Players Met To Discuss Freeman’s Commitment
September 12th, 2013
The sky is falling around Josh Freeman and the New Schiano Order.
It’s getting very ugly — again.
Tampa Tribune Bucs beat writer eye-RAH! Kaufman was on SiriusXM NFL Radio this morning with Ross Tucker and Derrick Brooks and revealed that last week’s players-only meeting was driven by internal doubts about No. 5 and the New Schiano Order, via ProFootballTalk.com.
Ira Kaufman of the Tampa Tribune appeared earlier this morning on SiriusXM NFL Radio with Ross Tucker and soon-to-be-Hall-of-Famer Derrick Brooks to discuss the situation.
Kaufman addressed his belief that the relationship between the team and its starting quarterback is reaching “critical mass,” explaining that he doesn’t believe the statement amounts to hyperbole. The problem, per Kaufman, is a perceived lack of commitment to the team from Freeman.
“My information is that it’s not the first time Freeman has been late for or completely missed a team function,” Kaufman said.
With some prodding by Tucker, Kaufman acknowledged that a players-only meeting occurred last week. While Kaufman initially explained the meeting as an effort to address Freeman’s lack of commitment to the team, Kaufman eventually conceded that, as he hears it, the meeting was aimed at addressing concerns about both Freeman and the coaching staff.
When a team meets before Week 1, after spending a training camp bonding in a team hotel and on broiling practice fields, and then it emerges questioning its leadership, there are serious problems. And those are the kind that likely can’t be fixed.
How serious is the trouble at One Buc Palace? Joe really can’t be sure. If Freeman’s having an off-the-field problem, then that’s not necessarily the end of the world. There are plenty of players who do stupid things and play effective football.
How Bucs players feels about the coaching staff, well, that answer will be given on the field.
Joe couldn’t give a crap about whether players like coaches, it’s about whether they show up playing hard on Sundays.
September 12th, 2013 at 11:51 am
Please don’t spread unfounded rumors. –Joe
September 12th, 2013 at 11:52 am
Oh snap!!!!
September 12th, 2013 at 11:55 am
uuuuhhhh!,,,, so what college player will we draft with our top 3 pick???
September 12th, 2013 at 11:56 am
@andres
You better amend that post to say that it’s your opinion. That is the very definition of libel.
September 12th, 2013 at 11:56 am
…. coke addict?
September 12th, 2013 at 11:56 am
I think Freeman has become an outcast from the team. An outcast basically gives up on the group instead of trying to correct the problem. It’s up to him to make things right. It was very strange that Freeman threw Davin Joseph under the bus about the snap into the endzone for a safety.
September 12th, 2013 at 11:56 am
There was a players only meeting. Freeman is a player. Was Freeman in the meeting? This is a critical piece of info. This saga is just beginning. Where is Mark Dominik? This is telling .
September 12th, 2013 at 11:57 am
Hi Joe, it’s founded. Trust me.
September 12th, 2013 at 11:58 am
@Adam L – thanks Joe did it for me.
September 12th, 2013 at 11:59 am
Carson Palmer would have been a good bridge for a season, to ready whoever is next (whether is Glennon or someone else). He can clearly manage a game and get it to playmakers.
But, it’s all about #5, right?
September 12th, 2013 at 11:59 am
If you can find anyone to take Freeman right now, you do it. Trade him to Cleveland for a 3rd rounder, or a 4th or whatever. He’s gone so you might as well get something for him.
September 12th, 2013 at 11:59 am
So our team doesn’t have faith anywhere? Lovely.
September 12th, 2013 at 12:00 pm
When Free came on the scene, with the hair and the baby weight, I called him the Cabbage Patch Kid. Then he lost the baby weight.
September 12th, 2013 at 12:01 pm
So yesterday is was to support Freeman not getting the C and a possible rigged vote? Today it’s about Freeman and his commitment? Talk about a 180!
September 12th, 2013 at 12:01 pm
Holy $h!+, it seems like everything is falling apart around here. I was a little worried something like this may happen this season, but I never thought it would be after week 1.
September 12th, 2013 at 12:03 pm
The writing is on the wall here. This is going to be a lost season. AGAIN. And the common denominator in our recent lost seasons has been Josh Freeman. He’s done if this stuff is true.
