Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles speaks at a news conference after an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers in Tampa, Fla., Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)
By – J.T. Olsen
Special to Sports Talk Florida
Monday morning it was reported that Cleveland Browns star edge rusher Myles Garrett had requested a trade. The Browns finished with the second worst record in the NFL last year despite Garrett’s efforts in route to winning Defensive Player of the Year. In his statement, Garrett emphasized the importance of competing for and winning a Super Bowl.
Not many teams have that as a realistic expectation in the immediate future, but one of the teams who does is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I have said over the course of the last year that the Bucs championship window opens in 2025. The biggest piece that they need to add is a pass rusher just like Garrett.
Of course, there will be many teams lining up to try and acquire a superstar like Garrett. After all, players of this caliber don’t become available very often. However, I truly believe that the Buccaneers are the perfect fit for Myles Garrett.
Here’s why.
Respecting Garrett’s Wishes
As I said before, Garrett has made this trade request because he wants to compete for a Super Bowl. With this alone, we can probably eliminate at least half the teams in the NFL. So I’m sorry Tennessee Titans fans and New Orleans Saints fans, you and teams in a similar position to you are already out of the running.
And while it’s true that Garrett can’t control where he is traded, he does hold some power. It might be unwise for a bad team to part with premium draft picks for a player who says he doesn’t want to play there. We have seen players such as Hassan Reddick hold out for an extended period of time.
Even if Garrett were to go to a bad team and try his very best, how different would the results be than what we saw in Cleveland? Then Garrett isn’t happy and the team has invested high draft capitol into a short term solution that likely won’t help them compete for a Super Bowl.
It really feels like the Browns have to honor Garrett’s request and trade him to a potential contender. That means a playoff team for this year or a team that was just on the outside and looking in and is trending in the right direction. The Bucs would fall into this category.
We talk all the time that the salary cap in the NFL isn’t real. However, that isn’t entirely true. While the cap can be manipulated in a variety of ways, not every team will be able to take on the money that Garrett is owed.
What that entails is around $20 million for each of the next two seasons and then several void years after that. What makes a trade like this difficult is that in 2027 Garrett has a void year that would bring $37 millions in dead cap space. That will complicate things who have a lot of important free agents in that offseason.
However, it will favor teams who have a lot of young talent who are cheap and controllable. So if you have star players such as Calijah Kancey, Graham Barton, Jalen McMillan, Bucky Irving, etc who would still be on their rookie deals then it would go a long way to open up money to make this deal work. Not many teams have drafted as well as Jason Licht in recent years, so not many teams will have the young cheap talent that the Bucs will.
It also helps that the Buccaneers aren’t paying their starting quarterback a ton of money relative to the rest of the league. Baker Mayfield currently makes the 18th highest annual salary among NFL quarterbacks at $33.3 million per year. Compared to the $50-$60 million the top nine quarterbacks each make annually, this opens up some money that the Bucs can spend in other places over the next two years.
Bringing Out The Best In Each Other
When making a massive trade like this would be, everyone involved has to consider if this is the best move for them. Cleveland has to kickstart a rebuild, so maximizing return makes sense for them. Getting as many assets as possible is their objective.
For the Bucs, they are potentially two or three players away from possibly being the team to beat in the NFL. Specifically, edge rusher is a massive need for this Buccaneers team. While Bowles does a great job of generating pressure with the blitz, the Bucs edge rushers don’t win a lot of individual matchups and they desperately need someone who can do that.
We already know Garrett wants to play for a contender and the Bucs would offer that. Beyond winning, Tampa also offers a great supporting cast on a defensive line that features Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey who can help take pressure off Garrett and help him be more impactful individually.
In terms of what Garrett can do for the Bucs defense and what the Bucs defense can do to help Garrett be successful, there might not be a better fit from a football perspective in the NFL.
For more from J.T. click here, then make sure to follow him on Twitter.
The Breeders’ Cup starts today, and Let ’em Run is on site.
