Bucs “Fired Up” For Teaching Pro Shaq Barrett
January 1st, 2025
Impact Shaq.
Todd Bowles was about as fired up as he gets in an interview yesterday.
On Friday, Tampa Bay re-signed Bucs sacks king Shaq Barrett and he was a chief cheerleader during Sunday’s beatdown of the Panthers.
But Bowles suggested on the Buccaneers Radio Network that Barrett was a lot more than that. Bowles thinks the Bucs’ five-sack explosion had something to do with the presence of Barrett.
Whether fellow outside linebackers were worried about playing or had been coached up by Shaq, Bowels wasn’t sure, but he definitely enjoyed it.
“Shaq has been so instrumental in a lot of things we’ve done here on and off the field. You don’t see the things he does for the defense off the field as far as getting guys ready to play, understanding what’s coming at them and teaching them the finer points of pass rushing or pass drops, or what to look for,” Bowles said.
“Just getting him back out there and getting him out in practice this week just to see how he can help us, he’s going to be outstanding. He’s fired up. We’re fired up. I can’t wait to see him.”
Joe doesn’t underestimate the value of Coach Shaq. He was an understudy of future Hall of Famer Von Miller in Denver and then came to the Bucs in 2019 and exploded.
Last year, YaYa Diaby gave Shaq a ton of credit for his 7 1/2-sack rookie season. And perhaps it’s no coincidence that Diaby’s sack total is 3 1/2 this season — while Shaq was retired.
Joe is just happy Shaq is back. If he hasn’t lost his first step, then there’s a solid shot his fresh legs might hold up for another five (?) games as a situational pass rusher.
January 1st, 2025 at 10:51 am
yes shaq is back…to kung foo some qb’s quick fast and in a hurry
January 1st, 2025 at 10:55 am
Here’s to hoping Shaq still has some gas in the tank.
January 1st, 2025 at 10:55 am
I’m very happy Shaq is Back, but I’m not expecting him to get lots of sacks – just being realistic. Yes, he will be a great mentor but if he gets more production from the other edge guys, that’s telling me the position coaches need to be fired.
January 1st, 2025 at 10:56 am
It’d be awesome if he has something to add for this postseason (hopefully) run!!
January 1st, 2025 at 10:59 am
I love having Shaq back, but this also is pretty alarming on how bad our D coaches are.
They had all training camp and 16 games to teach and train and Shaq in 2 days reveals some secrets and techniques…
January 1st, 2025 at 11:05 am
Sign Shaq as a coach once he retires as a player.
January 1st, 2025 at 11:12 am
A smile cracking that stoic face of his is the limit to his fired upness
January 1st, 2025 at 11:13 am
I love it when your subconscious refers to him as “Bowels”.
January 1st, 2025 at 11:16 am
Bucmaniac exactly what I was thinking
January 1st, 2025 at 11:24 am
Good one Day 1-76 had to go back to read the article to see if he spelled his name like that. Imagine after a bad loss at a team presser someone pronounces his name Bowels and not Bowles. That’d be a Facebook moment to last
January 1st, 2025 at 11:28 am
Signing Shaq is great! It’s also the GM making a statement in the context of a playoff push: even a potentially diminished Shaq is an upgrade over the current lineup of edge rushers. The team sack total is high, but imagine how feared the defense could be with a dominant edge rusher. In the long term, one will have to be found through the draft or free agency.
January 1st, 2025 at 11:41 am
Braswell looked way better. Jumped the snap like Shaq and went untouched or damn close to untouched if not.
That’s the biggest thing I miss about Shaq, his intelligence with the snap count and down and distance and situation in game and risking it to get a huge play.
January 1st, 2025 at 11:43 am
Get rid of your position coaches if Shaq has to do their job.
January 1st, 2025 at 12:07 pm
When Shaq gets that sack, it’s going to bring down the house.
Bedlam. Mayhem.
January 1st, 2025 at 12:38 pm
Is Simeon Rice looking for a “mentoring” job?
