Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Raheem Morris had some choice words for Michael Lombardi in response to a column the NFL Network insider wrote on NFL.com Wednesday criticizing the Buccaneers' lack of leadership and accountability.
"Here's the deal," Morris told the St. Petersburg Times on Friday. "When we were young kids, right? I went to school, I was 6 years old, 7 years old. And this guy saw my grandmother and said my grandmother ran like a bulldog. And I beat the heck out of him. I beat the heck out of him. I went home, and my mom was so disappointed that I beat the heck out of him. She said, 'Don't worry. It doesn't matter what people say about you. It doesn't matter what people say about your family.'
"So I learned that lesson a long time ago not to get upset with clowns that don't really know what they're talking about that have something to say. So we've moved on. I learned that lesson. I don't have to react to that kind of stuff."
The Buccaneers have stumbled to a 4-5 record after a 3-1 start. They have a tall order in front of them as they try to get back on track Sunday at Lambeau Field against the defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers, who are 9-0.