Rear View Mirror Segment Introduction
Let ’em Run continues to improve our product, and we are rolling out our “Rear View Mirror” segment in today’s edition for Sports Talk Florida, where we look back on races we broke down and see where we missed a possible pick and why, and also how we landed on a good pick. In life they say “the windshield is bigger than the rear view mirror so you look ahead, instead of back”. We think in handicapping, a good idea occasionally to look back!!
Friday 11/28 — Churchill Downs
Race 10 – The Mrs. Revere Stakes Looking back on our Podcast, John and I both landed on #4 Classic Q as an upset winner over big favorite #1 Lush Lips. The favorite proved her class and just nipped Classic Q. and a fast closing #10 Pretty Picture.
Race 11 – The Clark Stakes The “Rear View Mirror” told us we should have given a long look at the #9 Magnitude, who took it to the field with the highest U.S. Timeform early pace figure. John made a strong case for #5 Chunk of Gold, who had more company up front than expected. My pick #4 Gosger, had many Brisnet angles that made him strong in my book, but never fired. Keep an eye on this runner next out, odds will surely be worth a look.
Saturday 11/29 — Del Mar
Race 5 – The Seabiscuit Handicap In this race, the “Rear View Mirror” told us the only way (in our opinion) the #4 Call Sign Seven could have been used, was if you used a dart board, no offense to those who picked him!! John and I both landed on #3 Almanderes, who ran in 4th place, as the leader ran away from all in the field.
Race 7 – The Jimmy Durante Stakes Some redemption here as John laid out a Trifecta Key for $20 (4/1,5,6,8,9/1,5,6,8,9) and returned $61.50. Hey, a win is a win. I dropped anchor on the #5 La Ville Lumiere, a long shot at 8-1, with a lot of Brisnet angles to work with. She ran a nice race, but only managed a 3rd place finish.
Race 9 – The Hollywood Stakes Using the “Rear View Mirror”, a case could have been made for winner #4 Salamis. Leading rider Umberto Rispoli jumped aboard for trainer Chad Brown. In the last race he was a tough load, and closed, but too late. He ran back to the 2 back race and took the top spot, not an impossible pick with a closer look.
Looking Ahead
Moving forward, Let’emRun is looking to run multiple Podcasts each week in the New Year. Coming up on Friday 12/5/25 Happy Hour at 3PM, we will dive into 2 races being run on Saturday 12/6/25… Race 6 at Laurel Park, The Maryland Juvenile. We will then jump over to Race 7 at Turfway Park, The Boone County. Some interesting races, at some interesting venues.
Upcoming Coverage
On Saturday 12/6/25, we will get back to East Coast racing at Aqueduct, where we will cover Races 7 thru 11, including Race 9 The Remsen Stakes (Kentucky Derby Prep), and Race 10, The Cigar Mile. Two big races each year at the Big A, so be sure to tune in for both shows, and as always Let ’em Run.
Paris Saint-Germain legend Jay-Jay Okocha has rankked Serbian coach Dragoslav Stepanovic as the manager with the most significant impact on his career.
Okocha credited Stepanovic for guiding him during his formative years at Eintracht Frankfurt which shaped him in becom of the most skillful players during his active career.
Okocha joined Frankfurt from Borussia Neunkirchen in December 1991, a move that marked the beginning of his rise in European football.
He spent four years at the club, four defining seasons that helped shape his playing style and future success.
Those early years in the Bundesliga showcased Okocha’s incredible talent, as he quickly built a reputation for his mesmerizing footwork, flair, and creativity.
One of his most iconic moments in Germany remains his unforgettable solo goal against Karlsruher SC, where he famously dribbled past multiple defenders, including goalkeeper Oliver Kahn before slotting the ball into the net.
The goal is still regarded as one of the greatest in German Bundesliga history.
Despite his strong start in Germany, Okocha’s time at Frankfurt came to an unexpected end. In 1995, he fell out of favour under new coach Jupp Heynckes, but he has explained why Stepanovic stood out above all other coaches in his career.
