TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Gerald McCoy took to Instagram Sunday to fire back at those questioning his commitment after he missed the first five weeks of the Bucs’ offseason program.
“Cinco de Mayo. Everybody out, probably getting ready to go drink, probably drinking right now. Don’t matter. They want to question me? This is what I do on Cinco de Mayo. I work. I work,” said McCoy, covered in sweat inside a gymnasium.
McCoy then panned the camera to show his young twins playing basketball in the background.
“Oh and I’ve got my kids with me. How many people doing that?” McCoy said. “All-Pro on and off the field. Wanna question me? The heck? Is he gonna be ready? Do he love football? What?! Y’all crazy. Lost y’all mind. I work. Don’t you ever question me!”
McCoy, who is typically a fixture at the Bucs’ facility in the offseason, has not been in the building since head coach Bruce Arians was somewhat critical of him at that NFL owners meetings.
“He’s not as disruptive as he was four years ago, but he’s still a good player,” Arians said.
Arians also said he needed to further evaluate him.
The feeling of some in the organization is that while the six-time Pro Bowler and one of the longest-tenured players on their current roster is still a very effective player at 31, his production does not currently warrant the $13 million-per-year price tag.
McCoy is under contract through the 2021 season.
While McCoy has still been active on social media during his absence, this is the first time he’s spoken at-length about his activities. He’s spent much of this time working out with longtime trainer Todd Durkin in San Diego.
The Tampa Bay Times reported that the Bucs instructed McCoy to stay home from the offseason program, although Arians refuted that claim during the team’s optional veteran minicamp two weeks ago.
“I don’t know who the hell said that,” Arians said. “It’s up to him. We have open arms. If he wants to be here, practicing with us, that’s great. He’s under contract and part of the team so yeah, I mean, that’s the player’s decision. That’s all I can [say].”
There had been reports that the Bucs were attempting to trade McCoy during the draft. The Bucs currently have under $2 million in cap space prior to signing any members of their 2019 rookie draft class and need more than $10.3 million to do so.
This led some to speculate that if no trade partners were found, McCoy would be released, although he remains on the roster.
Defensive coordinator Todd Bowles said last week that while he did speak to McCoy after his hiring, he has not spoken to him since the offseason program began.
“It’s voluntary,” Bowles said. “For the people that are here, we coach. For the people that aren’t here, we wait until they get here.”
Attendance for the offseason program is voluntary until the team’s mandatory three-day minicamp June 4-6.