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Bucs icon Rondé Barber is no fan of players mentally recharging over a long seven-day, bye-week vacation.
Yes, he’s referring to the current Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Todd Bowles gave the team a full seven days off during their bye week following their Week 8 win at New Orleans. The NFL mandates players only have four days off.
Barber shared his disgust today that the Bucs came out Sunday — at home — and didn’t play well after getting all that vacation time.
“That’s significant to me,” Barber said on _The Rondé Barber Show_, produced by WFLA-TV.
Barber said he never got that much bye-week rest and, regardless, he certainly spent his bye weeks studying film and getting better. He also shared bye-week chatter from former Bucs great Ndamukong Suh.
> Per Barber, Suh said bye weeks are about grinding to improve, not putting your feet up or traveling.
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> “It’s middle of the season. There’s no reason to take time off. Right?” Barber said. “In my mind. I think you still got to get out there and prepare yourself. It’s extra preparation. Like that’s a whole nother week of film that you could just be dialing in on what Drake Maye is trying to do. Now I don’t know if guys did that or not. I’m speaking out of my bye-week experience.”
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> Barber seems to think players disconnecting too long from One Buc Palace is a bad thing.
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> “Out of sight, out of mind, though, bro. If it’s not hitting you in the face every day…” Barber said, adding players don’t have to study their opponents all the time; they’ll get a ton out of just studying their own games.
Joe has to remind fans that Barber is a Hall of Fame player and Suh will be one day. There’s a reason guys get that good.