Jordan Whitehead 'Was Frustrated' With Buccaneers During Time in Tampa Bay

Speaking with media following OTAs, former Bucs safety let his opinion be known

Would anyone be frustrated if the Tampa Bay Buccaneers pulled them off the field from time to time in favor of a teammate who the coaches felt fit the situation better at the time? 

According to former Bucs safety Jordan Whitehead, they would. 

“I’m a team player, but I was frustrated,” Whitehead said on Wednesday following practice with his new team, the New York Jets. “I would come out on third down, sometimes. I just felt like I was making enough plays, and I was being a leader on the team. It just felt like I should have been in the game...I’m a team player, and it’s a team-first mentality, but I definitely was frustrated. I think anybody would be.”

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While Whitehead feels he was underutilized by former defensive coordinator and current head coach Todd Bowles, he was still third on the unit in snaps playing on nearly 70% of opportunities for the defense. 

In fact, he played 265 more snaps than the third safety on the list, Mike Edwards, while Antoine Winfield Jr. led the secondary as a whole. 

On the field for nearly 800 snaps in 2021 Whitehead finished fourth on the team in tackles, had five tackles for losses, and had two interceptions. 

Whitehead signed a two-year contract with the Jets in March worth up to $14.5 million with just under half of it guaranteed. 

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"Jordan was a great player for us, an even better person," Bowles said of Whitehead after the safety agreed to join New York. "He was like a nephew to me. I'll miss him immensely."

Apparently, the familial feelings were not shared, as Whitehead felt underused, underappreciated, and left home looking for more money and opportunities than he got from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

For more on this and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers check out James Yarcho and David Harrison on the Locked On Bucs Podcast!