TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Ex-Buccaneer Rice Calls Gruden 'A Scumbag'

Tribune file photo by CLIFF McBRIDE (2006)

Simeon Rice had 69 1/2 sacks in his six seasons with the Bucs and was released in 2006 after injuring his shoulder.

ADVERTISEMENT

TBO.com

Published: January 29, 2009

TAMPA - Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive end Simeon Rice became the latest former player to rip Jon Gruden, the Bucs' head coach for seven years who was fired after the team went 9-7 and missed the playoffs in 2008.

"I think he's a scumbag personally," Rice said in an interview Tuesday on Sirius Radio's "Movin' the Chains" with Pat Kirwin and Tim Ryan. "You know what he told me? 'Simeon you'll be here in the next five years.' I got injured [and] this man's never said one word to me. I won a Super Bowl for you. I got 13 sacks, 12, 15 every year for you. I balled. I got injured [and] you let me go like it was nothing."

Rice had 69 1/2 sacks, 25 forced fumbles and four interception in six seasons with the Bucs, five of the years under Gruden. He was released after the 2006 season, when he played in only eight games before injuring his shoulder.

Tampa Bay won the Super Bowl in 2002, Gruden's first year as coach, but the Bucs otherwise were inconsisent under Gruden and did not win another playoff game after that. They started last season 9-3 but lost their last four games and gave up a 10-point lead in a season-ending home loss to the Oakland Raiders when a win would have secured a wild-card playoff spot.

Rice said Gruden's biggest problem is telling players one thing, then doing something else entirely. He ran off a litany of players he said Gruden treated badly.

"You look at what he did when Chris [Simms] damn near died on the field he wanted to release him right when he got injured," Rice said. "I get hurt, my shoulder's torn off the bone. This dude releases me. You know what I mean? 'I'm your guy.' The list goes on.

"Keenan McCardell [traded after a holdout in 2004], that situation was a debacle. Keyshawn Johnson [deactivated by Gruden in 2003], another situation [that] was a debacle."

Rice went on to offer his opinion about Gruden's personnel issues this past season.

"Joey Galloway, which was his man, was in the dog house all year because he got injured, broke his ankle or whatever. Brad Johnson, that situation was bad. Brings Jeff Garcia in here, 'Oh, he's going to change things.' I helped recruit him, [and he] released me, kept Jeff and then put him in the dog house. Gets rid of Brian Greise, brings him, starts a controversy. It was chaotic."

Rice spent the 2007 season with Denver and Indianapolis. He did not play in 2008 and now is a self-described "entrepreneur" who works on music, entertainment and fashion projects.

"You get what you deserve," Rice said. "That's what Jon said. He got it now. Everybody gets what they deserve."

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT