“I Would Never Quit On My Team”
December 20th, 2023
Explains his side.
Devin White is irked. And today, he spoke out.
At One Buc Palace, Devin White took the pseudo podium in the Bucs locker room to speak on the drama that allegedly exists between him and the Bucs and/or Todd Bowles about being a healthy scratch from last Sunday’s key matchup with the Packers in Green Bay.
You can get all the background on the story here. Today, White spoke for the first time since he exclusively talked to Joe on Sunday afternoon about the matter.
(Hat tip to Joe’s good friend Rock Riley for capturing the key quotes from White on video.)
“I would never quit on my team,” White said of the speculation that White may have told Bowles as early as Friday of last week after two days of full participation in practice that he couldn’t play on Sunday.
White defended himself as well as Bowles.
“I love this game so much,” White said. “I love competing so much. Out of everything, that just didn’t sit well with me.”
White claims his decision not to play was met in consultation with Bowles and it seemed the result was a mutual decision.
“It was a personal — like for me and Coach Bowles — decision to sit down and rest to be able to help my team,” White said, adding he’s tried to do his best to help teammates as he attempts to recover from his nagging foot injury.
“When I haven’t been playing, I’ve been in the building,” White said. “I’ve been out there [on the practice fields] just supporting them. Even taking notes as if I was going to play just in case they had any questions or if I [saw] something I could relay it to those guys to help put them into a better position.”
Then, White defended Bowles and dismissed any speculation there is a rift between him and Bowles. He even said he’s so close to Bowles that the Bucs’ coach is like a family member.
“Me and Bowles never had a problem since I got drafted,” White said. Bowles has been the only defensive coordinator in the NFL White has known. “He’s father figure to me. On the field and off the field.
“A lot of people know what I went through losing my real daddy. [Bowles] has been the one guy that has always stepped up to check on me. Make sure around the holidays that I am good.
“He’s one of the best coaches I have ever played for. I have a fun defense to play in. You can tell he is looking out for me when he told me to get myself healthy. And that’s why I am trying to do right now.”
The comment White had about helping his teammates sort of jibes with what White told Joe Sunday after the game. White seemed a tad depressed after the game, maybe subdued though he was playfully interacting with a pair of teammates.
When Joe got White to talk about linebackers J.J. Russell and K.J. Britt playing in his spot in his absence, White really perked up and spoke glowingly about them.
December 20th, 2023 at 2:19 pm
BLA BLA BLA BLA
If you play the next 3 games, you better play your a** off……….
Becuase your next job will not be as a player…Nobody will want you.
You´ve become your own enemie!!!!
December 20th, 2023 at 2:21 pm
We should not make more of this than what it is. Look guys, don’t know if you’ve noticed, But WE ARE WINNING. Let’s focus on that. The Devin White situation will take care of itself. And it may be a godsend he and britt are alternating. Let’s whip them Jags come Sunday.
December 20th, 2023 at 2:23 pm
Sounds like hi agent had a talk with him. I’m old I would never call my coach by his last name unless there was a Mr. in front of it. Me and Bowels blah blah blah. Call him Coach or Todd.
December 20th, 2023 at 2:25 pm
Nothing like whipping the low IQ dullards into a frenzy with the “lazy” and “quit” nonsense. Those dopes fall for it every time, too.
December 20th, 2023 at 2:25 pm
All this drama for nothing
Now he’s pissed Good!!!
Put him to rush the passer
December 20th, 2023 at 2:31 pm
He still sucks now.
December 20th, 2023 at 2:44 pm
Blah blah blah
December 20th, 2023 at 2:52 pm
Dewey Selmon Says:
Sounds like hi agent had a talk with him. I’m old I would never call my coach by his last name unless there was a Mr. in front of it. Me and Bowels blah blah blah. Call him Coach or Todd.
“Me and Bowles” no no no, that doesn’t get it. I’ve been critical of #45 but haven’t said what I really think. This episode is beginning to smell like cat food left in the hot sun. I don’t think #45 could be confused with an astrophysicist. He may have been mishandled by a greedy agent exploiting his client and now a Coach and GM are struggling to contain the sewage overflow. The Coach and GM and ownership all view it from different perspectives. Good luck elsewhere #45 but the sooner you’re gone the better.
December 20th, 2023 at 3:09 pm
I still prefer KJ Britt at this point. Availability is huge this time of year and White just hasn’t been there and he hasn’t been the same all year. Just hasn’t been that good.
December 20th, 2023 at 3:21 pm
What about Ira saying that #45 had played his last snap. Ira’s reputation and sources are good. Todd and Jason are up to their knees in it. This is only going to get worse.
December 20th, 2023 at 3:24 pm
“I Would Never Quit On My Team”
Then you decided to play like trash in a contract year after asking to be traded (pout) because the team wouldn’t get you 100 million. Thanks for making them like front office gurus.
December 20th, 2023 at 3:29 pm
Can we put this “story” to bed now?
December 20th, 2023 at 3:37 pm
He 100% quit on his team. Then he spoke with his agent and they realized his terrible attitude was going to cost him BIG in the off-season. Bowles covered for him, as always, which kept the door open for Devin to get over himself and come back to the team as a rotational player. Bring him into blitz, that is all he can do. Otherwise, keep him off the field, he is AWFUL in run defense and pass coverage, which is most of what an inside linebacker does.
