The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ decision to fire Lovie Smith on Wednesday night came as a surprise to not only the fans and media, but also the team’s players. One player openly protested the firing, calling it “stupid.”
Linebacker Lavonte David, who is a defensive captain for the Bucs, reacted to the news very strongly. He called the move “stupid” and also wrote “what the f—” on Twitter.
You can see his tweets (since deleted) below:
#Bucs LBs Lavonte David & Kwon Alexander don't seem too thrilled w/the firing of HC Lovie Smith. pic.twitter.com/lgvMU7CBSb
— Luke Easterling (@LukeEasterling) January 7, 2016
Fellow Bucs linebacker Kwon Alexander also supported Smith, calling him “the truth” as a coach.
Tampa Bay only gave Lovie two seasons to prove himself. He went 2-14 in his first season, which allowed the team to secure the top overall pick in the draft and quarterback Jameis Winston. They went 6-10 in Winston’s rookie season, marking a strong improvement.
If you’re wondering what the Bucs are planning to do, some plugged-in people believe they may promote offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter to head coach.
