Did Freeman Get Mike Sullivan’s Blessing?
April 11th, 2014
Word that the Giants are about to bring sleepy, leaky Josh Freeman in for a workout intrigues Joe because it would mean the former Bucs franchise quarterback likely earned the blessing of highly respected ex-Tampa Bay offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan.
Now don’t misinterpret what Joe means by “highly-respected” when it comes to Sullivan.
Sullivan was the mastermind behind the Bucs’ historically brutal offense last season. How many second half points did the Bucs average? They executed as well as Joe would at a Hooters Calendar girl pool party. The Bucs’ performance was humiliating, worst in the NFL.
But Sullivan is a former Army Ranger and commands a ton of respect in NFL circles, especially with the Giants, where he worked under Tom Coughlin for many years as receivers and quarterbacks coach. Sullivan was given credit for helping revive Eli Manning, and Joe’s heard nothing but great respect for Sullivan from the likes of Amani Toomer, Coughlin and others.
Sullivan is a class act and not a baloney peddler.
There’s no doubt in Joe’s mind that the Giants, when considering a look at Freeman, sought Sullivan’s opinion. If Freeman does, in fact, work out for the Giants, then Joe’s going to assume Sullivan gave Freeman a thumbs-up as a potential backup to Manning and as a guy who would not infect the locker room.
Perhaps Leslie Frazier was being forthright?
That would be very interesting to the say the least. Sullivan has yet to speak publicly about the Bucs since his firing. Joe’s really wondering today what Sullivan would have to say about all the times early last season and late in 2012 when the ball was mysteriously yanked from Freeman’s hands in key moments in favor of handoffs, in addition to the decision to switch to Glennon. It’s starting to smell even more like Greg Schiano pulling the offensive strings.
Want more to chew on? Consider last year’s Bucs quarterbacks coach John McNulty (now with the Titans) served under Tom Coughlin in Jacksonville, later worked for Coughlin mentor Bill Parcells, and maintains a relationship with Coughlin. Joe suspects McNulty got a call from the Giants about Freeman, too.
April 11th, 2014 at 12:15 pm
or perhaps they figure Freeman would be familiar with the Giants offense given that the Bucs offense was based on it?
April 11th, 2014 at 12:19 pm
Freeman the enigma. Keep hearing his story will come out some day. WEll that day is now. Can we find out what made dude collapse and go mental. Drugs, chics, did he go all michael sam. or what. ? anyone know the truth
April 11th, 2014 at 12:21 pm
If Freeman goes there it will likely be his last stop on an NFL roster.
April 11th, 2014 at 12:23 pm
I’ll believe it when I see it. He doesn’t have the job yet.
It would be a good organization for him, but he left another team visit without getting hired as well.
April 11th, 2014 at 12:23 pm
zam Says:
April 11th, 2014 at 12:15 pm
or perhaps they figure Freeman would be familiar with the Giants offense given that the Bucs offense was based on it?
++++++++++++++++++
Nope, not anymore. The Giants are doing more of a west coast offense this year. Former coordinator, Kevin Gilbride was forced into retirement and the new guy is from the Packers tree. Freeman does have success under Greg Olson’s version of the WCO.
April 11th, 2014 at 12:27 pm
I still think Josh Freeman has a bigger future than most if he gets on the right team.
April 11th, 2014 at 12:29 pm
Did Mike Sullivan get a job yet? I think he’s still unemployed. Didn’t get the Army job, didn’t get the nod to replace Gilbride at the Giants, so maybe he’s just a consultant now.
I just think Freeman is the last of the QB FAs and they’re just waiting to see if he will sign at the veteran minimum. Wish him the best, but the best might not be very much now!
April 11th, 2014 at 12:32 pm
theDON…probably wasn’t chicks
April 11th, 2014 at 12:38 pm
Loved freeman in 2010, that was the last year we had a qb that could pull. DRAFT MANZIEL
April 11th, 2014 at 12:38 pm
A pictures a worth a thousand words. That right there is why the little puppy doesn’t like Glennon and hates Schiano. Schiano ran that headcase out of town and Glennon was his replacement.
If Josh couldn’t handle himself in Tampa how the hell is he going to handle NY. The media there will destroy him. I hope they sign him, it should be a meltdown of epic proportions.
April 11th, 2014 at 12:51 pm
The “thriller ” hits broadway
April 11th, 2014 at 12:55 pm
I would like to see the Jets fanbase destroy him. Those clowns are the most miserable sad sacks I have ever heard.
The radio stations, media and message boards for the Giants vs the Jets is night and day.
April 11th, 2014 at 1:04 pm
Buccaneer Bonzai Says:
April 11th, 2014 at 12:27 pm
I still think Josh Freeman has a bigger future than most if he gets on the right team.
