The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in a tailspin to start the 2026 NFL season.
Not only have the Bucs dropped each of their first three games, but they've also lost their starting quarterback to injury. It's a tough time to be a Bucs fan, there's no doubt about it, but things aren't as bad as they've been in the past.
Just ask former Buccaneers star DT, Gerald McCoy , who only experienced just one winning season in his eight years as a member of the Buccaneers from 2010-18.
Despite the team's struggles during his time, McCoy remained one of the Bucs' best players. Unfortunately, he experienced almost as many different injuries as he did head coaches, and that turmoil undoubtedly contributed to the team's lack of success during his tenure.
In recent years, McCoy has developed into a regular contributor in the NFL media space, where his big smile and jovial personality have been a welcome addition to many interviews. This week, McCoy sat down with ESPN's Kevin Clark on an episode of This is Football, and the former Buccaneer had some strong words regarding the state of his former team.
First of all, when McCoy was asked by the host to identify the most disappointing team in the NFL this season, he immediately brought up his old team.
"Whatever is happening, there is no cohesiveness."
Feb 7, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Gerald McCoy on the NFL Network set on Radio Row at the Super Bowl LIX media center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect
McCoy didn't take long to point in the direction of the coaches in Tampa Bay when attempting to identify the primary reason for the team's putrid start to 2026.
"I don't know if it's schematically or what, but we've got to find a way to generate a pass rush," McCoy said. "I know for sure there are certain things that are being coached that I wouldn't coach. Everybody coaches different. I heard some things that was being taught to these guys, and I'm like, 'that's not gonna work'"
McCoy didn't focus exclusively on Bowles' defense, though.
"The most surprising thing is how off Baker [Mayfield] and this offense looks," He said. "Zac Robinson, I thought he was going to put together something; you know, it just ain't looking good. And our o-line man, golly. It just don't look good."
Dec 28, 2025; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin Jr. (14) celebrates a touchdown with teammates during the first quarter against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
McCoy also suggested something new, which is that the Buccaneers' roster design actually enables the negative impact of the team's coaching philosophy.
"What's being coached. You have a lot of talent in the room. But what's being coached, and how you're coaching it, matters," McCoy stated. "This is the gift and curse of having 'great guys' in the locker room... The Bucs don't have knuckleheads. They don't have anybody where I'm like 'man, that dude is a detriment to the locker room'. They have a bunch of really good guys who are very coachable.
"But the problem with that is, they're extremely coachable. So you're going to coach them to do something, and they're going to try their darndest to do it. So if you're coaching something that is not going to work, they're going to just do what they're coached. They don't know any better than to do what is coached."
For someone who was criticized for being 'too nice' while he was playing for the Buccaneers, McCoy sure went in on the Buccaneers' coaching staff in this interview. The most interesting part, though, is that he sure brought up some strong points in the process.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/buccaneers/onsi as Former Buccaneers Star Knows Exactly Why the Bucs are Struggling .