September 12th, 2013 at 12:04 pm
This just gets worse and worse
September 12th, 2013 at 12:04 pm
Ever since Schiano ripped into Kaufman for repeating questions at a presser nothing but negative has come out of his mouth. Yeah a lot of bad has be going on but its being escalated by Tampa media…The Times in particular
September 12th, 2013 at 12:05 pm
@andres
its only a problem when you are twearking with miley cyrus ” allegedly” But seriously, as long as it is not an Arron Sears like problem, I could care less about why there are problems on the field.
offical member of the MGM ( Mike Glennon Mob )
remember its not about what Glennon can do, but of what JFro-6pak cannot do.
September 12th, 2013 at 12:07 pm
That’s what I figured. No one wants to be on a floundering ship piloted by an emotionally immature introvert. If you want to behave like a tortured genius, you need to be a genius. Um, he ain’t. Give these kids a little credit. Their careers and legacies are on the line.
September 12th, 2013 at 12:07 pm
No one, including the Joes, wanted to believe me and the few others who talked about this 6 months ago already. We were just labeled as haters. Boomer Esiason and Warren Moon tried warning everyone. But most seemed to think they know better.
September 12th, 2013 at 12:07 pm
All this crap about Freeman just makes me want Teddy Bridgewater so much worse. I’m willing to sacrifice this season for Bridgewater, a true franchise calibre QB.
September 12th, 2013 at 12:09 pm
That’s what to expect with a high school coach running the team…
September 12th, 2013 at 12:09 pm
This is clearly everyone’s fault EXCEPT Freeman.
September 12th, 2013 at 12:09 pm
6 pack is sabotaging schiano………..not only will he lose his job. he will be blackballed.
he’ll get a shot, but he wont get paid.
FOCK Jfro!!!
September 12th, 2013 at 12:09 pm
If this turns out to be true , i will be the first to say I was wrong about Freeman ….IF ..
September 12th, 2013 at 12:10 pm
All I know is that up until this point. I only judged Freeman for his ON field play. The one thing I never doubted was his commitment… Let’s just hope this is not true.
September 12th, 2013 at 12:12 pm
The Spit has hit the fan…
September 12th, 2013 at 12:12 pm
Obviously, if a group of 60 players meets to discuss one player, this has to be about more than just missing the photo shoot (though he didn’t forget to go to New York for the Michael Jackson / pussy cat photo shoot).
September 12th, 2013 at 12:12 pm
@Joe
your web hits must be up there with draft day. I have never seen so much info and team stories since coach Rah just needed one more win to keep his job.
September 12th, 2013 at 12:13 pm
Ha…I speculated it was something like this last night. The players dragged Josh in for questioning. It’s all still speculation though. I also speculated that it might of been a players only meeting that Schiano instructed them to do. Drag this kid in for questioning by his teammates and find out where he stands with this team. Would not be surprised if Schiano and the staff asked someone on the team to report back to them about what when on in the meeting as well. That’s my speculation. Maybe we might learn a little bit more about it as days go by. Still not a good sign and I don’t like even having to speculate on such sh!t at this time of the year.
September 12th, 2013 at 12:13 pm
Obviously, if a group of 60 players meets to discuss one player, this has to be about more than just missing the photo shoot (though he didn’t forget to go to New York for the Michael Jackson / kitty cat photo shoot).
September 12th, 2013 at 12:13 pm
Oh goody. When both Freeman and the coaching staff are gone after this season, the morons brothers can go ahead and fire your “rockstar” GM as well due to his crappy drafts and for looking like Louis Skolnick.
Miss Gruden & Allen yet?
Hell, Gruden is such a huge Bucs fan that if the Glaztards ask REAL nice he probably would come back.
September 12th, 2013 at 12:15 pm
It will be very telling how the team and Schiano responds to all this adversity. The amount of bad press this week is astounding. Not a great way to start the season, an it’s only his second season at that. If the players have turned on Schiano and the coaching staff, it’s over. If the problems are rooted in a rift between Freeman, the coach and the team, that’s fixable.
If Freeman really is the problem and Schiano has no plans keeping him after the season, why not explore a trade before the deadline? I know this is a premature thought considering no one outside the organization really knows what’s going on. But, if Freeman is disengaged and it’s affecting the team, why not get rid of the problem and move on? Of course, Schiano could be the problem too.