__________________
Please take your delusional medicine. Chicago took a pass after the workout. I think that speaks volumes. His career is OVER even if Steve Duemig doesnt like it. lol
April 11th, 2014 at 1:04 pm
Best thing Schiano did was get rid of Freeman for us.
April 11th, 2014 at 1:15 pm
Couch Fan,
And drafting well for two years.
Our other Dominick drafts were terribad.
April 11th, 2014 at 1:28 pm
I would love nothing more than for Freeman to succeed. In the right environment and with a decent offensive line and receivers, he has the tools. I mean look what Coughlin has done for Eli Manning. He’s prone to make mistakes as much as Freeman. In fact he has more career INT’s in the same time frame than Freeman did. It amuses me how many of you heartless turds are so afraid that Freeman could go on and have a productive career with the right team. There are not to many ex-Buc QB’s that have had storied careers in Tampa, but some have gone on to do great things somewhere else and that’s what some of you turds are afraid of.
April 11th, 2014 at 1:31 pm
hey joe , you can wipe your chin now!
April 11th, 2014 at 1:41 pm
Freeman made me look like an a-hole for supporting him so much. I love it when I see his name still rolling across the NFL network ticker day after day.
What evere happened to Ra-phael?
April 11th, 2014 at 1:50 pm
The very fact that Freeman has to work out for teams speaks volumes – name one other decent free agent that has had to work out for teams.
April 11th, 2014 at 2:24 pm
please Joe, Find out what time is the try out, and what time he actually shows up. Also, everyone knows that he is available for any team for work outs, cause One thing we know after 5 seasons with JFro is that he is not putting in the work during the off-season.
April 11th, 2014 at 2:29 pm
thx Brandon
April 11th, 2014 at 2:52 pm
need more john manziel articles, please.
April 11th, 2014 at 3:00 pm
Who was the idiot that recommended Sullivan for OC, when he never ever called plays before?
April 11th, 2014 at 3:04 pm
Is that picture Free and Joe talking after a loss?
April 11th, 2014 at 3:23 pm
Joe, did you see the report that came out saying L&L reportedly “love” manziel and wont let him slip past 7? Surprised you haven’t posted an article about it yet,
Scroll down. It’s here. –Joe
April 11th, 2014 at 3:30 pm
Poor Joshie. Looks like the Giants are also looking at Matt Flynn as well.
April 11th, 2014 at 3:32 pm
Remember when the radio host stated that Chris Simms, Joey Galloway, and Derrick Brooks would all go on to dominate in football after leaving the Bucs?
April 11th, 2014 at 4:08 pm
Freeman is done. He never was and never will be.
April 11th, 2014 at 4:23 pm
freemans story isnt complicated. listen to the the eddie murphy song party all the time and change the girl to a guy.
April 11th, 2014 at 4:26 pm
Freeman is a turd. Look at it this way. Tennessee needs a qb. McNulty is the QBs coach. Think about it.
April 11th, 2014 at 4:48 pm
I am still in dis belief how schiano ripped the playcard away from sullivan countless times in games…EVERY GAME. Im not sticking up for Freeman but him and Glennon were both effected by Schianos big ego and given Glennon still had a decent rookie year with horrible playcalling….he does have a chance. Again its all up to tedford. Hopefully lovie gives him the keys to the offense and lets tedford open it up…after they draft mike evans
April 11th, 2014 at 5:01 pm
Well, it sure isn’t because of that ‘awesome’ game he had with the Vikings against the Giants on Monday Night Football last year.
April 11th, 2014 at 5:12 pm
I agree with Lurker—more Johnny Manziel articles to piss off the mob and get the rest of our hopes up Joe!
April 11th, 2014 at 5:22 pm
I think Freeman’s meltdown was simply from a thin skinned guy working for an untactful coach… To put it nicely.
April 11th, 2014 at 5:34 pm
This blows my mind that this cancer would be welcome in anyone’s locker room.
April 11th, 2014 at 5:35 pm
@chef Paul
how do you explain 2011 when Josh Freeman free fall started to show then?
April 11th, 2014 at 5:43 pm
Joe… Company took the engineering team to see draft day today. Would love it if the bucs ended up with similar results. Highly recommend the movie.
April 11th, 2014 at 5:45 pm
Realist,
Well I’m basically talking about just the last few things he did, not necessarily his play. Like the massive over sleeping, the leaking, sitting in the bleachers when he supposed to be in the team booth, etc. His mental meltdown at the end seemed like he wanted off this team because big old angry coach was being a meany to him.
April 11th, 2014 at 5:47 pm
A workout can also be a favor for an agent. trying to drum up noise for Freeman’s dying career.
