Tag: Mike Greenberg

Two Bucs staffers listed among potential future GMs by Sports Illustrated

The Bucs’ front office has a ton of talent, and two notable names could become general managers of their own in the coming years.

In a business as large as the National Football League, change is inevitable. Whether it be at the player-level or in the front office, the NFL world is constantly undergoing transition. Those who are the best at their jobs are the ones who can seamlessly adapt to that change.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have one of the more impressive front offices in the NFL. Led by general manager Jason Licht, Tampa Bay’s front office made headlines in 2020 and secured perhaps the biggest free agency addition in NFL history in seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady.

The work done by Bucs front office has garnered respect amongst the rest of the NFL as they near their fourth consecutive playoff appearance. The performances by a few staffers in particular have put themselves in contention for future GM positions.

Sports Illustrated writer Albert Breer compiled a list of 29 front office staffers who he believes are “Hot Names to Watch as Future NFL GMs.” The list included two Bucs assistant GMs, John Spytek and Mike Greenberg.

Here’s what Breer wrote about each of Tampa Bay’s staffers:

[Greenberg] came up on the cap side, but he has done more crossing over as he closes out his 14th season with the Tampa organization. For years, the Bucs had the NFL’s cleanest cap, and Greenberg was able to help them pivot to a win-now model during Tom Brady’s three years. But this year came with a big reset of the cap. Greenberg also brings experience working in the league office, which will appeal to some owners.

[Spytek] would be there with Borgonzi, Hortiz, McClay and Peters on the highest of this list. Spytek is another experienced evaluator who has worked for the league’s best organizations. His first full-time job in the league was for the Eagles. He then was hired by Mike Holmgren and the late Tom Heckert in Cleveland, and spent three years (and won a Super Bowl) with Elway in Denver. In Tampa he’s been alongside Jason Licht in building a championship roster, and luring his former college teammate Tom Brady to Florida.

It isn’t rumored that either Bucs assistant GM is looking for a position outside of Tampa Bay. However, this isn’t the first time there have been reports about each contending for a head GM position.

Spytek was interviewed by the Pittsburgh Steelers in May 2022 for a GM position, and Greenberg has been rumored to be in the mix of different GM positions before he was promoted to assistant GM by the Bucs in 2021.

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ESPN’s Mike Greenberg launches epic tirade over CFP selection committee: ‘Football became figure skating’

Mike Greenberg is completely over the CFP selection committee: “The system stinks!”.

Mike Greenberg says he’s tired of the College Football Playoff selection committee’s shenanigans.

On Sunday, there was A LOT of chatter about the four teams headed to the college football playoffs. Michigan, Washington, Texas and Alabama all have a chance at post-season glory, but the selection of those teams hasn’t come without backlash.

Georgia tumbled out of consideration after a stunning loss to Alabama in the SEC Championship. Florida State was also bounced despite having a perfect regular season record and winning the ACC Championship without its leader, Jordan Travis.

Greenberg threw his hat in the conversation on Monday for why he thinks the selection committee got it wrong. Pointedly, he did not hold back.

Feature image courtesy of ESPN.

ESPN’s Mike Greenberg reacts to Swinney’s radio caller rant

ESPN’s Mike Greenberg reacted to Dabo Swinney’s interaction with a radio caller.

Dabo Swinney had one of those moments on during his radio show Monday night going all-out on a caller who asked why he’s getting paid as much as he does just to for the Tigers to go 4-4.

ESPN’s Mike Greenberg has been around for a while and reacted to this call with the fan named Tyler. Greenberg understands where Swinney was coming from during this call.

“I don’t have any problem with anything he said, maybe till the very end,” Greenberg said. “The ‘you can apply for the job’ part I think I could live without. But I do also understand his being frustrated. But all the stuff about going through his stats, I mean basically the equivalent of ‘Google me,’ I’m good with.”

“I still am largely on his side. There’s stuff in that I don’t like. But I think I get most of it.”

Greenberg didn’t stop there. He discussed what he thought of Swinney’s contract and what he has been able to do with the Tigers.

“It is an enormous contract, and he’s done a great job there… He’s not one of my favorite people, but you’ve got to give credit where it’s due. Dabo Swinney has done a magnificent job,” Greenberg said.

