“We Just Take the Assholes Off”: Buccaneers GM Jason Licht gets brutally honest on The Pat McAfee show about draft strategy

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have quietly become one of the NFL’s most intriguing case studies not just for staying relevant post-Tom Brady, but for how they’re doing it. While most teams focus on 40-yard dash times and bench press reps, GM Jason Licht has embraced a radically different and polarizing approach: draft and sign only players who aren't “assholes.” Yes, you read that right. In a league known for tolerating big egos and locker-room drama in exchange for talent, Tampa Bay is flipping the script. Licht made headlines when he bluntly admitted on The Pat McAfee Show that his team filters out players who are “douchebags,” don’t love football, or are simply too difficult to deal with. “It’s really not that hard,” he said. “We just take them off the board.” In an industry where raw talent often overrides red flags, the Buccaneers’ approach is both refreshing and controversial.And yet, the results speak volumes. Tampa Bay has clinched four straight NFC South titles and remains a serious contender, even without the G.O.A.T. under center. Veterans like Mike Evans, Lavonte David, and Chris Godwin have stuck around, not just because of talent but because of culture. This offseason only reinforced the trend. They brought in proven locker room leader Haason Reddick and drafted prospects like Emeka Egbuka and Benjamin Morrison; players known not only for athleticism but maturity.But it’s not all rainbows and highlight reels. Critics argue that too much emphasis on character can blind a front office to elite talent with “attitude issues.” Warren Sapp, a Bucs legend, wasn’t exactly known for being soft-spoken or drama-free. Would today’s Bucs have passed on him?Also Read: Is Aaron Rodgers secretly married? Mysterious ring even caught McAfee's attentionThen there’s Baker Mayfield, once the poster child for locker-room chaos. A Pro Bowler thriving in Tampa’s tight-knit ecosystem. Is it the system that fixed him, or did he mature on his own? The truth probably lies somewhere in the middle. Jason Licht learned a lot during his time with Bill Belichick in New England, and it’s clear he believes team chemistry is the key to winning. But in a league where big names grab the spotlight and flashy players sell tickets, Tampa Bay’s “no jerks” rule is a risky move.