TAMPA (620 WDAE) -- For those who use the Tampa Bay Buccaneers locker room, it was business as usual on Monday as players cleaned out their lockers following a season-ending 34-32 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, with the notable exception that for those who may return for 2019, they don't know who they'll be seeing on the sideline.
With the team deciding to move on from Dirk Koetter Sunday evening, Monday was spent by the players digesting the fact that a new face will be in charge when they begin organized team activities next year.
"It's sad, man, but the NFL is a business," defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul said about Koetter's firing. "Awesome guy. Great guy. Great coach. Nothing I can really say about him. Energy was there. Players loved him, but decisions have to be made."
"I wasn't expecting it," running back Peyton Barber said. The third year back told me he found out about the firing while waiting for dinner at a local restaurant with his family after the game and seeing the news on the television crawl.
Meanwhile, rookie guard Alex Cappa said the players performance was part of why the front office decided a change at coach was needed.
"Obviously that's part of the business. That's what happens," Cappa said. "We should have won more, that's about it."
Either way, the front office will now look for the next man to try and turn the pirate ship around following consecutive 5-11 seasons.
Click below and listen to comments from Pierre-Paul, Barber, Cappa, defensive tackle Beau Allen, and kicker Cairo Santos below!
Photo: Getty Images