April 11th, 2014 at 5:51 pm
@Chef Paul
are you saying he was not late in 2011? You don’t think that clubbing was not a problem in 2011? There was a reason one of Schiano mandates was to get #5 back on track. and discipline was supposed to give the roster structure.
April 11th, 2014 at 6:08 pm
Realist,
“There was a reason one of Schiano mandates was to get #5 back on track. and discipline was supposed to give the roster structure.”
Yes. And Freeman couldn’t handle that discipline because he is thin skinned.
Yes he had problems back then too, but did it not seem to you that last year he just went bonkers and purposely got ran out of town? Last season he went from a 6 to a 10 on the bonkers scale. That’s what I saw anyways.
April 11th, 2014 at 6:10 pm
“are you saying he was not late in 2011? You don’t think that clubbing was not a problem in 2011?”
And no. I’m not saying that at all.
April 11th, 2014 at 6:14 pm
As I have said before…WHO CARES? We will never know what really happened. At one point JF5 Looked like he had a promising career. What happened is any ones guess. It is what it is and gives Joe something trivial to write about to which we all can’t wait to answer. I’d much rather hear about what came out during OTA’s this week. STILL want to hear about Carl Nicks. You can’t tell me that isn’t a bigger story going into 2014 than JF5
April 11th, 2014 at 6:33 pm
@chef Paul
I say he was getting progessivly bonkers. I say that we had a coach that would not cover up for JFRo. I think the players were tired of his behavior too. ( except his drinking buddies).
April 11th, 2014 at 7:22 pm
Good luck Josh! You’re going to need it!
April 11th, 2014 at 7:29 pm
That’s a good thought. I could see that too
April 11th, 2014 at 7:37 pm
I think the change in Freeman happened during the 2011 season. He took a hit and injured his thumb, and honestly never looked the same. He stopped running the rest of that season.
Then in 2012 he looked ok at times, but still scared, scared of his coach. He looked like he had lost his passion for the game. By the 2013 season, who the F knows… He was off the rails completely.
But let’s not forget his rookie year coming in halfway through the season and beating the Packers. Or 2010, which was flukey, but he had a good season.
AND, he was leading workouts with teammates in the offseason during the lockout. He used to be a leader, had potential to raise his game. Don’t know what happened. He’s gone now so it doesn’t really matter to us Bucs fans, but I wish him well. He doesn’t seem like he has an interest in football anymore.
April 11th, 2014 at 7:42 pm
What he did in the past doesn’t matter. What he does in the future does.
April 11th, 2014 at 8:39 pm
Uuummm…
April 11th, 2014 at 9:46 pm
Y’all must’ve forgot frees stellar performance against the giants. They’re going to bring him in so the defense can get a boost of confidence
April 11th, 2014 at 9:51 pm
He can step right in. A boneheaded crybaby who throws lots of picks will bring continuity if something happens to Eli.
April 11th, 2014 at 9:51 pm
Freeman next gig will be as 30 for 30 episode. The fat lady is clearing her throat.
April 11th, 2014 at 11:39 pm
Yes Free began to slide in 2011. Also that QB King(you know the only QB….) said he needed a sport physiologist. I called in to his show on Radio and ask him if he needed any help with his confidence. Of course he said no and he and the radio commentator had a big laugh and of course I was cut off. Then there was his famous moonwalk and I believe he saw himself as more than a football player. Good looking , maybe more modeling and maybe some acting. When Schiano cam to town the cat hit the fan. (you thought I was going to say S#it didn’t you?) I’m just stating my opinion ! Bottom fell out – Glennon put in – Freeman’s friends in the press telling him they were behind him – who knows who leaked those records? Could have been anyone even any friend who had a connection with the press! That was the nail that hung his ass to the wall. Why do you think there has been no movement on the leak investigation. Will he play again? He will have to get his game together – gain peoples trust by being a team player – practice hard -pick good friends – be on time and listen to your coach (he’s your boss).
Mr Freeman I hope you get a new job. You have talent. You’ve already played in the Little Apple ( Manhattan KS) now be on time and show them what a Wildcat can do. Best of luck Dude.
April 12th, 2014 at 9:23 am
Who cares about Freeman anymore..Let the man do his thing..besides we have another Josh to worry about nowl
April 12th, 2014 at 4:08 pm
Had such high hopes for JF5. Hope he gets well.
kevin Said:
“I am still in dis belief how schiano ripped the playcard away from sullivan countless times in games…EVERY GAME. Im not sticking up for Freeman but him and Glennon were both effected by Schianos big ego and given Glennon still had a decent rookie year with horrible playcalling….he does have a chance. Again its all up to tedford. Hopefully lovie gives him the keys to the offense and lets tedford open it up…after they draft mike evans”
That’s what I saw too. Couldn’t get over it.