GM respect flows.
So Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht has this thing that has become the highest praise he can offer a player.
The team has a hokey “I Am That Man” cultural one-liner used to describe the model member of the organization. In modern Bucs lore, Lavonte David is the ultimate “I Am That Man” guy.
It’s cute as sayings go. Joe thinks it’s far better than the Siege the Day nonsense the marketing team rolled out years ago. Whatever people approved that slogan and the former uniforms clearly don’t understand football fans.
Anyway, if Licht calls you “that man,” then you’ve earned his trust, respect and complete confidence.
Earlier this month, Licht dropped the distinction on newcomer free agent edge rusher Haason Reddick.
“In the locker room, I think everybody was kind of taken back a little bit how genuinely, how much gratitude he had to be here and his role as as a leader with these young guys,” Licht told Loose Cannons. “I mean, he’s talking to them between every play. Everybody likes him. He’s really fit it really well. And he really likes this locker room. He loves being here and I think he’s somewhere where, he just feels really comfortable here.”
Licht went on to say “everybody’s been taken aback” by how great of a guy Reddick was and perhaps that’s because of his holdout with the Jets and inaccurate assumptions.
“Actually, just, he is that man,” Licht said. “So, he’s’ turned out to be. Hopefully, he’s here for a while.”
Licht added that Reddick is “a lot stronger than I thought … he’s not just a speed rusher.”
The comments came a couple of weeks ago and Joe has no reason to believe the assessment of Reddick has changed at One Buc Palace. Reddick seems smiley with teammates and shined in the joint practice against the Steelers.
Now Reddick has to do the hard part. Play hard every snap and produce.
That’s really how you become “that man.”