Raheem Morris has been adamant he still has support within the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' locker room while speculation abounds that he could lose his job at the end of the season.
On Wednesday, five-time Pro Bowl cornerback Ronde Barber backed up Morris' claims with a clear defense of the third-year coach. Barber, who has been a Buc for 15 years, said his and Morris' futures in Tampa are intertwined.
"I would be lying if I didn't say that," Barber said when asked by The Tampa Tribune if his future was linked to Morris'. "That's somewhat true. But we'll see. Ideally, I'd love to be back and play with (Morris), and (secondary coach) Jimmy (Lake) and (linebackers coach) Joe Baker. They're great coaches, and they're fun to be around. They understand me, and I understand them. So I imagine that will have something to do with it."
Barber intimated that Morris' dismissal could lead to him playing out his career for another team or might force him to retire -- though he still believes he has another year left in the tank.
"I feel like I can play another year," said Barber, who signed a one-year deal with the Bucs last offseason. "But let's see what January and February has to hold before I make any of those decisions. Next year will be next year. Who knows? I may be sitting on my couch, or I may be out here backpedaling with these young cats again."
