The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have benched quarterback Josh Freeman and named Mike Glennon the starter.
According to NFL.com, coach Greg Schiano has decided to bench Freeman and have the rookie start Sunday when the team host the Arizona Cardinals.
Schiano said Monday that Freeman was still his starter, but the recent rumblings in Tampa led many to believe that the coach and quarterback’s relationship was headed for divorce. Since Freeman completed less than 50 percent of his passes during the team’s 0-3 start, it seemed like the right time for Schiano to pull the plug.
General manager Mark Dominik was also ready to move on from Freeman.
“The main thing for us was the performance of the team the last nine games was 1-8 and that's tough,” Dominik told USA Today. “He hasn't played well. That's a part of it. If you don't have a quarterback in this league, you don't have a shot. We felt like we'd seen enough of what we needed to see.”
Glennon, who was selected in the third-round of the 2013 draft, has a chance to shine this week and perhaps become the franchise quarterback the Bucs have been looking for.
On the other hand, Freeman’s days with the team are likely numbered. The former first-round draft pick is in the final year of his rookie contract.