If Greg Schiano was not on the hot seat with Tampa Bay before this season, two weeks of drama has certainly moved him in that direction. The Buccaneers continue to go from bad to worse and the 0-2 start is not even the main concern. Drama surrounding quarterback Josh Freeman has made headlines over the past week and now players are speaking up with anger towards Schiano's coaching methods.
Commitment has already been an issue in Tampa Bay. After Freeman was out voted for team captain, the quarterback missed the annual team photo as rumors that he was demanding a trade began to swirl around him. Now the spotlight shifts back to Schiano as FOX Sports (via New York Post) reports cornerback Darrelle Revis is not thrilled with his new head coach.
Revis is not happy with the restrictions Schiano is placing on him. The former New York Jets cornerback is not thrilled with the team's defensive scheme, reportedly claiming that it has hurt his production on the field. Schiano runs a zone defense while Revis' excels in man coverage. That is how he earned his famous "Revis Island." The result is the Buccaneers giving up a combined 34 points to the Jets and Saints, losing both games.
The rumblings of Revis only add to the building dysfunction of the Tampa Bay team. This is not the first time players of the team have been unhappy. After the season in 2012, unnamed players stepped up asking when coaches would be sent back to college. Schiano came to the Buccaneers after a stint a Rutgers.
Schiano has taken full responsibility for the struggles of the team. They are now 1-7 in their last eight games, dating back to the 2012 season. After Sunday's loss, Schiano said, "I'm going to have to look at the tape to tell you what's going on, because it isn't just the quarterback. It, squarely, is on me."
The drama surrounding the team has been downplayed by everyone involved. Freeman spoke on Sunday and said he has never demanded a trade and is simply focused on playing with Tampa Bay. Schiano has also said that everything between he and the players is fine and the team will bounce back from the slow start.
"This team's a resilient team, their head coach is a resilient guy - he's tough - and we're going to fight our way right off it. I understand that there'll be a huge contingent that will try to make it difficult for us to do that. It doesn't matter. These guys are tight. They'll stick together. They'll work together. We'll work at it," Schiano said, via the team website.
