Buccaneers GM again responds to Falcons, Kirk Cousins hype

Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht doesn't lose sleep over what seemingly has become a yearly tradition of analysts and so-called experts doubting his team. 

"We're kinda used to it," Licht said about the situation during a Thursday appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show," as shared by Caleb Skinner of Fan Nation's BucsGameday. "I sometimes feel like down here in Tampa we are in witness protection. I don't want to say we get s--- on, but there's kind of a lack of respect. ...We're used to it, but you kind of use it as ammo. It's embedded in the DNA of this team." 

Licht and head coach Todd Bowles previously said they kept receipts after numerous members of the NFL community predicted that the Buccaneers would fall apart following Tom Brady's retirement in February 2023. While Tampa Bay entered this past December at 4-7, signal-caller Baker Mayfield helped the club win five of six contests and claim its third straight NFC South title. 

The Buccaneers then earned a wild-card playoff victory over the Philadelphia Eagles before they lost to the Detroit Lions in the next round of the postseason tournament. 

Licht did well to retain multiple key players from last season, but the Atlanta Falcons made a massive splash when they signed veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins in free agency. Licht and Bowles noted in March they like "being the underdog," and Licht insisted on Thursday that Mayfield, who signed a new contract with the organization earlier this offseason, isn't satisfied.

"We have a quarterback right now who has a huge chip on his shoulder and always will and uses that in his play style, and the whole team takes after it," Licht said about Mayfield. "...When I see somebody dissing us and saying that we're not gonna win it, I love keeping receipts. I hate to admit it, but I love it. It's a passion of mine now."

As of Thursday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook listed the Falcons as the betting favorites at -130 odds to win the division title for the upcoming season. Tampa Bay was second on the list at +300 odds.