“Eagles Old Self or Cardinals Old Self?”: Redditors Don’t Believe Haason Reddick Will Be Back to Form as Bucs HC Todd Bowles Claims

Despite being the kind of pass rusher most teams would kill to have in their ranks, Haason Reddick has had a journeyman-esque career. From contract holdouts to off-field issues, his path has been anything but smooth, leaving Bucs fans wondering, “Which Version Are We Getting?” in Tampa Bay for 2025—kind of like when you order food from a sketchy takeout place.

Are they getting the dominant, sack-happy Reddick from Philadelphia and Arizona, or the guy who barely saw the field in New York? Tampa Bay head coach Todd Bowles is betting on the former.

After signing Reddick to a one-year, $14 million deal, Bowles chalked up his down year in the Big Apple as a one-off. He fully expects the All-Pro pass rusher to return to his old self.“I would consider last season a wash for him, and we expect him to be his old self with us,” Bowles said.

That’s a bold statement, considering Reddick’s 2024 campaign was anything but reassuring. For context, the 30-year-old began last offseason with the Eagles before being traded to the Jets for a conditional 2026 third-round pick that could be converted to a second-round pick.

Then, in true Reddick fashion, he held out over contract disputes, missing training camp and the first six games of the season. And when he finally suited up, he was a shadow of his former self, finishing with just one sack—yes, a single sack for the entire year.

By the 2025 offseason, the Jets were ready to move on, and the former Cardinals star landed in Tampa, where Bowles and defensive assistant Larry Foote believe they can revive his career.

NFL fans on Reddit, however, aren’t buying it, especially after Bowles’ optimistic remarks. “We talking [about] Eagles old self or Cardinals self?” pondered one fan. “Bro hasn’t been himself in a season and a half,” chimed in another, and rightly so.

Comment
byu/AdSpecialist6598 from discussion
innfl

Haason Reddick’s career has been a tale of two versions. In Arizona, he struggled early but exploded in 2020 with 12.5 sacks. That earned him a fresh start with the Eagles, where he became one of the league’s best pass rushers, notching double-digit sacks in consecutive seasons and helping Philly reach Super Bowl LVII.

Others, meanwhile, believe that this is Reddick’s last bet to prove his worth as someone with enough pedigree to command a $14 million per annum salary. “Everyone will definitely know if he’s washed or not after this year. No excuses and he should be playing for his last chance to make significant money,” bluntly noted one Redditor.

A few, meanwhile, were hilariously confused to see Reddick join yet another NFL team. “I missed it, when did he end up there?” asked one fan.

As things stand, it’s clear that Todd Bowles and the Bucs are banking on Reddick returning to his prime form, adding much-needed pass-rushing power to their defensive front. But after a disastrous 2024, it’s fair to wonder if that version of Reddick still exists.

Will Tampa get the Eagles version of Haason or the Jets version? If it’s the latter, Bowles might wish that “wash” season had stayed buried in the hamper.