Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Gerald McCoy is one of the best in the NFL in his craft. He also happens to be one of the league’s most respected sportsmen. McCoy is known for not only helping his own teammates off the ground after plays, but also opponents. Believe it or not, this is a problem for some people.
Earlier this week, former Bucs offensive lineman Ian Beckles — now a sports talk radio host on 620 WDAE — criticized McCoy for helping opponents up after the whistle blows. McCoy defended himself on Tuesday.
“If anyone has a problem with me helping people up off the field, that’s a personal problem,” the two-time Pro Bowler said, via Roy Cummings of The Tampa Tribune. “It’s something you have to deal with. If people really pay attention, then you would also notice that when someone on the opposing team gets hurt, most of time there’s one person who walks on the field and says a prayer, and that’s me.”
These aren’t exactly negative qualities. Beckles asked Bucs radio analyst and former NFL tight end Dave Moore if he had a problem with McCoy being friendly with opponents, and Moore said it had no impact on the way McCoy plays. McCoy, who has four children, echoed those sentiments.
“People have families and kids, wives,” he said. “And 10 years down the line … what about that guy who you’re so concerned about how hard he’s going and he can’t play with his kids because he’s out there killing himself? That’s what I’m concerned about.
“On July 15 I had twins. On July 16 I was up here in the rain running gassers and hitting the bags. If you know another person doing that, then you can talk to me about how nice I am.”
If you remember, McCoy also said last year that he was scolded by former Bucs coach Greg Schiano for helping opponents off the ground. The fact that he is criticized for doing that in an era where we have NFL players getting arrested for domestic violence and other heinous crimes is unfathomable. Anyone who has a problem with McCoy being a classy opponent needs to get a life.
