Former San Francisco 49ers linebacker Randy Gregory came close to a Lombardi Trophy last season, but he believes he can land one with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Gregory joined the 49ers’ Super Bowl run at midseason via a trade with the Denver Broncos. He signed with the Buccaneers a one-year, $3 million deal with incentives on Thursday.
“As a kid, I always dreamed about obviously making it to the NFL and making it to the Super Bowl, so to be able to say I experienced that is big, “Gregory told reporters on Thursday. “Obviously, I wanted to get the win, but hopefully I can do that this year upcoming with Tampa Bay.”
“I think, obviously, you guys have had success here over the past few years. We have a great team right there, set up to make another run. That’s what I intend on doing — trying to help in that way,” Gregory added.
San Francisco had a chance of seeing the Buccaneers in the NFC Championship Game last season. Instead, the Detroit Lions held off the Buccaneers’ rally with a game-sealing interception.
Gregory adds to the Buccaneers’ linebacker depth amid the departures of Devin White to the Philadelphia Eagles and Shaquil Barrett to the Miami Dolphins. Last season, Gregory posted 3.5 sacks, 20 tackles, 10 quarterback hits, and a pass deflection in 16 games between his stints with the Broncos and 49ers.
Randy Gregory: ‘It’s Never Bad to Ask for Help’
I asked new Bucs outside linebacker Randy Gregory what he hopes to impart on players entering the league today who may encounter similar challenges that he did.
“It’s never bad to ask for help. I think a lot of guys should probably tap into that more and tap into therapy more.…
It took several years for Gregory’s career to take hold in the NFL due to multiple substance abuse suspensions. Gregory put that chapter behind him during the past three years since his last suspension in 2019.
“It’s never bad to ask for help. I think a lot of guys should probably tap into that more and tap into therapy more,” Gregory told reporters. “Mental health is a real thing that a majority of guys are probably dealing with and don’t really realize it. If that is out of whack, your game is going to be out of whack, too.”
Gregory, 31, will be one of the older players in the Buccaneers’ locker room this year. With seven seasons of action and a Super Bowl appearance under his belt, he recognizes the immediate veteran presence he will have.
“I’m obviously going to be one of the older guys in the D-line room and [in] the defense in general. I think it’s my duty to kind of pass on my experiences in the right way and kind of influence them the right way and lead them in the right direction the best way I know I can,” Gregory said.
Randy Gregory Plans to Keep Similar Weight to 49ers Stint
Playing weight comes up as offseason talk, and Gregory’s weight matters for how the Buccaneers will use him next season.
“I think, in the past, the last couple years in Dallas or maybe my first year in Denver, I was 247 maybe, 250 max. I think in San Francisco, I was probably sitting at 258,” Gregory said. There was a year I got to Dallas, I was probably about 261 and had to lose a few pounds there. I’ve never been a guy that has been extremely heavy.”
“I’ve always floated in the high [240s] to mid-[250s]. I think a perfect weight for me is probably in the 255-260 range. That’s probably where I’ll be coming in at,” Gregory added.
