At the end of the year, there is perhaps no better way to assess the state of a team than their end of year NFLPA report cards. Not only does it give the players the platform to decide for themselves how the franchise is operating, it gives fans the opportunity to truly see what teams are doing right and sometimes horribly wrong. Going off the latest reports, it’s safe to say Bucs fans should be very worried.
When the reports came in this morning, the Bucs ranked an appalling 29th overall, symbolizing an inner turmoil that some of the most passionate fans may not have even expected. Where they ranked poorly could shock fans even more.
Out of the seventeen categories the players voted on, seven were graded at a C or lower. Those include treatment of families, home game field, which received an F-, and most importantly team ownership, which received a D. That means that the Glazer family received the third lowest mark of any NFL team this past season.
Failing Grades Highlight Deeper Organizational Issues
Another area that got appallingly low marks was team travel, which also received an F. This could point to the Bucs’ somewhat remote location and the amount of miles they rack up in a season, but also perhaps some on-flight tensions as well. Needless to say, there aren’t many reasons why the Bucs would not vote on travel so that may surprise some.
However, there are still some bright spots for the Bucs in their reports. Surprisingly, after the late season collapse, Todd Bowles’ overall grade did not take much of a hit, as he received a B. While some fans may not like that several players still seem to be on board with him, it shows at the very least a sense of unity around a key figure.
Another plus is that the defense also loves Bowles as their de facto play caller, so much so that they gave him an A- at the position. For a team that does not have an official D-coordinator, that might also shock a lot of people.
Coaching Support Remains Strong Despite Staff Turnover
Perhaps the most interesting thing about the Bucs’ report card is that almost the entire staff graded out well too. The irony however, is that a lot of them have either been fired or just left the team. Josh Grizzard, who many fans were skeptical of, earned a B at the OC spot. Despite the fact the offense lost steam down the stretch, the fact they weren’t wholly frustrated by it is quite the storyline in and of itself.
The strength coaching group got an even better grade, an A. However, head strength coach Anthony Piroli was moved on from.
For some, there could be signs of disagreement amongst the team due to their bizarre voting when it came to the culture of the team. Still, to many, it could make perfect sense. The Bucs after all, went from one of the best teams in the league to missing the playoffs entirely. Surely something had to reflect that decline.
Bucs Prove to be Mixed Bag in Latest NFLPA Report