“I Trust Him With My Life”
August 5th, 2023
Offensive line coach Joe Gilbert.
Without question, one of the most stunning Buccaneers quotes of 2023 came just over five months ago.
It’s held up very well on the eye-popping meter.
Head coach Todd Bowles was at the NFL Scouting Combine talking about retaining his offensive line coaches after firing other members of his 2022 offensive staff. Bowles gave Joe Gilbert and Harold Goodwin a questionable endorsement and implied they were on the chopping block but no better option wasn’t found.
“They are two very good football coaches. I didn’t want to lose them right away if I didn’t have a megastar coming in trying to replace them, which [is] hard to do,” Bowles said. “They’re hard to come by out there. Those two guys work hard and they grind. I see them in the building all the time. They’re trying to get better. They do things to get better. I thought they were worth salvaging.”
Imagine if your boss said she or he didn’t want to lose you right away and that you were “worth salvaging” because the better options being sought weren’t found.
Joe recalled that quote yesterday when right tackle turned left tackle Tristan Wirfs was on WDAE radio talking about Gilbert, who focuses on tackles while Goodwin handles interior offensive linemen.
“I trust him with my life,” Wirfs said of Gilbert.
Wirfs went on to explain that Gilbert emphatically told him, ‘I’m not going to let you fail’ when it was announced Wirfs would take over the left tackle job this season.
Joe is so glad the Bucs kept their offensive line coaches, especially after Wirfs admitted he’s had mental health challenges associated with changing positions. It feels like it would have been a rougher go if Wirfs had a new voice in his ear.
August 5th, 2023 at 10:23 am
I would stick with the guy Wirfs was content with
August 5th, 2023 at 10:27 am
Todd is swimming in the big pool with floaties on.
He has changed his offensive coordinator every season he has been a head coach, yet He let Byron run a middle school offense all year and never stepped in until after we got blasted out of the playoffs.
He has kept Keith Armstrong. Just research his “greatness” as a STC throughout his career and especially his tenure with us.
He is running an overall style that went dormant in the 90’s but believes he can force his square into the circle hole.
I know all about the 75mil we had to eat and all but it didn’t mean we had to keep this pathetic excuse for a HC.
I’d rather lose with an up and coming coach rebuilding. We all knew the rebuild was coming post Brady and we were all okay with it.
It is just a matter of time
August 5th, 2023 at 10:41 am
Two very good coaches yes but obviously some are just better and if those coaches would have been available you pull the trigger like the did on Byron leftwich. Goodwin works BA’s system so I could understand wanting to replace him. If your wanting to replace the o line coach well that just says how much it sucked
August 5th, 2023 at 11:27 am
Not sure Bowles has any room to talk as far as being a head coach . D coordinator yes he’s definitely top 3 in the league. It sucks that if he blows this year as head coach we might lose a top tier d coordinator. We all remember what it was like before Bowles got here. That’s why I think Bowles get another year unless the players quit on him and I don’t see that happening.
August 5th, 2023 at 11:57 am
Joshua is saying exactly what I’m thinking. Everyone wants Bowles fired but I don’t because he has given us an amazing defense
August 5th, 2023 at 1:10 pm
These players will play hard for Bowles this year.
Last year was so late and an extension of BA to be honest.
It’s obvious that when Bowles evaluated our run game, he placed the blame on the RBs and not the O line, because he replaced the RB coach.
Plus, Canales will be all over the O line as an extension of his scheme.
He knows where they need to be and how they need to block.
Also, you have to practice anything you want to be good at, over and over and over. These guys didn’t, and they got what they deserved.
I really like Whites response to the Randle hit. Now that sounds like a RB coach who privately said go mess them up, and he did just that.
August 5th, 2023 at 1:23 pm
You fire your O-coordinator – the head coach is basically a dead man walking…if these o-line coaches walk…who do you get? we already had to dip down to a QB coach that’s never called plays. It seems obvious to me that 2023 is a set-up year for the 2024 rebuild..
Go Bucs!
August 5th, 2023 at 5:47 pm
I don’t want to lose you right away but as soon as I can find someone better…buh-bye!!!
August 5th, 2023 at 7:37 pm
He MAY be a good coach but I can hardly listen to Gilbert’s interviews because his public speaking ability is atrocious.
August 6th, 2023 at 5:49 am
Bowles is so full of crap.
Why would he even go there?!?
Geez!
Go Bucs!
August 6th, 2023 at 9:38 pm
Jason…need to get that bmi below 30. It is a killer.