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About the Author: Scott Reynolds

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Scott Reynolds is in his 28th year of covering the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as the vice president, publisher and senior Bucs beat writer for PewterReport.com. Author of the popular SR's Fab 5 column on Fridays, Reynolds oversees web development and forges marketing partnerships for PewterReport.com in addition to his editorial duties. A graduate of Kansas State University in 1995, Reynolds spent six years giving back to the community as the defensive coordinator/defensive line coach for his sons' Pop Warner team, the South Pasco Predators. Reynolds can be reached at: [email protected]

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Tampa Bay Hall of Famer and Super Bowl champion Warren Sapp took former Bucs defensive tackle Gerald McCoy to task over his negative remarks about the Bucs on Fox Sports’ Undisputed show earlier this summer when McCoy and the team parted ways.

Sapp defended the Bucs organization and made those remarks on PewterReport.com’s Pewter Nation Podcast Episode 137: Sapp Uncensored where he indicated that McCoy wasn’t a Bucs legend and didn’t deserve to have his jersey number retired or not worn by another Tampa Bay player.

McCoy, a six-time Pro Bowler who signed with NFC South rival Carolina following his release, took issue with the Bucs organization making his No. 93 jersey immediately available to new defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, a five-time Pro Bowler who has worn the No. 93 jersey for the past four years playing for Miami and the Los Angeles Rams.

On PewterReport.com’s Pewter Nation Podcast, the brutally honest Sapp had some harsh words for McCoy over his stance about the No. 93 jersey among other things. Sapp’s remarks on McCoy begin at 14:07. This edition of the Pewter Nation Podcast does contain some profanity.

“The way I look at it, the thing that kind of threw me sideways was Gerald talking about now that this organization doesn’t have a right [to give away his 93 jersey], or it’s business that they moved on,” Sapp said. “You know … they moved on. And then he wanted to say that Sapp, [Derrick] Brooks, Lee Roy [Selmon], [John] Lynch, Ronde [Barber], nobody wore their numbers. Last time I checked, those were Hall of Famers and champions. We didn’t go to one playoff game with him (McCoy) and not one damn divisional title, so, I think he owes some of those hundred million dollars back in that sense.

Legendary Bucs Dt Warren Sapp

Legendary Bucs DT Warren Sapp – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

“If you’re going to put it up against the bad asses that run this bitch before you, you better put up some chips in this game because that’s the way it is. He didn’t have no chips in his game. No Defensive Player of the Year, and that’s what Brooks and that’s what Lee Roy Selmon did. Lynch got his name in two damn Ring of Honors. What am I missing here, Gerald? You’re talking about something silly. Come on, man – stop. If you’re mad, you’re mad, but don’t put it on the organization that the organization did it. Every NFL team has to move on.”

Sapp, who was a mentor of McCoy’s while he was in Tampa Bay, said that McCoy’s level of play didn’t rise to legendary status in his nine years playing for the Bucs from 2010-18.

“He was a damn good player – damn good player – [but] not even close,” Sapp about McCoy. “You damn sure don’t get legendary status or tell somebody to put your jersey up if you didn’t take them to any playoff games. I still remember when that bitch (Raymond James Stadium) was rocking when San Francisco came here and all them flags were waving. That was my last home playoff game. You could run that thing back any day of the week and I’ll keep watching that thing. Not one playoff game, not even a wild card [with McCoy]. I went to nine [playoff games]. We went 5-4.”

To Sapp, playoff appearances matter when it comes to the Bucs Ring of Honor, of which he is an inductee. Sapp is one of 13 Buccaneers in the Ring of Honor, joining Brooks, Selmon, Lynch, fullback Mike Alstott, tight end Jimmie Giles, left tackle Paul Gruber, quarterback Doug Williams, former head coaches John McKay, Tony Dungy and Jon Gruden, late Bucs owner Malcolm Glazer, and the team’s newest inductee, cornerback Ronde Barber. All 13 members have been a part of at least one playoff team in Tampa Bay.

Former Bucs Dt Gerald Mccoy - Photo By: Cliff Welch/Pr

Former Bucs DT Gerald McCoy – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

McCoy never made it to the playoffs in his nine seasons in Tampa Bay since becoming the team’s first-round pick in 2010, nor did he set any franchise records. All of his accomplishments were individual, including an impressive six Pro Bowl berths, four All-Pro appearances and winning the Buccaneers’ Man of the Year Award last year for his community service.

“Hey listen, we bought championships and divisional titles, and that’s why that wall [on the Bucs Ring of Honor] is marked up with our marking (names and jersey numbers),” Sapp said. “That’s why nobody wears 55, 99, 47, 20 and 63 – fool! – 40, the A-Train. Come on, man – fool! That’s what that is. He’s a nice guy – nice guys finish last. And that’s why his jersey’s getting worn [by Suh].”

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