Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Greg Gaines and Washington Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner had a great moment of comedic relief in the moments that followed Washington’s Wild Card victory over Tampa Bay.
Bobby Wagner Roasts Greg Gaines Following Commanders’ Win
Wagner has been one of the most consistent linebackers in the NFL throughout the length of his career, but he definitely isn’t what he used to be physically in his prime.
Reeling off a heartbreaking loss, his former teammate Greg Gaines found it in him to poke fun at his age. The nose tackle remarked how Wagner’s been showing signs of decline of late as the two shook hands following the game: “You look old.”
Not to be outwitted, Wagner used the perfect comeback to make light of the moment. “Yeah, aight. Y’all going home though!”
This exchange from a #Bucs DT Greg Gaines & #Commanders LB Bobby Wagner:
Gaines: “Said you look old”
Wagner: “Yeah, aight. Y’all going home though”
😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/jtazPZHO05
— brandon (@JayDanielsMVP) January 17, 2025
All of this was in good humor as Wagner and Gaines shared camaraderie from their time as teammates with the Los Angeles Rams during the 2022 NFL season. Gaines was then let go to join the Buccaneers as a free agent while Wagner returned to the Seattle Seahawks, who’d drafted him into the NFL.
The Commanders secured their first playoff win in 19 years in exciting fashion against the Buccaneers on Wild Card Weekend. Jayden Daniels led the Commanders 51 yards down the field while using up the last 4:41 of the game clock in a drive with 10 plays.
Commanders kicker Zane Gonzalez, however, had a heart-stopping moment as his 37-yard kick to seal the game hit the right goalpost. Luckily for him, it struck the inside of the post and went in, securing the dub for Washington.
The thirteen-year NFL veteran Wagner used all of his playoff experience to help stifle the Buccaneers’ offense through their Wild Card Round win. He had eight tackles on the night and half a sack to his name.
Wagner has had yet another productive season, with his experience helping the Commanders get to a much better defensive year than in the recent past (73.2 grade according to PFN’s Defense+ metric, third-best by the franchise since at least 2019, as far back as the dates tracks).
The 34-year-old is one of the most accomplished linebackers in NFL history with a whopping nine Pro Bowl selections and 11 All-Pro teams to his name. During the Legion of Boom era, Wagner was constantly a menace to opposing running backs and tight ends, making a name for himself.
Wagner seems set to be a shoo-in for the Pro Football Hall of Fame when Canton, Ohio, comes calling after retirement. But for now, the Utah State product would be focusing on helping the Commanders get past the Detroit Lions and make a Super Bowl bid.