Bucs' T.J. Ward 'at my wit's end' on lack of playing time after loss to Bills
Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety T.J. Ward was not on the field during a pivotal fourth-quarter stretch in Sunday’s 30-27 loss to the Buffalo Bills, and he let the media know afterward that he was not very happy about the development.
Ward, who has been splitting time at safety this season, made it clear that he does not want to be a part-time player.
“I’m at my wit’s end,” Ward said, according to The Tampa Bay Times. “I mean, that’s not why I came here. I did not come here to rotate. I did (not) come here to be a part-time player. I came here to make this defense better. Be on the field 100 percent of the time. I destruct offenses. That’s what I do. I need to (be) out there."
Ward, a three-time Pro Bowler, was abruptly cut by the Denver Broncos this preseason after training with the team throughout the off-season.
He signed a one-year, $4 million contract with the Buccaneers less than a week before their scheduled season-opener against the Miami Dolphins, and didn't mince words about how he was treated in that situation, either.
"I just think they handled it completely unprofessional," Ward told reporters on Sept. 4. "They could have let me know that was going on. You had a full off-season, you know? I know it's a business, but when you have good employees, you're supposed to treat your employees a certain way."
The 30-year-old Ward had four tackles Sunday against the Bills and has recorded 13 tackles in four games this season. He sat out the previous two weeks with a hip injury.
Reach Tom Schad at tschad@gannett.com or on Twitter @Tom_Schad.