Leading the Bucs in sacks the last three years isn’t enough for some.

Being a Pro Bowler the last four seasons isn’t impressive enough for some.

Even being named first-team All-Pro three years in a row still isn’t enough for some.

For a small segment of Bucs fans, short of breaking the NFL record for sacks in a season, leading his team to an undefeated Super Bowl win, and rescuing 15 tourists caught in a riptide off St. Pete Beach, Gerald McCoy will never satisfy his harshest critics. And even then there would be a few who wondered why he didn’t do more more.

A majority of Bucs fans know McCoy does plenty on the field that warrants praise, and most would say he is easily a Top 5 defensive tackle, if not even higher. But it is the little things behind the scenes that most fans don’t get a chance to see that impresses his teammates the most.

On Monday, several minutes after practice, while head coach Dirk Koetter was wrapping up his press conference with the media, I glanced across the practice field and saw a handful of players working underneath the goalposts. Leading the impromptu post-practice drill was none other than No. 93.

Rookie offensive lineman Caleb Benenoch was one of those invited to participate and told me later he has been blown away with McCoy’s willingness to help the young players on the Bucs roster.

“He is a great leader and a great football player,” Benenoch said. “One of the things I love about him him is he takes so much pride in making the players round him better. Not just on defense, but on offense also. You know he called me aside, and called Josh (Allen) aside and wanted us to get extra work. And then we are getting better in the same process as well. It is amazing. A lot of guys aren’t like that. He goes out of his way to help other people. So it it is great to have him work with me.”

Veteran defensive tackle Akeem Spence said he sees it all the time, and gets the privilege to be part of McCoy’s tutelage.

“He takes time out of his day to help Caleb work on his punch, and other guys as well. Like Channing (Ward) and Lambert all through camp, after practice, help them work on their hands, getting off the ball and such,” Spence said. “That just helps this team with the growth of the young players. From the weakest to the top. He still works with me, and Will (Gholston) pick things up from him all the time. He is a great leader and this is what this team needs.

“Most fans just know him for the great football player that he is, but for him to be great he wants the players around him to be better as well. That is just a credit to him. He has worked with me and Will and all the young guys. He does a lot. He does a lot that people don’t realize, and that’s what makes him the leader that he is.”