Patience Will Pay Off For Mike Greenberg
February 5th, 2025
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BY IRA KAUFMAN
Once again, Mike Greenberg proved he’s one of the smartest guys in the room.
The brainy capologist of the Buccaneers checked the balance sheet and gave the Jaguars the back of his hand. Greenberg was one of Jacksonville’s top choices to replace Trent Baalke as General Manager, but he declined to interview and will return to One Buc Place as Jason Licht’s trusted consigliere.
That’s a win for the Bucs and another example of Greenberg’s clarity of thought when it comes to tough decisions.
Bucs assistant GM Mike Greenberg seems to have made the wise play for the long haul, writes Ira Kaufman.
While Greenberg pines for a GM job, he’s patient enough to wait for the right job. And Jacksonville, with rookie head coach Liam Coen, clueless owner Shad Khan and underachieving quarterback Trevor Lawrence, hardly offers a blueprint for success.
“The most important thing when you get your chance, is for the owner, the GM and the coach to be on the same page.” says former NFL general manager Marty Hurney. “If you have that, you have a shot. If you don’t, it’s very difficult. Still, there’s only 32 of these GM jobs and it’s hard to turn one down because you always think you can make it work.”
After 15 years in the Buc organization, Greenberg isn’t in a rush to move on. He’s very tight with Licht and ownership, but make no mistake — Greenberg aspires to run an NFL organization.
John Spytek, another one of Licht’s assistant GMs, just took the GM job with the Raiders.
With Tom Brady eager to flex his muscles in Las Vegas, Spytek might have a shot to succeed.
He’d better.
As a rule, it’s very difficult for NFL general managers to get a second opportunity. They are looked on as damaged goods, unable to use their experience to guide a different franchise.
That’s not the case with head coaches, who are often recycled. There are currently eight head coaches — Raheem Morris, Sean Payton, Andy Reid, Pete Carroll, Jim Harbaugh, Mike Vrabel, Todd Bowles and Dan Quinn — with prior experience on the NFL sidelines.
“GMs are judged far more on results that what coaches are,” says Hall of Fame executive Bill Polian. “You can name any number of coaches who have gotten second or in some cases third chances who really have nothing more than .500 records. GMs in that position really struggle to get a second chance.”
Greenberg looked at the Jaguars and said “Pass.” A year from now, he might find a better fit with another franchise.
While it’s not easy to tell an interested organization that you’re staying put, Greenberg realizes one wrong move can bury a GM. Look no further than Mark Dominik, replaced by Licht in 2014 after compiling a 28-52 record in Tampa.
Dominik never got another job in the NFL. John Idzik never returned to the executive suite after being run out of New York as Jets GM.
In Tim Ruskell’s first year as Seattle’s GM, the 2005 Seahawks made the Super Bowl, snapping a 21-year streak without a playoff win. The good times were fleeting. He was dismissed before the 2009 season concluded and is out of the NFL.
The same fate awaited another former Director of Player Personnel for the Bucs. Ruston Webster was fired by the Titans after an 18-46 mark as GM. Most recently, he’s been working in Atlanta’s personnel department.
History says you don’t get three strikes as an NFL GM. One strike and you’re out on your rump — with a compensation package to soothe a fractured ego.
Better job next year, says Ira.
Greenberg made the right call.
Jacksonville’s been an NFL cesspool and all of his salary-cap acumen can’t overcome a shoddy roster.
“Teams are generally looking for fresh ideas and new energy when it comes to hiring a GM,” Hurney says. “Getting a second chance is definitely hard, but not impossible.”
Greenberg can do better than the Jags. A year from now, he will.
February 5th, 2025 at 5:07 pm
I’m glad Greenburg is here in Tampa for another year, but hope he gets a GM job next season. He’s a good guy, has helped the Bucs a tremendous amount, and deserves a shot.
Licht needs to line up a replacement if he hasn’t already, and have that person work closely with Greenburg all year and pick his brain.
Alternatively, the Glazer’s can promote Licht to Team President or some other job in the front office and make Greenburg the GM. I would prefer this option.
February 5th, 2025 at 5:07 pm
Maybe the Glazers promote Licht and then Greenberg to GM.
Continuity!
February 5th, 2025 at 5:13 pm
He can and will get his GM wishes with a far better organization than the Jags.
February 5th, 2025 at 5:27 pm
I’m not as down on the Jags as Ira and a lot of others; I definitely think there are worse organizations in the NFL, and Spytek just went to one of them. (Though with Brady there, it will probably get cleaned up.)
That said, Trevor Lawrence scares me. I’d hate for my career to depend on his development, because I see a LOT of inconsistency with his game. Greenberg probably made a good move.
