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Bucs journal: Gerald McCoy says players who kneel have team's support

 
Bucs tight end Cameron Brate pulls in a touchdown catch as Vikings safety Andrew Sendejo (34) hits him in the back of the head.
Bucs tight end Cameron Brate pulls in a touchdown catch as Vikings safety Andrew Sendejo (34) hits him in the back of the head.
Published Sept. 26, 2017

TAMPA — Receivers Mike Evans and DeSean Jackson were the only Bucs players kneeling during the national anthem before Sunday's game against the Vikings, but DT Gerald McCoy said the team supports their protest "100 percent."

"One hundred percent supported them," McCoy said Monday. "That's our family. I don't react the same my wife would. My dad doesn't react the same way I would. But if my wife does something, I'm going to support her 100 percent. If Mike and DeSean did something, we support them 100 percent. We all do things different, but we support them. There's going to be some backlash, but we support them."

The Bucs' actions came after comments Friday by President Donald Trump, in which he said NFL players who protest during the anthem should be "fired."

It prompted a strong response from NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, who called Trump's comments "divisive."

Bucs co-chairman Joel Glazer was among many NFL owners who released a statement in support of the players' peaceful protests. McCoy reiterated that none of the Bucs' actions should be taken as any disrespect toward military personnel.

"Nobody, not one single person on this team, will ever, ever, ever, ever disrespect the men and women who fight for this country," McCoy said.

McCoy didn't parse words when asked about Trump, calling his statements at a political rally in Alabama on Friday and his tweets over the weekend "idiotic."

"That dude's crazy," McCoy said. "No, I don't agree with (anything) he said. I don't think (anybody does). …

"It's not the last time he's going to say something stupid. It's very idiotic, what he said. It's very stupid. It's dumb."

Objecting to no flag

It's little consolation, but Bucs coach Dirk Koetter said the Vikings' hit on TE Cameron Brate as he caught a touchdown Sunday should have been a penalty and said the official told him he missed the call.

Vikings S Andrew Sendejo hit Brate in the back of the head after he caught a pass from Jameis Winston for the team's first touchdown, but no flag was thrown.

"Yes, it should have been a penalty, and the official told me afterward that he just flat missed it and he saw it on the replay," said Koetter, noting that Brate was not in concussion protocol. "I appreciate his honesty. …It looked like it to everybody that was watching it, and of course, Cam thought it was."

One too many

The Vikings got separation from the Bucs on Sunday with a 59-yard touchdown early in the third quarter, smartly taking a quick snap when they knew the Bucs had 12 defensive players on the field.

Koetter explained the chaos that led to the substitution penalty — on the previous play, Stefon Diggs (left) had a short catch and lost the ball as he went to the ground, with LB Lavonte David (below left) close enough to raise the question of whether he fumbled. Koetter saw his players acting like they had the ball and said he considered challenging the call, but didn't, and the team sent two linemen in as subs without getting two off in time.

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"I had the challenge flag in my hand and Minnesota hurried to the ball," Koetter said. "We were also in the midst of a substitution. We had 12 on the field. One of our guys got it. One of our guys didn't get it. If I had it to do over again, I would have called a timeout, but I also didn't know they were going to call a touchdown pass on that play. Bad by us, all around."

Contact Greg Auman at gauman@tampabay.com and (813) 310-2690.