September 12th, 2013 at 12:15 pm
it’s true couch. you could see it on free’s face on sunday!
September 12th, 2013 at 12:16 pm
And I bet Freeman sat there during this meeting just like he does on the bench on Sundays. Deer in the headlights.
September 12th, 2013 at 12:16 pm
Would love to know what happened to that team atmosphere we had right before training camp started… It all just went down hill.
September 12th, 2013 at 12:17 pm
thats not a good omen
September 12th, 2013 at 12:18 pm
Well, look at the bright side. At least JFro showed up for the players only meeting!
September 12th, 2013 at 12:19 pm
And be havent even gotten to week 2 yet! Lol
Lovie Smith time is upon us folks
September 12th, 2013 at 12:19 pm
You clowns are easily manipulated. Keep buying papers to read up on the latest nonsense and they’ll keep reporting unconfirmed anonymous nonsense.
September 12th, 2013 at 12:19 pm
At one point Glazers and Dominick will have to come out of the shadow and respond to that because I’ve never seen anything like this. This is getting insane and I’m including myself in the madness
September 12th, 2013 at 12:20 pm
Well, we’ll see. Certainly there are sharks in the water. I don’t know how Ira would ever find out what the team meeting was about. Is it conjecture on his part? Maybe….maybe not. As for the drug allegations….don’t players have to undergo periodic drug tests?? It seems to me if someone had a problem as serious as the one being alleged then it would be hard to keep it under wraps.
If it’s true then they definitely need to get Glennon in and see what he can develop into by the end of the season. It will be a real shame if all this smoke turns out to have a fire behind it. Someone from the Bucs organization needs to address all of this and either put out the fires or come clean.
September 12th, 2013 at 12:21 pm
It would be tough to trad him for anything of value. He’s way overpaid, is not starting caliber for any teams who won’t already be picking high, and GMs who are interested know he’ll be on the street in the offseason with no contract. They also know he’s a mess. He’s a decent backup for this season, so I don’t see trading him.
September 12th, 2013 at 12:22 pm
Damn what a mess.
September 12th, 2013 at 12:22 pm
We’ve heard for awhile the potshots at Freeman (from the likes of Esiason/King). I refused to even acknowledge them. But with all this crap coming out now it seems some of it must be true.
Cant wait for his presser later. Saints are gonna hammer us on Sunday.
September 12th, 2013 at 12:24 pm
@ Rob
What’s a paper? and who buys them?
Go stick your head back into the sand. Franchise first round QBs don’t miss the team photo shoot, much less stay inconsistent for 57 starts.
September 12th, 2013 at 12:25 pm
If we bail on Freeman and go to Glennon at the bye, this season will be an absolute failure. Simply put Glennon isn’t better than Freeman. I hope to god Freeman silences all the hating bucs fans this Sunday in Tampa.
September 12th, 2013 at 12:26 pm
This has to be affecting ticket sales
September 12th, 2013 at 12:26 pm
I will go on record right now and say that I bet WHEN the Bucs make the switch to Glennon, I can see the team picking up the tempo and rallying around him. Remember when the Ravens picked it up for Dilfer when they benched Tony Banks?
Everything that is coming out of 1BP is indicating that the team is sick of Freeman and the lid finally blew off the Tupperware.
September 12th, 2013 at 12:27 pm
@Bobby
If you are not in the drug program, you get one test a year (ironically on 4/20). And, as most people know, blow stays in your system for only a few days (vs weed for up to a month). You can easily avoid the system if you are not a total ignoramus.
September 12th, 2013 at 12:27 pm
Definition of WTF?
Players Met To Discuss Freeman’s Commitment ( during the season)
September 12th, 2013
September 12th, 2013 at 12:28 pm
Did anyone actually hear this interview with Kauffman? I’m curious what Derrick Brooks had to say regarding it.
September 12th, 2013 at 12:28 pm
Joe, do you get the impression that the wheels are falling off this team?
September 12th, 2013 at 12:28 pm
Why should Freeman be committed when the Buccaneers have shown such little commitment in Freeman. Those unblocked rushers leading to sacks and that “Safety” WAS NOT JOSH FREEMAN’s responsibility.
