Rondé Barber: Bucs Lack “Motivation”
October 24th, 2022
Questions Bucs’ heart.
Another Bucs player is wondering about the passion or lack thereof with the Bucs.
So last week former Bucs quarterback Shaun King, one of four QBs to lead the team to an NFC championship game, went on CBS Sports Radio and suggested the Bucs appear content with fat paychecks and aren’t playing with hunger they have in the past.
Well, now add in one of the greatest Bucs defenders of all time, Rondé Barber.
In a video for The33rdTeam.com, Barber briefly broke down why he thinks the Bucs have collapsed. To sum it up, Barber is questioning if the Bucs are motivated to play. He doesn’t see that, and he says this is reflected in their now punchless but talented offense that cannot score against the worst of NFL teams.
Barber also believes another factor is Tom Brady is distracted. However, Barber isn’t sure if the coaches are putting him in the best positions to move the offense and score points.
“What is kind of questioning me is, are the coaches giving him the right plays, or are they giving the team the right plays?” Barber asked. “Are they preparing the same way as they have in the past?”
As for the Bucs not playing tough with being unable to grind out drive or tackle well, Barber said that boils down to want-to or desire.
“To me, that speaks to motivation,” Barber said. “That speaks to me, actually, waking up in the morning and getting ready to do your job on a day-in and day-out basis. And this just does not look like that team right now.”
Joe thinks Barber is holding a lot back. He has to be very careful in choosing his words if he’s being critical of Tampa Bay.
Barber does some work for the Bucs. He’s part of AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht’s unofficial kitchen cabinet. He’s a long-time family friend with Bucco Bruce Arians.
Barber would stomp on a lot of toes if he really called out the Bucs.
You can see the full video of Barber breaking down the Bucs in The33rdTeam.com video below.
Preparation. Execution. Motivation.@rondebarber thinks the #Buccaneers' woes are all-encompassing #GoBucs pic.twitter.com/OEdnHJmZCO
— The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) October 23, 2022
October 24th, 2022 at 12:14 am
F this team!!!
Still a lot left but F this team!
Total fire sale before the 2023 season.
So sick and tired of being let down and embarrassed to be a fan more often than not.
October 24th, 2022 at 12:21 am
He is ‘Spot ON!”
I will no longer sport my Bucs gear up here EVEN though the Broncos and Packers are a mess, which is the major market up here other than the Seahawks and Geno Smith is a WAY better QB than Brady right now.
October 24th, 2022 at 12:23 am
^^^^^
you guys are such b!tches…abandoning the team when a speed bump occurs…
y’all were fake fans to begin with then…the bucs don’t need you, so be out
October 24th, 2022 at 12:24 am
man oh man do i hate bandwagon biotches……..smh
October 24th, 2022 at 12:30 am
Ronde is 100% correct……it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand that Brady does not look like himself on and off the field
Blame the coaches all you want….but Brady is far from blameless in this mess.
October 24th, 2022 at 12:30 am
Distracted and a distraction.
October 24th, 2022 at 12:32 am
Our head coach has zero emotion. None.
It filters down
October 24th, 2022 at 12:36 am
Too many questions we get answers on TNF. Quick turnaround. Go Bucs!
October 24th, 2022 at 12:40 am
We’re going to get absolutely pounded by the Ravens
October 24th, 2022 at 12:41 am
@Tbbucs. You’re stuck in your narrative. Did you not hear him saying the coaches aren’t putting him in a position to succeed. Let me check your confirmation bias: Do you believe the underperforming players on the team are also distracted? Or is your outrage only reserved for Brady? Are the coaches distracted?
October 24th, 2022 at 12:54 am
Time to start draft talk. We obviously need a OG and DL.
October 24th, 2022 at 12:55 am
Still leading the NFC South
October 24th, 2022 at 1:00 am
@Joe could you please ask both Brady and Leftwich how much input does Brady have in play calling and the game planning. Ask about Brady’s ability to audible at the line. There are being a lot of opinions being thrown around that Brady has the ultimate power. I don’t buy it! Bowles said was on Cowherd’s show before the season and Cowherd suggested that the team run itself like Dungy’s team in Indy. Let Brady handle the offense like Manning and Bowles handles the defense. Bowles scoffed and said this was totally Leftwich’s offense. I need answers. Those are direct questions. How involved is Brady involved in the play calling? I don’t need speculation. I want answers. If Brady is calling plays, he need to be stripped of all ability to make those decisions.
