Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Despite No. 1 pick, Lovie won’t look at a loss as a good thing

Lovie Smith

Lovie Smith

AP

If the Buccaneers lose on Sunday, they get the first overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft. Bucs coach Lovie Smith isn’t looking forward to that.

Smith sounds offended at the mere thought that he might see some benefit in losing, let alone that the Bucs would actively try to tank the season so they can land the first pick, which they’ll presumably spend on either Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota or Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston.

“I’ve kind of answered that question a few times. I think we’re going to end up in good position to get some good players. So to me, that can’t even come into the equation,” Smith said.

Smith said his players were playing hard last week against the Packers, will play hard this week against the Saints, and will never think about losing as a good thing.

“They weren’t thinking about that pick or anything like that. This week we’re going to do the same thing,” Smith said.

There may be times when it’s good for a franchise to lose. But players and coaches aren’t wired to lose intentionally. The Bucs are trying to win, even if they’re not very good at it.