I don’t know why Josh just didn’t begin an Official Contract holdout before the 1st Preseason Game. WHY RISK CAREER ENDING INJURY WHEN THERE IS NO FUTURE WITH THE BUCS.
The well is poisoned at One Buc Palace! The losing college coach is a disaster as an NFL COACH. RELEASE FREEMAN. No Trade,.no stalling Just Release him and go with THE GUY YOU DRAFTED…Glennon or whatever his name is. I’m sick to my stomach with The Schiano regime……
NEXT COACH & GM Please!
September 12th, 2013 at 12:30 pm
Oil Derrick,
They let them know the date of the drug test? What’s the point? You can tell they are part of a union.
September 12th, 2013 at 12:30 pm
While I typically always want the Bucs to win, I almost hope they won’t this Sunday. If Freeman comes out, plays ligths out (even if he plays well) and the team wins, I feel this “buy him time” but ultimately it will be an entire season of ups and downs, finishing 6-10 or 7-9, and not being officially out of the playoff hunt until week 13 or later, meaning at best, Glennon only gets 3 starts.
If Freeman lays a turd out there and the Bucs get blown out, I could very easily see the team immediately turning to Glennon, and seeing what they have, and having almost a whole season to determine if they can build around this kid or not.
I’ve been a Freeman supporter since Day 1, and I felt this was a make or break year for Freeman, and wanted him to Make it (and would understand if we cut ties if he didn’t). However I had no idea that the issues he had extended to off field stuff, to the point where teammates question his commitment. It’s one thing if coaches a questioning him, but are still giving him a chance to prove it on the field. If his teammates question him, that’s a much bigger issue.
I think I may have to join the MGM.
September 12th, 2013 at 12:30 pm
Glennon may not be good if/when he starts, but I bet he will be able to call his own play when the headset goes out.
September 12th, 2013 at 12:31 pm
Nobody is going to trade for a player that is going to be a UFA in a few months. Some GMs were born at night but none were born last night.
September 12th, 2013 at 12:33 pm
We’ve heard Ian Beckles and Shawn King both say they’ve heard some not so good things about Josh Freeman.
My point I made on my site this morning, as a Kitchen Manager, Ive seen first hand the effect of drugs and drug addiction, especially with socially acceptable drugs and the kind that enable you to be functional or at least appear so, like Pain Pills, etc.
To me, better QBs have had to endure a lot worse than Freeman has. Brad Johnson was benched in 2003 and had more class.
The OPTIMIST is not feeling good about this!
September 12th, 2013 at 12:34 pm
Dungy was 6-10 his first year. Schiano is 7-10 after inheriting a 4-12 team that had a 10 game losing streak to close the season. And we know he can’t coach in the NFL how?
September 12th, 2013 at 12:36 pm
Boy Joe, You couldn’t have been more wrong all off season, trying to paint this FIASCO into a PICASSO!
September 12th, 2013 at 12:37 pm
Because he cant make sh!t look like gold apparently.
September 12th, 2013 at 12:38 pm
MGM get loud!
September 12th, 2013 at 12:39 pm
Splengo…Freeman has too much value to let go. the Bucs could franchise him just to trade him, if they feel they can get that much value for him.
September 12th, 2013 at 12:39 pm
Splengo,
See: Talib, Aqib
September 12th, 2013 at 12:40 pm
“Why should Freeman be committed when the Buccaneers have shown such little commitment in Freeman.”
Besides that $26,000,000.00 in commitment?
September 12th, 2013 at 12:40 pm
Oh great…at the start of playing real football and we get this effing turmoil. I was so hopeful for a big turn around with the addition of the players we obtained during the off season. C’mon Bucs right the ship!
