Buccaneers GM Jason Licht's explicit comment on how he has drafted so well
Context:
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have maintained their competitive edge since winning the Super Bowl in 2020, thanks largely to their strategic draft selections, which blend young talent with seasoned veterans like Chris Godwin and Mike Evans. General Manager Jason Licht emphasizes character and coachability in his selections, avoiding players who lack passion or are difficult to manage. This ethos mirrors the culture instilled by former coach Tony Dungy, focusing on players who prioritize team goals and possess a balance of humility and confidence. Quarterback Baker Mayfield, once seen as uncoachable, exemplifies the success of this character-first approach, having thrived under the Bucs' system. Licht's experience with the New England Patriots has informed his understanding of the importance of character in building a championship team.
Dive Deeper:
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, under General Manager Jason Licht, have successfully combined young talents from recent drafts with veteran players, maintaining their competitiveness since their 2020 Super Bowl victory.
Licht's draft strategy focuses on character, removing players from consideration who do not love football or are difficult to work with, ensuring the team consists of motivated and coachable individuals.
This approach reflects the culture established by former coach Tony Dungy, which emphasized humility, teamwork, and community involvement, exemplified by past players like Warrick Dunn and Warren Sapp.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield has benefited from this character-focused philosophy, shedding his previous reputation for being uncoachable and achieving professional success with the Buccaneers.
Jason Licht's tenure with the New England Patriots contributed to his understanding of the significance of player attitude and character in creating a successful and sustainable team environment.
The Buccaneers' recent draft choices, such as Emeka Egbuka and Benjamin Morrison, highlight the team's commitment to securing promising talents that align with their values of dedication and team-first mentality.
Licht's candid remarks on 'The Pat McAfee Show' reveal the straightforward nature of his draft philosophy, which prioritizes integrity and passion alongside athletic ability.
When the Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the Super Bowl championship in 2020 during Tom Brady's first season with them, some thought it was a one-off thing due to Brady's advanced age. But they have remained competitive since, and they now have a roster that some feel can once again contend for the NFL's grand prize this fall and winter.
Perhaps the biggest key to their success, which includes four straight NFC South titles, is bringing in young talent through the draft and combining such players with veteran mainstays such as wide receiver Chris Godwin and Mike Evans and linebacker Lavonte David.
This offseason, the Bucs re-signed both Godwin and David while acquiring veteran pass rusher Haason Reddick. They also had quite a productive time during April's draft by snatching promising prospects such as wideout Emeka Egbuka, cornerbacks Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish and edge rushers David Walker and Elijah Roberts.
Tampa Bay and its general manager, Jason Licht, have built up quite a track record as far as the draft, not only in terms of talent but also when it comes to character. During a recent appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show," Licht minced no words when he was asked how he identifies a player who will stick around in the NFL for a while.
"It's really not that hard," he said. "We put the players that are worthy of being drafted on the draft board like every team does, but then we just kind of take the assholes and the douchebags off, and the guys that don't love football and guys that have proven they don't like it, that are difficult to deal with, and we just kind of mitigate our risk. We're taking great players that are great humans."
With all the talent that is out there, it is important to find the men who have that rare combination of humility and swagger who won't put money or stats ahead of team goals and not only have work ethic and desire but are also coachable.
One can look back at a previous era in Buccaneers history to see a similar ethos. Back when Tony Dungy coached them in the late 1990s and early 2000s, he built a culture for them after they had been a laughingstock during their first 20 years or so of existence.
Some of the quality men who came into that culture were Warrick Dunn, the three-time Pro Bowl running back, and Hall of Fame defensive lineman Warren Sapp, both of whom established foundations that built homes for low-income single-parent families.
One of the beneficiaries of the premium that today's Buccaneers place on character is quarterback Baker Mayfield. He was thought to be a malcontent who was uncoachable during his first five pro seasons, but in two years with Tampa Bay, he has been on his best behavior and has become his best self, not to mention a Pro Bowler.
Licht has been the team's general manager since 2014. From 1999 to 2002, he held multiple roles with the New England Patriots, which undoubtedly helped him learned how important attitude and character are for players when it comes to building a championship team.