We also need answers about Lenny. Maybe give White a chance. I want a reporter to ask Brady about Gisele’s witchcraft. It’s an absurd notion, but boy I would love to see his reaction. I need a good laugh
October 24th, 2022 at 1:04 am
Why pay attention to him? He is compromised. Trying double reverse that fails on a bunch of Carolina scrubs. Phooey.
October 24th, 2022 at 1:04 am
Joe asked Leftwich a couple of weeks ago about why Brady doesn’t run sneaks. Joe asked him if Brady was shaking Leftwich’s plays off. Leftwich said what play is run is not Brady’s call (Joe doesn’t believe that BTW).
October 24th, 2022 at 1:08 am
No bandwagon fan here. I’ve sat through a lot of crap games sticking with the Bucs. Even the 1976-1977 Bucs of 0-26 played with more fire than this team is playing with. It all starts with Tom ‘Spurrier.’
Brady is the problem right now. Brady has to practice just like everyone else. Nobody on this team deserves a day off from practice for rest. They rest enough on Sundays.
October 24th, 2022 at 1:09 am
I’ll tell you one thing that really gets me. When Mike missed that one pass he sort of folded up. He was still moaning about it after the game, Instead, he should have girded his loins and gone to WAR to make a great play. This has happened in some way at the beginning of the last 3 games and the Bucs seem to have the opposite attitude of what they should have. I mean–does the 24 hour rule mean you beat yourself up for 24 hours? He should have been ready to make a great play 24 seconds after he made a bad one. That goes for Devon, too. This attitude just kills me.
October 24th, 2022 at 1:10 am
Bradyfan13
Ronde clearly emphasizes a problem with Brady thats obvious both on and off the field….the (former) greatest football player of time has shown a steep decline in his play AND leadership from where it was in 2020 and 2021.
October 24th, 2022 at 1:10 am
I believe most already know how I feel about it but the most GLARING aspect is that Todd Bowles IS NOT A LEADER OF MEN! PERIOD And EXCLAMATION POINT! Bruce Arians IS A LEADER OF MEN… Tom Brady as special as the man is, IS NOT in charge of getting this team ready. Brady needs help. He’s not playing his best so HE NEEDS HELP to lift this team. Bowles has MADE IT CLEAR that he IS NOT MAN ENOUGH to ask for help from Bruce. Bowles is AGAIN embarrassed and his pride is RUINING MINE AND EVERY SINGLE BUCCANEERS belief in ANYTHING BUCCANEERS!
This is now on and UP TO Jason Licht and the owners the GLAZERS to step in LIKE THEY ARE THE GM AND THE OWNERS and do something about this NOW!
There IS NO OTHER answer or WAY that this changes other than ALL OF THEM Licht and the Glazers) taking away and making the decisions easy. We DON’T HAVE TO GO OUT IN FLAMES LIKE THIS! And if they don’t, they lose me. I mean it. I WON’T SPEND NOT ONE MORE SINGLE PENNY on ANYTHING attached to or concerning this team until it’s sold to REAL MEN AND OR WOMEN that CAN AND DAMN SURE WILL DO SOMETHING ABOUT BIG MISTAKES like the wink and hand shake hiring like Bowles and Leftnut IMMEDIATELY since and when if anyone AT ALL destroys the capabilities and credibilities of a BILLIONS of dollars worth of a team like these two UNQUALIFIED people are doing RIGHT BEFORE THE WORLDS EYES! They are destroying TOM FREAKING BRADY’S LAST YEAR of an OVER 2 DECADE, EPIC, STORIED, AND HISTORIC CAREER! Right in front of all of our eyes. And if the leadership and ownership don’t do something about it NOW, then NOT ANOTHER PENNY until this team IS SOLD to “Real Owners” with “Real Leadership”
And I Damn Sure Do Mean It! I AM 1000 PERCENT SICK AND TIRED OF THIS ORGANIZATION DESTROYING MY FOOTBALL EXPERIENCE! NONE OF US HAVE THAT LONG TO LIVE TO WAIT FOR BOWELS OR LEFTNUT to fix this BECAUSE THEY CAN’T! Why wait to go ahead and fix this? YOU DON’T HAVE TO WAIT GLAZERS! Make this Right, RIGHT NOW or Screw This and You!
