Rick Stroud

I’m very proud to announce Tom Moore’s book, The Players’ Coach: From Bradshaw to Manning, Brady and beyond, which I co-wrote with him, is available on Amazon for pre-order. He talked, I typed. Honored to help tell coach Moore’s story. In stores Labor Day amazon.com/Players-Coach-…

Can Gators repeat as national champions? Road starts in Tampa tampabay.com/sports/gators/…

Back and better than ever Rick & Tom as ⁦@TomWJones⁩ joins the program by popular demand. 🔥🔥🔥 podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spo…

Wow. Congrats to all. Tampa Bay Times journalists Topkin, Wright, Romano win Lucy Morgan Prize tampabay.com/news/2026/03/1…

Alabama basketball coach Nate Oats on whether he’s talked to G Aden Holloway since his suspension. “Now is not the time to ignore a kid that you built a real relationship with,” Oats said. “Now is the time he needs more help from the adults in his life than at any point. So when I got into coaching, way back when I first got out of college, and I was a division three assistant not making any momey, and then I went to a high school job in Detroit area for 11 years. To basically coach for no money for 16 years, you better be doing it for the right reasons, just losing an awful lot of money and spending all the hours time traveling with kids to official visits. So I got to remind myself, you know, I'm a high school coach that's caught some breaks up here, but I don't want to lose why I got into this thing in the first place. So you get into it to help impact young men's lives. Well, if you disappear when they make a mistake, not so sure that's a genuine relationship, you buildt. So I've got three daughters. They've made mistakes. You don't disappear on them when they need your help. So I won't be disappearing on (Aden). I talked to him yesterday morning on the phone. I talked to him the night before that. Talk to him every day so far. So I'm gonna continue to talk to him. You know, love him.”

Literally the first time GM Jason Licht has spoken on the subject and since he represented the Bucs in negotiations and knows Mike Evans well, his insight is newsworthy. They’ve continued to focus on team building.

The memorial service for former Plant HS and Syracuse QB Rex Culpepper will be April 10 at Hyde Park United Methodist Church beginning at 10 a.m.

“I dont feel betrayed. He earned the right. ... Sometimes you think you’re just ready for another chapter,” Bucs GM Jason Licht said of Mike Evans signing with the 49ers.

Bucs made bigger offer to Mike Evans than 49ers did, Jason Licht says tampabay.com/sports/bucs/20…

Licht did not feel as though the collapse of the defense down the stretch, especially the “third-and-28!” rant after blowing a 14 point lead to Atlanta, or a lack of confidence in Todd Bowles forced Evans’ decision. “A lot of people were frustrated and Mike was frustrated as competitive as he is, but nothing was ever directed…probably the person most frustrated in that particular incident was Todd,” Licht said.

Jason Licht on Mike Evans leaving for the 49ers. “I feel like we did everything we could. I had a lot of talks with Mike about that,” Licht said. He added the Bucs offer was actually for more money.

“We had a verbal agreement that he could be here as long as he wants,” Licht said of Evans. “Im happy for Mike and happy he found a place he wants to be.”

“I don’t feel betrayed. He earned the right to make the decision…he loves this team. He loves everything about it…I think he wanted a new challenge.” GM Jason Licht on Mike Evans signing with the 49ers.

We’ll be back. There’s some administrative stuff being taken care of this week.

Got any mailbag questions for us to answer this week on the pod? Send them in now for @NFLSTROUD and @SteveVersnick

Based on production value added, best drafting teams since 2021 (non-QBs only): 1. Rams 2. Lions 3. Eagles 4. Chiefs 5. Bucs

LB Alex Anzalone's #Buccaneers Contract - 2 years, $17M - $12M fully guaranteed - $9M 2026 cash Anzalone earned $6.6M from the Lions in 2025. Breakdown: spotrac.com/nfl/player/_/i…

Keep the entire Culpepper family in your prayers after the loss of Rex. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spo…

The #Buccaneers converted Luke Goedeke's $20M roster bonus into signing bonus, clearing $15.2M of 2026 cap space.

Former Plant, Syracuse QB Rex Culpepper killed in dirt bike accident tampabay.com/sports/bucs/20…

Former Bucs swing tackle off to Miami