LB (1999-2002), Assistant GM – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
As part of The Wolverine Life series, FAM caught up with former player John Spytek, who played with the Wolverines from 1999 to 2002 and is currently the Assistant General Manager with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Now in his ninth season with Tampa Bay and 21st in the NFL, Spytek works closely with Buccaneers General Manager Jason Licht. John is responsible for player personnel, NFL draft and free agent acquisitions, along with overseeing the day-to-day operations of both college and pro scouting departments and administering free agency preparation.
Wisconsin Life
Growing up outside of Milwaukee in Pewaukee, WI (same hometown as NFL stars JJ, Derek, and TJ Watt), sports were a part of family life for John. The son of two University of Wisconsin alumni (John’s father played baseball at Wisconsin), there were several trips to Milwaukee County Stadium for Green Bay games and Camp Randall on weekends. However, John’s love for Michigan grew from watching them on television and “falling in love with the helmet” on countless fall Saturdays. Basketball, baseball, and even competitive sailing were parts of his athletic life, but football was where John excelled at Catholic Memorial under legendary coach Bill Young.
The Recruiting Trail, the First Offer, and Ann Arbor
As Spytek narrowed his athletic focus to football, letters and interest began to grow from colleges, leading to his first offer. John recalls his recruiting days, sending out VHS tapes to colleges with reliance on high school coaches and landline phone calls. “I remember my first offer, which is still personal to me today. I went down to Coach Young’s office, and he said we were going to call Coach Saban at Michigan State,” Spytek recounts. In those days, coaches could not directly call players. “Coach Saban went on to say how much he really liked me and that he wanted me to be a Spartan.” While the call gave John confidence he could play Division 1 football, he had his eye on the “other” school in Michigan.
As recruiting picked up in his junior year, other Big Ten schools and Notre Dame offered scholarships, and ultimately Coach Carr offered one at the Michigan football camp in 1998. John honored his parents’ wishes by not committing “on the spot.” However, it didn’t take much time afterward to fulfill his dream of being a Wolverine. “I remember the discussions with my dad. If I had a successful career somewhere other than Michigan, I would always wonder, ‘What could I have done if I had gone to Michigan?’ That thought sealed it for me, and I have zero regrets looking back,” John says about choosing Michigan.
I Belong
Two-a-days and freshman camp were standard during Spytek’s playing years. As the only SAM backer in freshman camp, John recalls the physical daily toll and the awe of his first full team practice. “I’ll admit that I was a bit star-struck at first; these were the guys I watched on television that were now my teammates,” he says of his first weeks on campus. “There were times you’re getting moved around by guys in practice like never before, the look of disappointment on Coach Gittleson’s face when I did the 225-bench press test for the first time, and playing through injuries,” he said. “But I stuck through it. In those first weeks of practice, I shattered the top bone in my hand (Spytek had it wrapped like a club in practice), and I sprained my AC joint in my shoulder,” he shares. By his first game against Notre Dame in 1999, John was awarded defensive scout team player of the week, earning one of the coveted Special Forces T-shirts. “I can do this at Michigan and be a part of this. I did my part for this week, and it got noticed. I belong,” he recalls.
Spytek would quickly find his way onto the field during the next three years, playing in every game in that stretch on special teams and as a defensive reserve. He learned the balance of football and academics, which wasn’t always easy. “Post-football, I didn’t have an idea of what I wanted to do, so I took courses in a lot of different areas on the advice of Ted Spencer.” Spytek graduated with a general studies degree and still wasn’t sure of his next step. Fortunately, timing was on his side as Michigan had started a one-year master’s program in Sports Management, which he completed, leading him to follow his true passion.
Connections and Opportunity
Spytek admits he watches game films as a scout rather than as a player. In 2004, he introduced himself to Tom Lewand, President of the Detroit Lions and a Michigan alumnus. The Lions offered Spytek a season internship in operations, putting him on his path. After a year, former Michigan defensive coach Teryl Austin invited him to the NFL combine, leading to an opportunity with the Philadelphia Eagles in their scouting department.
