"That's Good Karma" - JoeBucsFan.com

Joe already thought of this but it sparked another element that could pay off for the Bucs come free agency.

Yesterday a lot of the hollering shows on TV picked up on Mike Evans’ extending his streak of 1,000-yard receiving seasons. Equally important, per ex-players Darius Butler and Pat McAfee, players noticed that too.

Most know that Bucs coach Todd Bowles gave offensive coordinator Liam Coen and Baker Mayfield the green light Sunday to throw to Mike Evans so he could reach the 1,000-yard receiving plateau, even though the Bucs led by 8 points and could take a knee to win the division and go to the playoffs.

At the time of that play, the Stinking Panthers and Dixie Chicks had gone to overtime so no one on the field knew Atlanta would lose.

Evans not only extended the streak, but his catch pocketed him $3 million in bonuses as a result. That, Butler said, was why players across the league took notice.

McAfee praised the Bucs for doing something for a loyal player, even if maybe the Bucs should have just taken a knee.

“That could have been a pick-six,” McAfee said on his ESPN show. “But, nah, we’re going to stick up for our guy. We’re going to let our guy get his numbers. … “That’s good karma,” McAfee said. “That’s doing the right thing for your player who has done all the right things for your city, for your team, for your community.”

Players across the NFL notice that stuff. Word travels.

Maybe Bowles remembers what it was like when he played?

More important, when Bowles played, money wasn’t handed out like it is now. So bonuses were a bigger deal. Maybe that was on Bowles’ mind?

Butler noted that players are very aware of this type of gesture.

There is angst at The Star, Cowboys headquarters, because Cowboys players were miffed that quarterback Cooper Rush did not start on Sunday. By Jerry Jones approving of the Rush’s benching (you cannot tell Joe that Jones has no say about when a Cowboys quarterback is benched), Jones avoided a $250,000 bonus to Rush.

So that got Joe thinking that when free agency comes in two months (yup, March 12) and the Bucs are trying to lure a player or two to Tampa, they’ll see how some owners dodge paying guys and then notice how Bowles goes out of his way to make sure his players get paid. That should help recruiting.

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