October 24th, 2022 at 1:11 am
@Joe Have you asked Brady? That’s the key. I think you’re giving Tom too much credit. He’s a docile company man. LeSean McCoy said this! It’s on record. Tom told him. McCoy witnessed it. I believe a guy who was with the team day to day.
October 24th, 2022 at 1:12 am
Whatever genius (probably greedy owners vying against each other) decided to guarantee loot for these players clearly wasn’t looking towards the future. I can almost understand guarantees in much less violent sports like baseball and basketball because dudes aren’t constantly getting beat on like they are in football. It’s human nature to not put yourself in harms way or take unnecessary risks if you don’t have to. How many players have we had that got their guarantees and then almost immediately flamed out? Vita is looking like the latest one and it hurts me to say it because I LOVED watching him play.
Brady is clearly not the same dude either due to what he’s having to deal with. Our entire team, from coaching, scouting, and players is a cluster f right now. It’s a true kick in the cajones when you have to question whether or not the players on your team even care about winning. I know not every player is to blame, but this is frustrating as hell. Losing to the panthers is unforgivable and heads gotta roll man.
October 24th, 2022 at 1:14 am
Todd Bowels sucks, he’s a bad coach, Bryon Leftwhich is a bad coach…..AND Tom Brady is showing signs of decline at age 45. All things can be and are true it doesn’t have to be one or the other
October 24th, 2022 at 1:16 am
If confidence is lost in the leader of your team it is a cancer to the team.
Brady would do well with this bit of advice.
Don’t forget where you came from or you won’t know where you are going?
Where is Brady really going? He has had new pieces before and still won. What’s different now is he took his foot off the gas. Where he came from before in tough times was to press down on the peddle and go full speed. It shows the other players they have to keep up. That gets them fired up.
It’s all on Brady.
October 24th, 2022 at 1:16 am
Isn’t anyone saying, “Shake it off!”? Where are the leaders? The coaches are blowing it!
October 24th, 2022 at 1:18 am
@Tbbucs. You didn’t answer my questions about the other players underperforming? The only reason you’re bringing up Tom’s life is because it’s public. It obvious! Easy scapegoat. The man won a SB with his mom battling cancer. The greatest comeback in SB history. And you’re telling me he can’t handle distractions? Once again, answer the damn question. Does Vea have marital issues? The guy has been a total no show this season. What about Devin’s bone headed plays. Does he have distractions. You don’t have answers because you know you’re being disingenuous
October 24th, 2022 at 1:23 am
Not sure what you are referring. Brady would never give out that info anyway so not even going to waste time asking but do know he has final say. We’ve seen him shake off plays in the past.
October 24th, 2022 at 1:26 am
Joe I don’t know if you watched the broadcast yet, but the announcers said Brady told them they need to challenge themselves in practice so it shows up on game day. Didn’t Bowles say we had a good practice last week? This team would rather have fun like Gage said. What else is Brady telling the producers? We need Romo to call a game. We’ll learn how Tom really feels. He and Romo talk. Remember that KC game he called 2020? He was calling out the coaching staff
October 24th, 2022 at 1:46 am
Did Shaq Barrett play today? I don’t think he made a single play the entire game
How many tackles did Will G miss in the gap at LOS in the first half? I counted 3
How many times did DWhite run out of the hole or overrun a run gap? I counted 7 times… let that sink in a bit
How many times did we line up in off coverage by both corners of 10 yards and bail at the snap – I lost count at 15…
We play soft, we don’t attack on either side of the ball and the stale CB/S blitz with off high coverage to the backside has been figured out by the entire league
Bowles is done and Leftwich never was…
His AZ record is him, not when BA is babysitting
October 24th, 2022 at 1:50 am
Bucsfan13
99% of all football players look up the Tom Brady. He’s the (former) GOAT.
Brady came in in 2020 and helped fix and a team culture that had been broken for a decads….because the players respect him
So now all of a sudden, when guys see this “new Brady” who’s missing OTAs, missing walk thrus and so on, that absolutely does have a trickle down affect to the mentality of the guys in the locker room. Bradys the leader of this team and this season he has not been a good one.
