Charlie Strong Calls Rueben Bain A Steal, Talks Rookie’s Background
April 26th, 2026
One Todd Bowles offseason move was to oust his defensive line coach Charlie Strong, the longtime college head coach.
Why the Bucs hired Strong is unclear, but that’s a story for another day. Strong, though, has no hard feelings and was excited by the Bucs’ selection of Miami Maulder edge rusher Rueben Bain in Round 1.
“They could not have gotten a better steal for them,” Strong told The JP Peterson Show. “He’s an elite player. Unbelievable.
“You know, we get into the character issues with him; there’s no character issues with him. I know him. I know his family. There’s no alcohol or drugs involved.”
Strong was at the University of Miami as the Hurricanes co-defensive coordinator & linebackers coach in 2022. Bain arrived in 2023 and Strong was part of Bain’s recruitment process. He explained that Bain went to a Strong academic high school that did not have a football program, so he was allowed to play at famed Miami Central High nearby.
Strong went on to rave about Bain’s work ethic and he talked about how Bucs defensive tackle Calijah Kancey and Bain have a strong relationship.
Bain had a strong home life with his mother working for law enforcement and his father owning a business, Strong said, and his uncle played for the University of Miami.
Strong said he is surprised the Dolphins, Cowboys and Commanders didn’t pick Bain.