Jordan Whitehead Is 'Everything You Want' In A Player

The Bucs shared a video not too long after the signing of Whitehead watching Rapone getting elated when Bowles and assistant general manager John Spytek gave him the news that Jordan Whitehead was going to be a back once again. On Tuesday, Rapone spoke with the media as Tampa Bay begins the offseason and continued to gush over one of his star pupils at the safety position.

Rapone Reacts To Jordan Whitehead Returning

“He’s a good football player,” Rapone said of Jordan Whitehead’s return. “He was good when he was here, he was good up in New York and I would think he would be a good football player down here. He’s everything that you want in a football player. He loves football. He loves contact. He enjoys practicing. My emotions got the best of me but when you get somebody like that back in the fold, it’s pretty nice.”

Jordan Whitehead built on his game in his time with the Jets. While he typically would play in the box for the Bucs’ defense, he was able to show more range in New York, especially by playing deeper more than usual. That was highlighted last season when he had three interceptions off of Josh Allen in the season opener and four on the year. His six interceptions in two years with the Jets was one more than he had in four with the Bucs, but a lot of that came from circumstance and what he was asked to do in each defense.

How Jordan Whitehead Has Improved

The best upgrade to Whitehead’s game that will benefit the Bucs is his overall experience as a well rounded safety.

“I think he improved like all young guys,” Rapone said. “He left here at 24 I believe because he came out a year early. All those guys are coming into that sweet spot. He’s 25 going to be 26, (Antoine) Winfield’s in the same picture. Where they improve is they improve mentally, that’s the biggest thing. Everything slows down for them, that’s about as honest an answer I can give. He’s going to give you everything he has.

“Every player is a certain type of player. Jordan loves contact. He actually increased his range, we didn’t play him deep, the Jets played him deep. You can see the twitch that he has, so probably the biggest thing was he increased his range, but it’s just the maturity. He’s seen a lot and he’s confident in what he can do.”

Bringing A Physical Nature Back

Rapone repeatedly told everyone how much Jordan Whitehead loves contact. His physical nature is what made him a fixture on Tampa Bay’s defense throughout the years. That was an element of the unit that was sorely lacking during his departure.

“I think the whole team missed Jordan’s physicality,” Rapone said. “I think the whole team did. It’s like a heavyweight boxer, if you have a puncher, he punches and the opponent knows that he’s a puncher. You can’t lose that type of physicality.”

A highlight moment during Whitehead’s first tenure with the Bucs came in the 2020 NFC Championship against the Packers. On the first drive of the second half, Whitehead forced a fumble on Aaron Jones that was recovered and returned inside the 10-yard line. The Bucs scored a touchdown on the next playing, going up 28-10 and eventually winning 31-26.

The play was of major importance to the final outcome and a great example of what Jordan Whitehead has brought to the team, and what he’s bringing back this year. It gives the Bucs an attitude on defense. And even in today’s NFL landscape where making physical hits is difficult to accomplish with all the new rules, Whitehead is among a group of players that is still capable of doing so.

“You have to be smarter,” Rapone said. “Jordan loves contact. A lot of guys like to make the tackle and get the guy down. He loves contact, and just like when we played Green Bay (in the NFC Championship), what he did. He’s going to bring it and that does get contagious, but that’s who he is. That’s who Jordan is.”