October 24th, 2022 at 2:05 am
How is he the former GOAT? Based off this season? Look, Montana is my favorite QB of all time. I don’t do GOAT talk because it’s fruitless, subjective, and full of disingenuous arguments. He missed one walkthrough…You still haven’t answered my questions about Vea’s marital issues? He’s a captain. You’re projecting your feelings about Brady onto the team. Is he not working hard behind the scenes? Has he missed any meetings? Is he not preparing the same? Is he only watching four hours a film a day like Kyler? What the players see day to day with Brady means a ton of more of what the public sees, from all accounts he’s still the same Brady with his preparation and work ethic. Like I said, he’s an easy scapegoat. You’re so focused on your narrative that you won’t allow any other opinions.
His legacy is cemented, regardless of what happens this season. I was of the mind that he should’ve retired after the SB to go out on top. He knows better than anyone how hard is it to repeat. To knock him from GOAT status because of this season is laughable. He could play better, but he is not the biggest problem with this team. He can’t always be the damn crutch.
October 24th, 2022 at 2:06 am
When we signed brady all players got motivated. Brady body language is rubbing off on players this season
October 24th, 2022 at 2:44 am
Brady is an easy target, but he has not the biggest problem. Not by a long shot. He came back to a team full of roster problems, lousy coaching, and a severe attitude problem across the roster—all before his being excused from practices etc. Those absences were a problem in terms of getting chemistry right with the rest of the offense, but if there were locker room problems about any of it, whose job was it to stamp out any fires immediately? Bowles and Licht.
Brady has done this for eons. He knows, and the players know, what needs to be done. The absence stuff is both marginal as well as OLD NEWS, by far outweighed by much larger issues with the rest of the team.
If you had a younger Brady showing up for every single practice this year, IT WOULD MAKE NO DIFFERENCE. No one guy, not even the greatest QB past or present, would be able to do anything with this team right now.
Brady is not the HC, he is not a coordinator. He does not have control of much beyond his own job, despite everyone’s belief that he is magical and controlling everything behind the scenes. This is all on Bowles, Leftwich, Licht and the staff, whose job it is to lead, unify and fire up this team from top to bottom.
As for Bruce Arians, and all those who are now clamoring for his return. Have you forgotten that he was erratic and problematic as well? Nobody is a worse motivator that Bowles, but Arians had issues, that were covered up by the influence and contributions of, yes, Brady, and Gronk, Suh, JPP, etc. etc. who are all gone now. Arians was the one who pushed Bowles to take over. Why does he get a free pass? (This is like the UK wanting Boris Johnson back.)
This is supposed to be a vaunted Super Bowl contender full of champs and a “deep roster”. Only total incompetents could waste it.
October 24th, 2022 at 2:47 am
Everyone is to blame from the coaches to the players. Brady and his off the field distractions are not helping. Kinda hard to get all players to put in 100 percent effort when Brady is getting special privileges. Thursday is going to be a slaughter. This season is done time to move onto the rebuild.
October 24th, 2022 at 2:59 am
Look at other teams. Even teams that lost today, like the 49ers. They still looked way, way better than the Bucs. Far superior playcalling, far superior intensity, speed and aggression.
That is called COACHING. Something the Bucs currently lack.
How else to explain how painfully BORING the playcalling is? How BORING the game plan is throughout the game. Creativity? Adjustments? Anything? The problem is way beyond Tom Brady, or any one guy.
October 24th, 2022 at 3:08 am
Bring back the sharpie
October 24th, 2022 at 3:15 am
@Steele. Evans, Gage, Jones, and Godwin were all out injured during his ten day absence. No point in him throwing to practice squad players. The OL was also in shambles and not set. There was no chemistry to be gained by his absence, and according to Bowles they wanted to work on the run game in his absence. How did that go? He also wanted Trask to get first team reps.
The Dolphins had creative play calling. They had a great run scheme with backs who actually have a burst. Tua tried to give the game away. Nothing is made easy for Brady from the coaches. Mahomes is living the life with Andy Reid. Creative play calling and a run game. Mahomes throws five yards passes and watch his back and receivers do the work. He’ll still take the occasional deep shot. Did you see the Dolphins receivers running WIDE open? That’s scheming! Kelece is Mahomes number one option, and somehow this guy is always open.
If Brady wasn’t so distracted, maybe we wouldn’t be last in the league in rushing. 🙄. There might be some cracks happening. Brady was asked about the questionable play calling sequencing and he said he would have to look at the film. He’s never said that before in regards to the play calling.