“Clemson never was, in my recollection, what he made them. Now, the last couple of years, it has not been what their fans have come to count on or have been sort of conditioned to expect based upon that little five-year run where they genuinely were as good as Alabama. Dabo Swinney and Clemson were as good as Alabama and Nick Saban for whatever that was, four, five years… I think Dabo Swinney has done an outstanding coaching job there despite so many of the things he has said and done, with which I have taken issue.”

Check out the video below if you’d like to watch Greenberg’s reaction.

Mike Greenberg rips the Bears for how they’ve developed Justin Fields: ‘That place is a dumpster fire’

“They are ruining that kid because of complete organizational incompetence.”

Nobody in the NFL has a worse month than the Chicago Bears.

The Bears’ first two games of 2023 have been an absolute train wreck. Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers unraveled them in Week 1. The offensive line surrendered four sacks, and the Bears didn’t see the red zone until the back half of the third quarter.

They didn’t fare much better against Baker Mayfield and the Bucs. The team punted a staggering five times and allowed six sacks. Brutal.

It’s been so bad that even quarterback Justin Fields spoke up about what he feels is causing some of the team’s woes.

Now, ESPN’s Mike Greenberg, who would know a thing or two about quarterback struggles as a Jets fan, is vouching for Fields.

Greenberg did not hold back on how he feels the Bears are failing Fields. “Everything they are doing is wrong,” said the host, completely frazzled.

Greenberg admittedly says Fields plays a role in some of the chaos, but he doesn’t blame Fields for speaking up.

The sky might continue falling for the organization. On Sunday, the Bears take on the Chiefs and a defensive line that is a destroyer of souls.

Good luck.

Feature image courtesy of ESPN.

Mike Greenberg on Aaron Rodgers injury: ‘There’s no way in the world I have processed this’

It’s brutal for him and every other Jets fan.

ESPN’s Mike Greenberg, as you may know, is a HUGE New York Jets diehard.

How huge? He’s been willing to sacrifice a toe for Aaron Rodgers, and on Monday night, his wife Stacy captured Greeny’s devastated reactions to him watching Rodgers get injured just a few plays into what ended up as a Jets win.

But Greenberg had to go on the air the next morning, and on Tuesday, we got to see it all unfold for him as Get Up! started with the host cutting the intro — it was kind of awkward, to be honest. Then, he gave us a more honest reaction:

Yup. That sums it up for every Jets fan.

Mike Greenberg’s devastating reactions to Aaron Rodgers’ injury represent the pain of being a Jets fan

Mike Greenberg is not having a good time.

The New York Jets fan base had yet another historic moment of misery as new quarterback Aaron Rodgers exited the game on a cart with an ankle injury on Monday night against the Buffalo Bills.

ESPN personality Mike Greenberg is a known Jets superfan, to the point where he was willing to sacrifice one of his toes for Rodgers to come to the Meadowlands to play out the twilight of his career.

When Rodgers finally got traded, Greenberg was absolutely jubilant.

However, Rodgers going down with an injury of unknown severity just a handful of plays into the season is the kind of nightmare scenario that Jets fans couldn’t have even had nightmares about, and Greenberg was absolutely going through it after the injury went down.

Greenberg’s family helped document his various stages of misery after Rodgers’ injury, all coming after a fun-looking party to ring in the Rodgers era of Jets football. Let’s break them down, from sheer joy to total devastation.

ESPN personality praises LeBron James’ off the court resume

ESPN’s Mike Greenberg feels LeBron James has done a remarkable job of handling himself in the face of massive hype, on and off the court.

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As LeBron James himself may say, he is more than an athlete.

While he has put together an incredible basketball resume and won four NBA championships, his most recent one coming with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020. That is just the beginning of his impact.

James has done plenty off the court to help others, particularly poor people and at-risk children. A few months ago, he opened a Starbucks in his native Akron, Ohio, with the intention of allowing employees to earn job-training certificates they can put toward a career in the hospitality industry.

He has also put himself out there as a social activist by speaking out on some hot-button issues of the day.

Some have criticized James for injecting himself into the nation’s political discourse, but ESPN’s Mike Greenberg feels it is all a part of what he has done to enhance the lives of others away from basketball (h/t The Cold Wire).

