First, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman lost his duty as a team captain, then he lost his position at starting quarterback to rookie Mike Glennon but Sunday during Tampa Bay's 13-10 loss, his rocky relationship with head coach Greg Schiano hit an all-time low when he was forced to watch the game from high atop Raymond James Stadium in a suite.
At the conclusion of the 2012-13 season, things were great for Freeman as he was a team captain and starting quarterback, but earlier this month rumors swirled that the fifth-year quarterback and Schiano weren't getting along and that Freeman had lost the locker room. These rumors were punctuated when Freeman lost his captaincy in a vote earlier this month, and they only intensified after last Wednesday, when Schiano announced that he was replacing Freeman with Glennon after an 0-3 start heading into Week 4.
Even with the rookie signal caller in Glennon, the Bucs managed to fall to 0-4 Sunday. Freeman, 25, wasn't near the field to watch it happen, as he was dropped on the depth chart from the No.1 quarterback to the No. 3, leading many to speculate that a trade could be looming. Freeman himself said that he needed to end his relationship with the Bucs when asked Sunday if a trade was something he desired.
"No question," Freeman told ESPN on Sunday NFL Countdown when asked if it was time for him to be traded. "It's uncomfortable to say, and it might not sit well, it might not feel good, but the bottom line is I am me as a player. I can't worry about everyone else."
Freeman completed just 45.7% of his passes through three games this season, going 43-for-94 for 571 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions. Glennon filled in Sunday and went 24-for-43 (55.8%) for 193 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions in the loss.
Yahoo Sports reports that Schiano said the banishing of Freeman to the suite was a "mutual decision," while Freeman's agent retorted, "That's a lie, obviously." Freeman had already upset his team when he overslept and was late to a team photo, only drawing the ire of his head coach even more and leading to more speculation of the disconnect between the coach and his quarterback.
Freeman also stated his frustration over being benched for a rookie quarterback in Week 4.
"I'm frustrated, kind of angry, don't really understand the decision, but I'm not the coach," Freeman told ESPN. "I don't make personnel moves. I don't make those decisions. That's his job to do."
The Buccaneers receive a much-needed bye week in Week 5, but by the time the Philadelphia Eagles come into town to play them on Oct. 13, Freeman could very well be somewhere else donning another team's uniform.
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