of each set will def give you a different look than a guy doing lots of iso work like curls with higher reps and less rest in between. I wouldn’t imagine linemen would do a lot of bicep curls
May 3rd, 2022 at 3:46 pm
AC power lifters don’t even work the biceps. Bet he’s pretty stong.
May 3rd, 2022 at 4:08 pm
Ko did 21 reps on the bench…..that’s impressive but not as good as TBBFs 37.
May 3rd, 2022 at 4:17 pm
He looks good on paper….hope he works out for the Bucs. Always good to have a solid blocking Tight End who can catch the ball a few times a game if needed.
May 3rd, 2022 at 4:26 pm
Love it!
May 3rd, 2022 at 4:54 pm
This guy was brought in with Cam Jordan in mind. Make it his mission to face time with Cam all game. This guy is going to be an insane lead blocker too. We just got tougher as an offense.
May 3rd, 2022 at 5:44 pm
doolnutts Says:
May 3rd, 2022 at 1:26 pm
Not comparing his play style to gronk but they graded gronk poorly and some even said he was slow. We all know how that turned out.
________
Wrongo! Gronk’s biggest concern coming out of college was his back that had already been operated on once.
May 3rd, 2022 at 5:47 pm
TBBF…
21 isn’t good at all. I’ve hit 30 at 190 lbs multiple times in the past and can hit 25 on a regular day. Powerlifters, however, don’t need high reps of 225 to be strong. Sapp put out 17 at the Combine and was NFL’s bench King. Todd Washington didn’t have impressive reps but set all kinds of records at VA Tech. Like I said, I’ve hit 30 but have never been able to top 400. There’s a big difference between muscle strength and endurance.
May 4th, 2022 at 10:20 am
In the picture, he has little if any definition in his arm for a weight room guy. Can’t see it.
May 4th, 2022 at 11:31 am
The Bucs badly need a few more badass guys to play the more physical teams like the Rams. Definition looks pretty but does not directly correlate with speed and athleticism. Strength plus agility and are what really matters. You don’t see the typical muscle freaks dominating in any sport other than posing.
May 4th, 2022 at 11:59 am
I agree too AC. He must have said “He just loves that Jim”