Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Yaya Diaby participates in mini camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Buccaneers edge rusher Yaya Diaby takes lessons from franchise legend

Originally posted on Tampa Bay Buccaneers on SI
By River Wells | Last updated Jul 20, 2025 1:07 PM ET

Tampa Bay Buccaneers edge rusher Yaya Diaby put together a strong season in 2024, but there's always room for improvement. Diaby (and the rest of the edge rushing corps) is looking to improve his finishing power and get more sacks, and during a shoot for Tampa Bay's new 50th Anniversary white creamsicle uniforms, he got to talk to a franchise legend who can help him do just that.

Diaby has 7.5 sacks in his rookie year, but that number dropped to 4.5 in 2024. That being said, Diaby was 10th in pressure rate, fifth in QB hurries and sixth in QB hits among qualifying edge rushers, per PFF, so he still produced in every other area. And when it comes to getting sacks, Buccaneers Super Bowl champion Simeon Rice would know a thing or two — he had eight seasons with 10 or more sacks and put up 15.5 the year Tampa Bay won it all in 2002.

Rice, who is set to enter Tampa Bay's Ring of Honor this year, was seen coaching up Diaby in a small snippet during the team's original unveiling of its new white creamsicle uniforms, but the Bucs uploaded the entire 15-minute conversation the two had on social media Sunday.

"Everything that I rehearsed in practice became a performance in the game."

Bucs legend @simeon_rice takes @greatyaya4 under his wing to teach him tricks of the trade that can't be found in a playbook pic.twitter.com/oSCeLwS7u1
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) July 20, 2025

Rice took Diaby through a number of situations, and he also told stories from his Super Bowl-winning team in 2002. Rice had 10 or more sacks with the Bucs from 2001-05, and he ended his career in Tampa Bay with 76.5 sacks including the playoffs.

Diaby will look to apply these lessons in 2025 in an effort to bring up his sack numbers, and he'll get the opportunity to do so alongside new Buccaneers free agent Haason Reddick.