“It was a one-year commitment. I was paid $17,000 for the year and worked close to 110 hours a week (note: NFL labor laws have since changed). Starting in scouting, you do whatever is needed—filing Beta tapes, film cut-ups, airport transport—and eventually get placed on either the pro or college scouting track.” In his second year, John took on a dual role, covering both pro and college scouting. This unique experience benefitted him greatly down the road.
One Step Back, Two Steps Forward
After five years with Philadelphia, Spytek moved on to the Cleveland Browns, where he became the Director of College Scouting at 29. It was a big step up, with significant responsibilities in managing people and results. “The NFL is a results-oriented business, and in those three years, we didn’t win enough games.” After three seasons, Spytek and much of the Browns’ staff were let go. “I had to take a step back,” John recalls. “I was the Director of College Scouting, and now I was out of a job.” During a spontaneous trip to Ann Arbor, John received a call from Matt Russell, Director of Player Personnel at the Denver Broncos, offering him a role as a Southwest area scout. Though it was a step back on paper, it led to a major acceleration in John’s career trajectory.
In Denver, John’s boss was Hall of Famer John Elway, and the team was led by future Hall of Famer Peyton Manning. John speaks highly of the Broncos and quickly moved up to lead their national scouting operations, earning a ring as part of the Broncos’ Super Bowl 50 team.
Family Life and the Michigan Bond
When the Spytek family moved to Denver, they welcomed their first of three children, Evelyn. Sadly, Evelyn was born with Cytomegalovirus (CMV), which, while common and often symptom-free, can have severe complications in infants. Despite their efforts, Evelyn passed away at just 18 months old. John recounts how professional the Broncos organization was during this time, but what impacted him most was his Michigan family, who dropped everything to support him. “It was the holiday period, yet my teammates came to support me. There’s no playbook for this, and people just showed up,” John recalls. Six months later, teammates, including Dave Pearson, John Navarre, Brent Cummings, Eric Rosel, Tony Pape, Grant Bowman, and Andy Mignery, came together at a half marathon and raised $30,000 for the National CMV Foundation, founded by Kristen, John’s wife, who is now its President.
Super Bowls, Tampa, and Tom
After winning the Super Bowl, Tampa Bay came calling, offering John a position as their Director of Player Personnel in 2015. “It was a big opportunity, and you have to make the jump when these come.” Responsible for about twenty scouts and staff, the Spytek family moved to Tampa Bay. John emphasizes that character is their number one focus. “Character is key; we’re not just in talent acquisition, but in team building,” he says of their player evaluation process.
The ongoing player evaluations led to perhaps the biggest acquisition in NFL history: Tom Brady. Having played with Brady and following him in the league, John knew there could be an opportunity if Brady became a free agent. Fast forward a few months, and Tom Brady was a Buccaneer, there to win.
Spytek earned his second Super Bowl ring in 2020, with Brady leading the charge. However, the process remains focused on building a strong team. As John says, “The three most important things on a Sunday are the players, the players, and the coaches.” Today, 83% of Tampa’s 53-man roster consists of players drafted or signed as undrafted free agents, a testament to his group’s hard work.
Just Looking for a Yes
John shares advice for those interested in his line of work. “All I was looking for was one ‘Yes’ from somewhere.” While he was told no many times, taking advantage of resources, asking questions, and putting in the time to learn paid dividends and eventually led to opportunities.
Rapid Fire
- Position Coach who recruited you: Terry Malone
- School you would have attended if not Michigan: Northwestern
- Toughest place you played in college: Washington, Husky Stadium
- Toughest players you played against: AJ Hawk (OSU), Ben Roethlisberger (Miami, OH), Drew Brees (Purdue)
- Natural Grass or Field Turf: Natural Grass
- 12:00 or 3:30 PM kickoff: 3:30 PM, “always thought it was a bigger game”
- Best NFL Atmosphere: Lambeau Field
A Wolverine Life is a series made available to FAM highlighting former members of the Michigan Football program and their lives post-collegiate career. Please feel free to reach out to FAM with any questions or comments about this series.