Ex-Bucs DT Gerald McCoy Gives Advice To NFL Rookies

In a recent appearance on NFL Network’s Good Morning Football show, former Bucs defensive tackle Gerald McCoy had a public service announcement to the incoming 2023 rookies and offered advice based on what he learned as a young player.

Former Bucs DT Gerald McCoy On Challenges Of Rookie Season

As OTAs are officially underway for the Bucs and across the league, it marks another step toward the regular season. Still, before any regular season games commence, there are plenty of off-season activities to get through. After OTAs, mini camp, training camp, and the preseason remain.

Commenting on this buildup to the actual games, McCoy talked about how the length of the season differs in the NFL and how crucial it is to keep working as a rookie.

“Do more, more, more, more,” McCoy said. “When you come in as a rookie, you’re so used to this college schedule; the season is a lot shorter. They’re kind of babying these kids now, and when you come in, the NFL game is a lot – the meetings are longer, the training camp is a lot harder, and the days are a lot longer.

Bucs LB Lavonte David and DT Gerald McCoy – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

“So when you are a young guy coming in, you’re like, ‘Man, we had this entire process from getting ready for the Combine, getting ready for the draft. Now we’re at rookie mini-camp, OTAs, mini-camp, training camp, and now the season’s going.’ The season is a lot longer.”

With this in mind, it is easy for rookies just to do what is asked and leave the building. But the work never stops. In just this last draft, 259 players were selected. Hundreds more were added onto expanded rosters as undrafted free agents and a handful will make teams.

Players always compete for their place on the roster, and draft status does not equate to success. Only a few players from each draft class go on to become stars. In McCoy’s 2010 draft class, only 10 players, including him, made five or more Pro Bowl appearances. Of that group, only two (Trent Williams and Rob Gronkowski) are likely to be Hall of Fame candidates.

So what does this mean? Only a select few players become great, and it starts by doing more than what is asked.

“As a rookie, all you are thinking is, ‘When this day is over, I’m getting out of this building.’ I always tell rookies, ‘Do more.’ Do you know why? Because everybody else is thinking like that, so what are you going to do to separate yourself? Do more. Are you going out there early before practice, getting extra reps? Are you staying late? Are you taking care of your body? Are you actually going home and watching film, or are you just telling your coach that you are? What rookie is not going to be afraid to actually go up to the coach’s office and take that criticism?”

A lot of guys are just, ‘I got drafted here, I want to do this, I want to do that. Do more because a lot of rookies are not going to do more. They’re going to do what everybody else is doing.”

New Bucs Rookie WR Trey Palmer Is Doing More

Bucs WR Trey Palmer and WRs coach Brad Idzik – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

McCoy would be happy that one Bucs rookie is already taking steps to separate himself. Receiver Trey Palmer, the Bucs’ sixth-round pick, recently mentioned during rookie mini-camp that he studies every day when he gets home, and his relaxation and down time comes from looking over the plays and memorizing them.

Only guys with this mindset and approach to the game truly become great in sports, and their work ethic becomes infamous.

Michael Jordan’s competitiveness, even during practice. Kobe Bryant’s well-documented “Mamba Mentality.” Even former Bucs quarterback Tom Brady spending hours breaking down game film and his dedication to keeping himself in shape into his mid-forties.

Gerald McCoy Has A Future In NFL Analysis On TV

Gerald McCoy gives this advice as a former NFL player now, with his last game action coming in 2021 with the Las Vegas Raiders. He may not be getting after the quarterback or stopping the run anymore in the NFL, but throughout this off-season, it is clear that he is an insightful player with many interesting stories to tell.

From his beef with Warren Sapp to admitting that he wanted to return to the Bucs last season, McCoy is a fun personality to follow and a player that rookies should take his words from and attempt to emulate. The charismatic McCoy is no stranger to the cameras. He’s had a great run on NFL Network’s Good Morning Football this week and certainly has a future in NFL analysis on TV.