TAMPA, Fla. _ Gerald McCoy is no longer a Buc, but he's clearly still a part of the family.
McCoy is now with the Panthers, but still calls Tampa home. And on Friday night, he was unable to attend his son's senior night football game at Tampa Catholic because the Panthers were making a cross-country flight to the San Francisco bay area for a road game against the 49ers on Sunday.
Even though McCoy couldn't be there in person to support his son, Tampa Catholic senior receiver Marcellus Crutchfield, several of McCoy's former Bucs teammates filled in for him.
In a sign that McCoy is gone but definitely not forgotten in the Bucs locker room, veterans Lavonte David, Donovan Smith, Jameis Winston and Mike Evans attended the game, a 28-8 Tampa Catholic win over Lakeland George Jenkins.
McCoy posted a portion of a video sent to him from the game on his Instagram feed.
" ... My brothers stepped in for me," McCoy wrote in his post. "I truly love these kats!! Family for life!! It's bigger than football!!"
Crutchfield is also a standout basketball player for Tampa Catholic.
The Bucs travel to Nashville on Saturday for their 1 p.m. Sunday game against the Titans at Nissan Stadium.
