Bruce Arians Enjoys Trash-Talking “Nacho”

August 17th, 2021

Talkin’ trash.

So last year when Vita Vea went down with a busted-up ankle against the Bears, backup nose tackle Rakeem Nuñez-Roches did a helluva job helping the Bucs maintain the best rushing defense in the NFL.

Could the man the Bucs refer to as “Nacho” be better this year?

Well, he bulked up to over 300 pounds this summer. And Bucs Super Bowl-winning coach Bucco Bruce Arians suggested yesterday Nacho hasn’t lost any speed.

“Oh gosh, well he put on 20 solid pounds,” Arians said. “He always plays with high energy but when you start talking about between 280-285 [pounds] and then 305 [pounds], that’s a big difference and he hasn’t lost any quickness.

“It’s all muscle and he’s just done a great job of continuing to improve his body so he could play even better. He’s a force in there.”

This is good news on a lot of fronts. Mainly, Nacho can probably save a lot of snaps for Vea to keep him fresher for the coming 17-game season. And since Vea tends to be injury-prone, saving Vea snaps could go a long way.

But there is also a trait Nacho possesses that has endeared him to Arians. It seems Nacho is a first class trash talker.

“He’s one of the best,” Arians crowed. “That’s what I love about him. Even if he doesn’t win, he’s still talking trash. That’s the best part about him – a lot of energy.”

Guys with energy not only keep things light in the locker room, it is contagious on the field.

9 Responses to “Bruce Arians Enjoys Trash-Talking “Nacho””

  1. Anonymous Says:

    Isley Brothers…Your contagious, touch me baby, give me what I want!

  2. SB~LV Says:

    Just keeps getting better!

  3. BUC CHEEKS Says:

    Awesome! Hey joe, do you have any Nacho audio? Love some good trash talk

  4. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    Speaking for Pablo

    “Pablo loves Nacho…..Pablo just loves to say “Nacho”……..Nacho eats nachos…..enough to gain the 20 pounds….Pablo has no problem with weight….working on Pasco County roofs by day and table dancing on Dale Mabry by night…..the Realist has been a steady customer since the SB….says he has more time”

  5. Beeej Says:

    Nacho would be a starting tackle for most of the teams on the NFL

  6. Snook Says:

    A broken ankle isn’t really “injury prone”. Anyone’s ankle would’ve broken on that play.

    Guys like OJ are injury prone.

  7. Brandon Says:

    Twenty pounds in six months… okay, Bruce. Either Nacho has been getting into Schwarzenegger’s best stuff, it isn’t all muscle, or BA is seriously exaggerating.

  8. Natural Selection Says:

    They asked nacho about the weight gain in his presser. He said he put on the 20 pounds in a few weeks. Definitely did not make it sound like anything like the version of the story BA told.

  9. DRFEELGOOD Says:

    Agree with @Snook. But not about OJ. Two of his injuries were rolled ankles just like Vea and an Achilles can never be predicted. My best friend tore his Achilles taking laundry upstairs and he is in great shape. What might make OJ “injury prone” is smaller players tackling him and rolling his ankles. I expect him to have his best year yet because he is a beast of a man with speed. LFG!!