Seattle Seahawks

Bucs rookie Vernon Hargreaves shrieks like a kid on Christmas in glorious mic'd up video

Published Dec. 9, 2016 12:57 p.m. ET

Brett Smiley

Some NFL players produce much better sound than others when they're mic'd on game day. Just like there's vocal leaders and leaders by example: some guys scream, shout and taunt and others dig into the dirt and fire off the line, speaking with their athleticism. You get the idea.

In an upset 14-5 win over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, Tampa Buccaneers rookie Vernon Hargreaves delivered one of the most entertaining mic'd up segments we've seen in a while thanks the sheer and utter joy he's experiencing. (The video is not embeddable at this moment -- please hit that link or right here to watch it.)

A quick preview: The first-round (11th overall) pick in this year's draft talks about weaknesses on the Seahawks offensive line, cheers for rising star receiver Mike Evans (and his bank account), gets jacked up for an open-field tackle of Thomas Rawls, goes bonkers when the Bucs recover a fumble and looks on when teammate Alterraun Vernon intercepts a Russell Wilson pass and then attempts to set a block but appears too excited to find a body.

The part cornerback, part cheerleader also assists on a gang tackle that jars the ball loose from Seahawks tight end Jimmy Graham. Hargreaves and the improved Buccaneers defense have helped capture wins over the Seahawks and Chiefs in back-to-back weeks, putting Tampa Bay (6-5) in the thick of the playoff hunt. If the Bucs can maintain the same ferocity and joy Hargreaves displayed on Sunday against a pretty tough schedule ahead (at San Diego, vs. New Orleans, at Dallas, at New Orleans, vs. Carolina), they just might play a postseason game this year.