“The coach who influenced me the most was my first manager at Eintracht Frankfurt, Dragoslav Stepanovic,” Okocha told R.org.
“It was short, but he influenced me the most throughout my career. Stepanovic is the type of coach every young player deserves to encounter.”
Okocha credited the Serbian coach for giving him both confidence and freedom, qualities that helped him fully express his unique style of play.
“I did not just feel at home at Frankfurt,” he added. “His guidance pushed me to bring the best out of myself.”
After Frankfurt were relegated to the German second division, Okocha moved to Fenerbahce in 1996.
His transfer to Turkey marked the beginning of another electrifying chapter, where his performances attracted international attention and eventually paved the way for his high-profile move to Paris Saint-Germain in 1998.
college championship weekend The 2025 college football season kicks off with one of the most electrifying Week 1 slates in recent memory. With playoff contenders
Conference Championship weekend is here and it is the most decisive weekend has arrived, as the SEC, ACC, Big Ten, and Big 12 Championships take center stage. Four conference championships titles will be contested, each carrying massive implications for the College Football Playoff.
Alabama and Georgia clash in Atlanta for SEC supremacy, Ohio State battles Indiana in Indianapolis for the Big Ten crown, Duke faces Virginia in Charlotte for the ACC title, and Texas Tech meets BYU in Arlington for the Big 12 championship. With playoff spots hanging in the balance, every snap this weekend will shape the national picture and determine which programs advance to the sport’s ultimate stage.
SEC Title Game
The 2025 SEC Championship Game features the Alabama Crimson Tide (10-2) against the Georgia Bulldogs (11-1) at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Kickoff is set for Saturday, December 6 at 4:00 p.m. ET (3:00 p.m. CT).
National Broadcast: ABC, ESPN+ streaming
Local Coverage: WSB-TV Channel 2 Atlanta, regional ESPN Radio affiliates
Alabama enters with momentum after a dramatic Iron Bowl win, while Georgia seeks revenge for its September loss to the Tide. The winner secures the SEC’s automatic bid to the College Football Playoff.
Big Ten Championship: Ohio State vs Indiana
For the first time, both teams enter undefeated (12-0). The Big Ten Championship Game will be played at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Saturday, December 6 at 8:00 p.m. ET.
National Broadcast: FOX, streaming via FOX Sports app
Local Coverage: Big Ten Network pregame, regional FOX affiliates in Ohio and Indiana
Ohio State’s elite defense faces Indiana’s high-powered offense led by QB Fernando Mendoza. The winner likely claims the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff.
ACC Championship: Duke vs Virginia
The ACC Conference Championship Game pits Virginia (10-2) against Duke (7-5) at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. Kickoff is Saturday, December 6 at 8:00 p.m. ET.
National Broadcast: ABC, ESPN Radio
Local Coverage: Virginia Sports Radio Network, regional ABC affiliates in North Carolina and Virginia
Virginia dominated Duke earlier this season, but the Blue Devils, led by QB Darian Mensah, seek redemption. A Cavaliers win likely secures a College Football Playoff berth.
Big 12 Championship: Texas Tech vs BYU
The Big 12 Championship Game features Texas Tech (11-1) against BYU (11-1) at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Kickoff is Saturday, December 6 at 12:00 p.m. ET (11:00 a.m. CT).
National Broadcast: ABC, streaming via ESPN app
Local Coverage: KSL-TV Utah, regional ABC affiliates in Texas
Texas Tech seeks to confirm its playoff spot, while BYU must win to secure the Big 12’s automatic bid. This rematch follows the Red Raiders’ November victory over the Cougars.
Bottom Line
Championship Weekend delivers four marquee matchups across the SEC, Big Ten, ACC, and Big 12. With College Football Playoff bids on the line, fans nationwide can tune in via ABC, FOX, ESPN Radio, and regional affiliates to watch history unfold.