September 12th, 2013 at 12:42 pm
What a shame. Can’t say I didn’t see this coming. The media has been relentless in creating controversy for awhile. They have been slamming Schiano ever since the first game against the Giants. Somehow he’s the devil reincarnated with the personalities of Coughlin, and Belicheat mixed in (sarcasm). They have been slamming Freeman all summer, and if I’m a new NFL fan looking for a team to cheer for, on that alone, I decided it won’t be the Bucs. Much less, why would I want to buy a ticket to watch the most dysfunctional team in the history of football. (that’s not a joke, some reporters have already said that). A part of this established fan base are just terrible. They talked horrible about McCoy, Bowers, Freeman, Wannstedt, Dominik, Schiano, a kickers wife, etc. The players read and hear this crap, and they are sick of it. It seeds doubts in them wondering if this is going to work and some have probably lost their motivation to give a crap. Now instead of having fun and striving for the trophies, it has just become a job. No more, no less. I bet if each of our pro bowlers were secretly asked if they would like out of Tampa, it would be a resounding yes. I mean really, the motto should be, “Come to Tampa, the team that everyone loves to hate”. JMO
September 12th, 2013 at 12:44 pm
Josh could definitely get value.
I could see a trade with the Jags, easy. Cecil Shorts and a 3rd round pick, do it Dom
September 12th, 2013 at 12:44 pm
I don’t like Freeman. Either switch to Glennon or stick with Freeman but stop the complaining. We lost a fucking game, game 1. Bunch of fucking pussies.
September 12th, 2013 at 12:46 pm
I don’t think this is Schiano’s problem. It can quickly become his problem if he doesn’t get this thing under control. This is kind of like the Riley Cooper thing. You need to get the team together and get all this crap out in the open. Let the players and coaches vent and get it all talked out. Then take the necessary measures to correct the problem. If it’s Freeman then so be it.
If I were Schiano I’d take the reigns off of Freeman. Let him run. Let him audible. Let him play football the way he did in 2010 when he used his legs. If he gets hurt….so what? Then you put Glennon in and go from there. I just think the coaches have gotten into Freeman’s head to the point where they have taken away his ability or confidence to ad lib. Get him out of the pocket. Let him roll out and throw on the run or get some yards with his legs. Turn the kid loose and see what he can do. If he still sucks then let’s move on.
September 12th, 2013 at 12:47 pm
Nobody is going to give us a 3rd for Freeman. We’d be lucky to get a 6th or 7th for him at this point.
September 12th, 2013 at 12:47 pm
Awww, do the players wipe away their tears with the hundred dollar bills they are given to perform on the field? So tired of this franchise being a joke.
September 12th, 2013 at 12:48 pm
We’d be lucky to get a sack of footballs for him at this point.
September 12th, 2013 at 12:51 pm
Dud anyone aak for a source
September 12th, 2013 at 12:51 pm
Last year of his contract, inconsistent, billows upon billows of off the field smoke? 6th rounder at best in a trade.
Anquan Boldin went for a 6.
September 12th, 2013 at 12:52 pm
Buc1987,
You could be completely correct on the “Schiano asking for the players-only meeting” thing. There are some things that players on a team only pay attention to when they come from their peers, and that’s what the captains are there for. I know when I coached high school sports, I would occasionally have the captains do that; sometimes they would report back to me, and sometimes I didn’t need them to. Whatever is going on at One Buc needs to be figured out soon though, or else this team will be looking at a lost season before they know it.
September 12th, 2013 at 12:52 pm
BucsfaninChina,
Are you high? Can I have some?
Thanks
September 12th, 2013 at 12:55 pm
Media hype all it is. A story to write and get a rise out of people and look, its working!
September 12th, 2013 at 12:57 pm
On a positive note, we could be the division leaders with a win this weekend!
September 12th, 2013 at 12:58 pm
“Media hype all it is. A story to write and get a rise out of people and look, its working!”
– Aaron Hernandez
September 12th, 2013 at 1:01 pm
We got gabe carimi for 6th? 7th? I dunno, dire straights when you have to pick gabbert or henne to trot out on the field.
Only thing im high on is disappointment. Plenty to go around. This was supposed to be the season the bucs made a name for themselves.
September 12th, 2013 at 1:01 pm
WoW!…. What a crazy ride it has been as a fan of this team since the end of 2008… It is starting to become clear that many of the bad decisions are out-weighing the good ones…
From GM to HC to QB it is coming to a point that 1, 2 or all 3 must go and often it is the QB that goes 1st in an attempt by the GM and HC to salvage their jobs… In this situation I can’t say it would be a bad move!
September 12th, 2013 at 1:02 pm
Well Yahoo was quick to pick up the story and make the Bucs look like the worst franchise out there. Of course if all this is true and the organization knew about it then I guess we have to be considered as such.