January 1st, 2025 at 1:04 pm
So, what does that say about George Edwards ? Did the nice guy head coach fail to hold him accountable for OLB performance ? Why did Jason allow this to go on for so long ? Could JTS have been developed and coached better ? YaYa ? Braswell ? Is the good ole boys club so impenetrable that failures can’t be fired ? If players are paid based on performance and that performance is hindered by poor coaching, do they have a case to take before the union ? Is there a no touch clause on BA’s old staff ?
January 1st, 2025 at 1:12 pm
Love love love having Shaq for all the reasons. The defensive coaching isn’t good, obviously, so leaning on a player like Shaq to fill the void makes sense. Too bad it couldn’t have happened sooner.
January 1st, 2025 at 1:18 pm
Love hearing Shaq is fired up. Shaq attack is back!
January 1st, 2025 at 1:21 pm
Happy for Shaq. Was a great player with great character. All Bucs fans remember watching Shaq chase Mahomes all over RJS ending with a Lombardi trophy. But, even the most Bowles loyalists have to be scratching their heads over this. He doesn’t want an edge guy, the he does want an edge guy. Then gets a guy with two games left in the regular season that apparently will also be coaching the other guys. Is CTB playing 3D chess? No. Has CTB lost the plot? It would seem so.
Secure Liam Coen 2025
January 1st, 2025 at 1:37 pm
Secure Liam Coen 2025
January 1st, 2025 at 1:40 pm
Bring jpp back!
January 1st, 2025 at 2:06 pm
Isn’t it the coaches job to coach the players?
Well it used to be anyway.
January 1st, 2025 at 2:30 pm
Citrus I bet u r wife doesn’t trust u either do u ever I mean ever have positive comment Hell NO what a turd u R
January 1st, 2025 at 2:32 pm
U feed off each other in a good club ,coaches only give advice U r team mates r the jell on the field
January 1st, 2025 at 2:59 pm
Should be a positive addition. Beware the hamstring monster! Save him for the 4th qtr and or 3rd down. Go BUCS
January 1st, 2025 at 3:26 pm
I think he is being prepped up for coaching and a homecoming based on the past. Perhaps he has some left in the tank but I gotta say he is looking a bit pear shaped.
January 1st, 2025 at 7:11 pm
If Shaq can help out as a player-coach, good. He’s got a SB ring. A lot of the young guys don’t. Yeah, it’s the usual Bowels-stinks hot air on here. I guess the Bucs have a 1-15 record, not 9-7. I get on here for the laffs anymore, and I’m never disappointed. Disgusted at times, but not disappointed. Go Bucs Sunday!! Weather is supposed to be outrageous!
January 1st, 2025 at 9:30 pm
Some people have very low expectations.
9-7 with this roster is the low limit on wins at this point. With the offense averaging 30 of and the defense (with the genius DC who reports to himself) allowing any journeyman to look like Dan Marino, this should be a 12 win team right now. Atlanta game 1 and Niners were outright gifts based on coaching malpractice. Atlanta game 2, Cowboys first half atrocity, and Chiefs game risking a coin toss instead of going for 2…….
Let’s just say that the performance and results have been noted by the Glazers and Jason. and I love the new mantra.
“ Secure Liam Coen 2025 “
He is the only reason we have 9 wins instead of ____.
January 1st, 2025 at 10:13 pm
Damn BAKERSBucs that’s pathetic, I think it’s safe to say someone’s wife or family member should be off limits on a football website. I don’t like your stupid opinions sometimes but don’t you thinks that’s going a bit too far just sayin! Go Bucs fire Todd Bowles
January 1st, 2025 at 10:25 pm
Wow, I really hadn’t paid any attention to the news with Christmas being last week – I completely missed that they resigned Shaq. I wish the Dolphins would have made him available earlier. Anywho, great signing considering the huge number of injuries on defense. Even if he doesn’t really see the field, just having him around will make more of an impact than signing another scrub off the practice squad that never sees the field.
January 1st, 2025 at 11:01 pm
Just to play devils advocate here. And I am so glad the Shaq man is back home. But do we not have some guys who the Glazers hired to coach our OLBs?
Just throwing that out there.
Go Bucs!
January 2nd, 2025 at 10:22 am
I hope to see Shaq and Lavonte get out there and make life miserable for the Saints offense. How instrumental were the LBs in the Superbowl against Mahomes and we got some beasts in the middle, what!!! Let’s Go Bucs!!!!