LeSean McCoy, who recently signed a one year deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers gave a simple rationale for why he chose to ink his deal with the franchise.
“Tom Brady. Tampa. Warm weather. C’mon,” McCoy said (via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times.
McCoy Considered Signing with the Eagles
McCoy has arrived in Tampa Bay but he considered signing with his old team in Philadelphia, Stroud adds.
The Eagles have handed the keys over to Miles Sanders, who is expected to put up even better numbers than his rookie figures. Although, Philadelphia faces a difficult slate of rushing defenses, as Pro Football Action relays.
Sanders proved to be an asset in the passing game, an area where McCoy also shines. The 32-year-old running back is expected to contribute in Tampa’s passing game.
Additionally, his pass-protection skills will be welcomed. Tampa lacks a running back with those proven skills. Bruce Arians had to pull Ronald Jones II on many occasions last season because of his issues picking up the blitz. Rookie Ke’Shawn Vaughn is just that: a rookie, and he shouldn’t be counted on to excel in this area. Fourth-stringer Dare Ogunbowale performed well last season in pass protection in very limited snaps, though the former Wisconsin Badger is no lock to make the roster.
Winning An Important Factor for McCoy
“I think the biggest thing – where I’m at in my career – I had a couple teams reach out,” McCoy added (via Sports Illustrated). “No disrespect to the teams, but it didn’t fit.
“I wanted to win. I wanted to contribute. I needed something to push me. I want to be with a group of guys that want to win and I think this is a perfect place. You talk about Rob [Gronkowski] – I’ve been friends with Rob for so long. Just seeing how he came back – you get that itch to compete. Then you bring Tom Brady here – with the group of guys they already had as far as young guys – I want to be a part of it, I really do. It’s a mixture of leadership with age and also the youth and talent.”
McCoy spent last season with the Chiefs, winning a Super Bowl. Prior to that, he spent four years with the Bills and six with the Eagles.
McCoy’s Chiefs tenure lasted just one season. He was a significant factor early in the 2019 campaign, though his efficiency took a hit as the season progressed. McCoy averaged 4.6 yards per carry last year, however, after week 8, he saw just 32 carries that netted 103 yards. He saw just one snap in the Super Bowl for Kansas City.
The Harrisburg, PA-native has just 101 careers last year, which marked a career-low. While he may not rack up the rushing attempts, he’ll likely be an important factor on the new-look Buccaneers.
McCoy, who was the Eagles’ second-round pick back in 2009, proved to be valuable in Andy Reid’s system both in Philly and Kansas City as a receiver out of the backfield. Brady has utilized many receiving backs in his career, dating back to Kevin Faulk and most recently, James White and Rex Burkhead. McCoy should seamlessly fit into that role this season; it’s just a matter of how much he has left in the tank.
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LeSean McCoy Explains Why He Signed With Buccaneers