December 20th, 2023 at 3:37 pm
I agree, just put him in there the next three games to rush whomever is playing QB and hope he gets like 2 sacks per game cause we sure do need the sacks with not much of an edge rush other than YaYa who looks like he will be a monster next year.
December 20th, 2023 at 3:38 pm
Go Away
December 20th, 2023 at 3:48 pm
He quit on his team.
He wasnt alone.
But Canales seems to have gotten the Vets on offense to buy in.
Hopefully our vets on Defense join in finally, andvwe win the South.
That would be a Hell of an accomplishment
December 20th, 2023 at 3:54 pm
To be honest Devin handled this quite well just got done watching the press conference he didn’t come off like a quitter or a bad guy. Still would rather kj Britt start because of how he’s been playing but tbh I think we haven’t saw the last of white. It almost seems like the media jumped the gun on this story…. Just my opinion
December 20th, 2023 at 4:31 pm
He has a PFF of 39.2, doesn’t matter whether he was trying or not
December 20th, 2023 at 4:36 pm
C A N
C E R.
And is a horrible linebacker at everything except the pass rush blitz. Maybe a horse will step on his sore foot and reaggravate it. If he’s out there we are much more likely to lose. Look at the game film. Look at the results.
Way to go Todd. You must really want that car dealership.
December 20th, 2023 at 5:09 pm
He plays, Bucs lose. You watch.
December 20th, 2023 at 5:33 pm
Very simply, it’s time for Devin to go.
Personally, I’d rather not see him on the field at all for these next three games. Or the playoffs, if we make it that far.
But if they insist on playing him, then I agree with some of the other comments… put him in as an edge rusher, rotational blitzer, etc.
K.J. Britt and J.J. Russell (Britt especially) are clearly hungry to earn places in the starting line-up, and it shows in the way they’re playing.
Devin may have a legitimate nagging foot injury. Fine.
It’s all the other nonsense that we frankly, just don’t need.
Best of luck to you on your next team, Devin.
December 20th, 2023 at 5:59 pm
Betty White, drama queen.
December 20th, 2023 at 6:27 pm
Rod Munch Says:
December 20th, 2023 at 2:25 pm
Nothing like whipping the low IQ dullards into a frenzy with the “lazy” and “quit” nonsense. Those dopes fall for it every time, too.
^^^^^^^
Thank you for sharing your vast knowledge, Mr. 5-12. How did that prediction work out for you?
December 20th, 2023 at 6:48 pm
Yep, he absolutely got a pep talk from his agent
December 20th, 2023 at 7:21 pm
I really don’t know what to think about this one. I thought White was playing well in the beginning of the season. Then the groin. Then the foot. He’s in a contract year so it seems like he was trying to play through it all. Then he gets embarrassed in the Colts game. Now he’s a “healthy” scratch.
Did Bowles finally tell him he had to play the other guys because a gimped up White just isn’t good. Maybe he was messing up defensive calls as well. I don’t know. There’s too much smoke and mirrors on this one. Good news is the other guys are playing great in his place. But I wouldn’t be upset if a truly healthy Devin White took the field and made the kind of plays we know he’s capable of.
December 20th, 2023 at 8:07 pm
3.9.
December 20th, 2023 at 9:38 pm
During his press conference he said THEY on a 3 game winning streak. He’s been a drama Queen since he got here the only difference is we ignored it because he balled out. What does it all mean
Man Devin White what happened bro. The quarterback of the defense lol he’s going out the same way Winston did.
December 20th, 2023 at 9:57 pm
Yet another reason why Todd Bowles is not a leader of men. News flash- when you have D White on the healthy scratch list on Sunday, then tell everyone he is hurt on Tuesday, the NFL is going to have questions, and we are all going to get answers. If White was hurt and not on the injury list, Team Glazer is going to pay a fine and we know Bowles was lying before. If there is no fine, we know Bowles is lying now. Do you see a pattern here?
December 20th, 2023 at 10:25 pm
Bowles should have kept him a healthy scratch.
Dude is just gonna pout again.
He lost so much money this year.
ANother Licht special…WASTED high draft pick.
December 20th, 2023 at 10:40 pm
I do not think he has quit at all. I was thinking he is a very fast, average linebacker who showed potential in a six game stretch a few years ago, and has never lived up to it ever cents. They should have traded him when they had value. The only other option is to use him as a pass rush specialist because he cannot cover
December 20th, 2023 at 11:47 pm
Is it starting to stink in here? Cuz I smell some BS Big time.
Go Bucs!
December 21st, 2023 at 3:43 am
Says the guy who asks for a trade, then plays like absolute crap. Yeah, okay Divan White. You lost all credibility a while ago. I gave him a second chance and as far as I’m concerned he’s used it up.
December 21st, 2023 at 6:58 am
Britt bring availability AND reliability! White is neither.
I am a Chicago Bulls fan and our “star” player, Zach Levine demanded a trade which didn’t happen. Bulls went 1-8 next nine games. Levine now”injured” for next few weeks (i.e. on the shelf so they can trade him) and Bulls have gone 7-3 without him AND last night victory had 8 players double digit points.
Sorry for long vent but the short of it is addition by subtraction is real and sometimes the “star” holds the TEAM back.
PS bye bye 45
December 21st, 2023 at 8:39 am
White hurt himself image-wise by shipping attending the Atlanta game. As far as the rest goes, this site is hysteria-ville anyway. I take it with a grain of salt. Licht needs cap space. That’s a fact. If White is let go, so be be it. BTW, none of the Bucs have “quit.”