October 24th, 2022 at 3:25 am
@Steele. Preach! Brady is a docile company man. He’s not some magical figure who has Peyton Manning power at the line of scrimmage. Matter of fact, when Brady was on the Manningcast, Peyton chided him for not being outspoken spoken enough. Brady does have some say in certain personnel moves, but he’s not sequencing the plays. I’m supposed to believe Brady who’s the greatest play action QB in history wants to run on almost every first down?! I guy who lives empty in NE, and now he doesn’t want any empty protections? Brady also doesn’t want PA out of max protection.
It was reported that Manning used to berate the coaches in meetings. Brady would get killed for that behavior. In the end, Brady knows what a championship team looks like, and he knows this team isn’t it. Licht deserves a lot of blame. I’m hard on Goedeke, but he shouldn’t have been put in that situation in the first place. Licht wanted his guys on the OL to get a chance.
If one thing I wish Brady would do during his last season this year, is not be such a coward and speak up like Rodgers. It’s not his style, but I would love some candor. I’m sure that candor is saved for Josh McDaniels, Willie McGinest, and other former Patriots.
October 24th, 2022 at 6:44 am
Love Ronde, it’s a disgrace that he isn’t in the hall of fame.
October 24th, 2022 at 7:02 am
VACCINE DEATH SHOT,Brady is not longer human.
October 24th, 2022 at 7:06 am
Todd bowels should have been fired yesterday…I get fired all the time when I do a ishy job ,why is he any different? Brady had BA fired ,well you reep what you sow Brady the reptillian juice shot.
October 24th, 2022 at 7:45 am
Sean Payton
October 24th, 2022 at 7:48 am
Ronde’s quote “lack of motivation” is him really saying “lack of coaching”.
Todd Bowles is responsible for the team being motivated, he is the head guy. He appears to be in a daze watching his team lay down very opponents that are ripe to be exposed, yet all that is exposed is the Bucs don’t know what they are doing on the field.
Leftwich isn’t supposed to motivate the players so he only gets a pass on that aspect but he is an awful coordinator. Every NFL defensive coordinator can easily watch the tendencies of his offense and there is no adjustments.
Really, the only time the Bucs have been moving the ball is in hurry up and then when they get into the red zone they slow it down and turn to the red zone offense. They cannot convert those 3rd and 1’s because Fournette has little acceleration on short yardage. The 3rd and 1’s are killing them. If your coordinator cannot mix up a play where the other team knows exactly where Fournette is running than that coordinator doesn’t know how to put in plays that will work.
The fact that the team has played 7 games and players are still out of position and not making plays does point its finger at Leftwich not coaching them correctly.
October 24th, 2022 at 8:28 am
I don’t know about anyone else but I watched that game yesterday with a straight face because I was no confident or surprised with how the Bucs played at all or maybe I was just in shock
October 24th, 2022 at 9:30 am
I’ll never abandon this team but the coaching is really doing bad.
October 24th, 2022 at 9:33 am
BA carried Leftwich, BA forced them to take Todd Bowles as a head coach, no one else wanted him. Two losers.
October 24th, 2022 at 11:09 am
These guys deserve the beatdowns they are getting on Sundays from garbage teams. I don’t care if Tom takes off on Wednesdays. You have a job to do. Motivate yourself. Play with your own fire. So weak.
October 24th, 2022 at 11:10 am
You’d lack motivation too if your wife was about to rape your savings and run off with millions probably with a new younger handsome stud. LOL
October 24th, 2022 at 1:36 pm
I’m sure its hard to get motivated with Bowles & Lefty as your coaches.
October 24th, 2022 at 4:16 pm
I can’t imagine the Bucs are going to come out Thursday night and flip a switch and suddenly become the Bucs team we have seen the last two years. So what happens after the Ravens absolutely maul the Bucs on National television. Anything? Do you think the Glazers this early in the year make a move with a chance to still save the season? If the Bucs play like they have the last two games the only thing the Glazers have left is to replace the head coach. I can’t see them doing that but if they want to make a statement to the players that would be how to do it.
October 24th, 2022 at 7:42 pm
I have never posted on here before, but love reading everyone’s take. All I see is passion here, and it’s wonderful to see even with the team struggling. So here is my worthless 2 cents. There is no “nasty” on this team anymore. Hopefully Jensen comes back and the “nasty” on offense gets fixed. The “nasty” on defense didn’t get resigned and say what you will, but Vea needs Suh back big-time. I’m not a GM and don’t know the ins and outs of the organization, but it is glaring that the mean is gone and Bowles can’t motivate this team. I’ll watch the rest of the season and hope the right changes are made.