September 12th, 2013 at 1:04 pm
Freeman has absolutely no value to anyone else right now, except to the Bucs because Glennon is not ready. Where there is smoke, there is fire, nobody would be foolish enough to trade for him right now.
September 12th, 2013 at 1:47 pm
Hes not even valuable there. We need to see what Glennon has. I say if all of this is true, obviously there is no shot of Freeman returning to this team. Get Glennon as many snaps as we can to see exactly what we got in him.
September 12th, 2013 at 1:52 pm
I defended Free for a long time…now I think Aarron Murray would look great in a Bucs uni…
September 12th, 2013 at 2:22 pm
IF Freeman is having . Um . “Problems”- there is one and only one move that makes since- trade him to Washington for Kirk Cousins.
That guy is starting caliber.
If we have to play Glennon- we will have the worst record in the league, and have the first round pick.
Since the team has turned on Schiano, also- we can plan on a new cow coach as well.
We can start rebuilding all over again. Without actually having built anything
Everybody at OneBuc place should have to walk the plank. This really sucks
September 12th, 2013 at 2:25 pm
It’s obvious Schiano and Freeman can never co-exsist. Just let Glennon start already.
September 12th, 2013 at 2:28 pm
If we get the first pick, we get Teddy Bridgewater. I’m cool with that. Very cool with that.
September 12th, 2013 at 2:30 pm
Jon Gruden, Jeff Garcia and a 9-7 record doesn’t sound that bad right now.
September 12th, 2013 at 3:54 pm
@Capt Tim Only person saying same thing about team turning on Shiano is Steve D on 620. He hasn’t liked Shiano ever sense the new coach started limiting his pressers to about 6 or 7 min. even now he ridiculous the coaches discipline. The Coach is not the kindling for this fire, Freeman is. Sunday will tell us if the team is behind Schiano and if Freeman is still in neverland. Remember how things went sour after the moon walking photo shoot.
September 12th, 2013 at 4:06 pm
@Capt. Tim,
My goodness would that trade be awesome!!! It won’t happen though, not like that. We would have to give up Freeman and a really high draft pick. I would guess at least a second. Not to mention that Washington can’t afford Freeman’s contract, which they would be responsible for in a trade.
I’m totally with you on Glennon. Don’t see what anyone saw from him that would give them any sense of confidence with that guy, except that he would probably set us up nicely for the Teddy Bridgewater sweepstakes.
Unfortunately, I think I’m with you on Schiano too. This has the look and feel of an implosion, and I see a lot of change as a result. That saddens me, because I don’t feel we are that far off from being a really really good team. The holes we have (which we discussed yesterday) are fairly easy to fill, but you got to have a coach and QB, which it looks like we don’t.
September 12th, 2013 at 5:09 pm
Did somebody mention a $26Million commitment to Freeman? Psfft PLEASE,.get your facts straight.
I’m a Big Freeman Fan. When Raheem constantly “Juiced” Freeman’s head Freeman Played like a Guy on his way to Elite Status. Isn’t coaching about getting the most out of your players??? Well then Schiano thus far has been an unmitigated Failure!!
Don’t waste the energy seeking a Trade, JUST RELEASE FREEMAN. Then have it your way Greg. I’m sure Adrian Peterson & Greg Jennings can find use for Freeman’s Cannon in Minnesota.
September 12th, 2013 at 5:23 pm
So Freeman wasn’t signed to a rookie $26,000,000.00 contract?
Pretty sure Rah was coaching him and 2009 and 2011 when he was stinking up the place. But, by all means, lets not let facts get in the way.
As someone one else put it, 3 QB coaches and 3 OCs and he still has the same problems. Minny can have him.
September 12th, 2013 at 8:02 pm
I would say fu ck this city too with all the negative storieswritten about freeman. Bring the bucs to nevada reno nevada to be specific.
September 12th, 2013 at 10:26 pm
^^^ The geniuses are coming out of everywhere!!!!
September 12th, 2013 at 11:06 pm
so i got called every name in the book for predicting a 5-11 season. Think we beat the saints??? think we beat the pats???? best case scenario 1-2 but more like 0-3
September 13th, 2013 at 8:32 am
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