Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Adam Hayward crossed a line on Sunday when he got too physical with one of his coaches. Following a penalty committed by the Bucs defense in the second quarter, Hayward could be seen in the face of defensive assistant coach Bryan Cox. Cox had come onto the field to dispute the call with an official when Hayward tried restraining him. Cox pushed him aside, and then Hayward came back and pushed his coach in the chest. Hayward then got in Cox’s face while the coach pointed his finger back.
Cox was known as one of the toughest linebackers in the game during his 12-year career. That sort of disrespectful behavior certainly won’t fly with Cox, and it likely won’t fly with the organization, either.
After the game, Bucs head coach Greg Schiano expressed his unhappiness regarding the incident.
“I’m not happy about it, but I do know that it’s been resolved,” Schiano said, per Joe Bucs Fan. “I think you chalk it up to heat of the moment. Guys are very passionate. Adam is a passionate player. Coach Cox is a passionate coach. I know they’re very close. And they’re, I think, more of a family spat in a frustrating time than, you know, anything that I’m deeply concerned about. I know they’ve already smoothed that over. But again, it’s not what a football team that I’m the head coach of I want to see. So certainly it’s been addressed, and it will be addressed and we’ll move forward from it. But it need not happen again.”
Video via The Big Lead