James has certainly had a couple of hiccups off the court — “The Decision” in 2010 prominently comes to mind. But by and large, he has been a good example to follow as a husband, father, philanthropist and American citizen.

ESPN’s Mike Greenberg foolishly suggested the Lakers should rest LeBron and starters for Game 5

What an awful take! 

During a segment on ESPN’s Get Up on Tuesday morning, Mike Greenberg shared a shocking opinion about the Lakers and the Warriors.

Greenberg, who was also roasted for suggesting that Miami’s weather was to blame for New York’s losses during the Eastern Conference semifinals, had a hot take after the Lakers defeated the Warriors on Monday.

According to Greenberg, the Lakers should consider resting their starters for Game 5 against the Warriors so that they have a better shot to win Game 6. He said that it would be like giving a pitcher an extra day of rest between his starts during the MLB postseason.

Greenberg explained:

“Here is my suggestion. LeBron needs to just slip a nice comfy robe over that pair of slippers and get set to watch Game 5 from the comfort of his mansion … He shouldn’t even go to San Francisco … The Lakers  have no chance of winning Game 5 of this series. The Warriors are going to be playing for their dynasty at home with the crowd. They’re going to win. Don’t waste any of LeBron and AD’s energy on this game … Don’t try and win five games in a best-of-seven when you don’t need to. You only need to win one more game. I’m being somewhat facetious when I say don’t even bring them. But I guess what I am saying is that I would be very judicious about how much I would use LeBron and AD in Game 5 understanding my best chance to close out this series is at home in Game 6.”

It is absolutely absurd to suggest that LeBron shouldn’t even travel with the team to San Francisco. But he kept going.

Greenberg continued:

“It’s like in baseball where you save your pitcher for the one game you need to win. You don’t have to win five games in a best-of-seven. You only have to win four … They’re not winning Game 5 … The Warriors [have] the hearts of a champion going home with their backs to the wall. The Warriors are winning Game 5 no matter what happens.”

What an awful take!

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Mike Greenberg said the Miami weather is to partially to blame for the Knicks woes

Really?

As you might know from previous blog posts on this website, I am a long-suffering New York Knicks fan.

And I’ll be the first one to tell you that there’s a long list of reasons why the Knicks are now down 3-1 to the Miami Heat, including: Julius Randle’s struggles, the Heat having the deepest team in the NBA with players who know their roles, Jimmy Butler going off as he did last round, the Knicks’ bench getting cold at the wrong time … you get the picture.

What I would not include in there is, as ESPN’s Mike Greenberg said on Tuesday morning’s Get Up! is … Miami’s weather.

I guess if Jalen Rose said something about it, it might be a thing, but … I doubt it?

ESPN’s Mike Greenberg on Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets

ESPN’s Mike Greenberg sits down with USA TODAY’s Sports Seriously to discuss Aaron Rodgers and the 2023 New York Jets.

When should Jets fans start to panic over Rodgers? Mike Greenberg has this date circled on his calendar.

Mike Greenberg is a huge Jets fan – always has been. 

And after a lifetime of woes as a New York football fan, the ESPN personality thinks that with Aaron Rodgers as their quarterback, the Jets have become “significant Super Bowl contenders.”

Still, the Jets haven’t officially acquired the four-time MVP, and Greenberg, with tongue firmly planted within cheek, attributes 50% of the need for his recent heart procedure to worrying about the Jets and the signing. 

Should the Jets consider a younger quarterback, like Lamar Jackson, to lead their team? Greenberg recently told Sports Seriously that he’s committed to Rodgers, even if the 39-year old QB only has a few years left in the tank. 

“I think Rodgers gives you a better chance of winning once. While Lamar gives you a better chance of winning in the long run. The Jets have a roster that has been put together very specifically for what Rodgers does.”

While Jackson has not officially re-signed yet with the Ravens, Baltimore did just acquire Odell Beckham Jr. in hopes of keeping their QB with his current team next season.

Meanwhile, Aaron Rodgers has been spotted working out with former Packers teammate turned Jet Allen Lazard. 

So when should Jets fans panic?

“If it doesn’t happen before the draft, that’s when I think you start getting a little worried.” says Greenberg.

 Watch the entire fun, entertaining, and enlightening interview above.