But I’ll still root for Lawrence and Liam Coen when they’re not playing us.
February 5th, 2025 at 5:29 pm
NO GM wants this. It’s not a promotion. It’s getting “kicked upstairs”, like what Arthur Blank did to Rich McKay. He still got a paycheck but zero authority on football matters.
February 5th, 2025 at 6:32 pm
Joseph C Simmons Says:
NO GM wants this. It’s not a promotion. It’s getting “kicked upstairs”, like what Arthur Blank did to Rich McKay. He still got a paycheck but zero authority on football matters.
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We don’t know what Rich McKay wants or doesn’t want. He’s CEO of the Atlanta Falcon’s these days and also helps Arthur Blank with the soccer team he owns. So it sounds like he’s doing OK for himself.
Greenburg is already doing many of the functions of a GM for the Bucs. At one point, Licht referred to him as “the real GM”. If Licht was promoted to Team President there is nothing stopping him from continuing to help Greenburg, especially in the first year or two while Greenburg is continuing to take on additional responsibilities.
February 5th, 2025 at 7:16 pm
Not a knock on Greenberg in the least, but why do you need a ‘capologist’ in 2025? That’s a job you could easily give to AI to handle, and it could do the job dramatically better than any human, and millions of times faster. Literally just put in the entire NFL rulebook, all the salaries and conditions, and all the ways that people have fudged the system over the years – then just tell the AI to figure it out, give you 500 ways to keep Godwin while adding Garrett and how to make the salary work, etc – and bam, you got an answer a few seconds later with every possible scenario you can think of.
Again, not a known on Greenberg, I know he does a lot more than the cap, but that’s a position I would assume the Bucs have already automated – if not, I’d assume they’re in the process of doing so, since that’s something AI would excel at.
February 5th, 2025 at 7:21 pm
I’m sure Licht would go “upstairs”…. And let Greenie continue what he’s already doing.
He still gets to wear flip flops around the facility and drink brewskies, what’s the difference?
February 5th, 2025 at 8:13 pm
Nice middle finger to El Serpiente. Who everyone understands couldn’t turn down the offer he got. Still, eff the Baguars.
February 5th, 2025 at 8:39 pm
Sometimes, a guy just wants to do what and where he is doing. I remember a guy named Kiffen reverently.
February 5th, 2025 at 9:35 pm
Didn’t even interview though. The Bucs front office must have deep resentment of Jacksonville and Liam Coen.
February 5th, 2025 at 11:33 pm
Greenburg attempted to reach out to Coen on the day he traveled to Jacksonville. Coen ghosted him. Apparently, the owner of the Jaguars required Coen to do that.
Greenburg may have lost respect for both of them that day. If so, that could have been a factor in his decision
If I was Coen and I was offered a HC job with enough money where I’ll be set for life, I’d take it. Probably a no-brainer. There’s no guarantee I’d receive a comparable offer in the future.
Had Coen called Licht and/or the Glazers that morning, indicated he changed his mind, explaining why, they’d be pretty disappointed, but I think they’d understand.
But Coen may have burnt a bridge by leaving in the way he did.
February 6th, 2025 at 1:51 am
Masterful rundown on all thing GM Ira.
Given the fact that you only get one shot. A man in a situation like Greenberg finds himself leave? Why would any candidate even think about this kind of gamble with any team. He has a bit of job security here as long as he and Licht remain somewhat successful. Seems to me he has the cap way better than it was, and the team has remained championship caliber despite the cap issues.
Dominik should never have been hired. Strange dude.
Go Bucs!
February 6th, 2025 at 2:01 am
BTW when I was alot younger I had aspirations to move up to a management position…. then I got the job… and realized it came with lots more headaches and pressures than it was worth. Never took another “management position” again.
Go Bucs!
February 6th, 2025 at 4:48 am
Excellent read, Ira.
Greenberg made the right choice and thankfully so. Agreed, next year he will do far better with the choices.
February 6th, 2025 at 5:58 am
If I was Greenberg and Light , it would benefit both if Greenberg had more involvement in player selection and also taking someone under his wing to
assume some of his capologist tricks of the trade.
February 6th, 2025 at 6:27 am
bob in valrico – Agreed. Prepare him even more for further advancement.
February 6th, 2025 at 6:27 am
Garro
Yes “management” can be simply a trick to avoid paying OT. Had those kind of managerial positions before.
February 6th, 2025 at 8:25 am
Tampa Bay is a GREAT place to live and raise a family-this always enters heavily in the equation.
February 6th, 2025 at 2:25 pm
Who else got multiple chances as a GM besides McKay? The only one that comes to mind is Charlie Casserly. But winning 3 Super Bowls will buy you opportunities.