News Bucs Team Notes

Can you guess this Bucs running back in today’s in-5 trivia game?

bn_social.0.png


Think you can figure out which Bucs player we’re talking about? You’ll get five clues to figure him out in our new guessing game!

We’re back for another day of the Bucs Nation in-5 daily trivia game. Game instructions are at the bottom if you’re new to the game! Feel free to share your results in the comments and feedback in this Google Form.

Today’s Bucs Nation in-5 game​


If you can’t see the game due to Apple News or another service, click this game article.

Previous games​


Tuesday, June 17, 2025
Monday, June 16, 2025

Play more SB Nation in-5 trivia games​


NFL in-5
MLB in-5
MMA in-5

Bucs Nation in-5 instructions​


The goal of the game is to guess the Bucs player with the help of up to five clues. We’ll mix in BOTH ACTIVE AND RETIRED PLAYERS. It won’t be easy to figure it out in one or two guesses, but some of you might be able to nail it.

After you correctly guess the player, you can click “Share Results” to share how you did down in the comments and on social media. We won’t go into other details about the game as we’d like your feedback on it. How it plays, what you think of it, the difficulty level, and anything else you can think of that will help us improve this game. You can provide feedback in the comments of this article, or you can fill out this Google Form.

Enjoy!

Source: https://www.bucsnation.com/2025/6/18/24451361/sb-nation-buccaneers-daily-trivia-in-5
 
Can you guess this Bucs linebacker in today’s in-5 trivia game?

bn_social.0.png


Think you can figure out which Bucs player we’re talking about? You’ll get five clues to figure him out in our new guessing game!

We’re back for another day of the Bucs Nation in-5 daily trivia game. Game instructions are at the bottom if you’re new to the game! Feel free to share your results in the comments and feedback in this Google Form.

Today’s Bucs Nation in-5 game​


If you can’t see the game due to Apple News or another service, click this game article.

Previous games​


Wednesday, June 18, 2025
Tuesday, June 17, 2025

Play more SB Nation in-5 trivia games​


NFL in-5
MLB in-5
MMA in-5

Bucs Nation in-5 instructions​


The goal of the game is to guess the Bucs player with the help of up to five clues. We’ll mix in BOTH ACTIVE AND RETIRED PLAYERS. It won’t be easy to figure it out in one or two guesses, but some of you might be able to nail it.

After you correctly guess the player, you can click “Share Results” to share how you did down in the comments and on social media. We won’t go into other details about the game as we’d like your feedback on it. How it plays, what you think of it, the difficulty level, and anything else you can think of that will help us improve this game. You can provide feedback in the comments of this article, or you can fill out this Google Form.

Enjoy!

Source: https://www.bucsnation.com/2025/6/19/24452053/sb-nation-buccaneers-daily-trivia-in-5
 
Buccaneers RB room ranked one of the best in NFL by Pro Football Focus

NFL: NFC Wild Card Round-Washington Commanders at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Bucky Irving did wonders as a rookie and he’s got the Bucs RB room positioned as one of the best heading into the 2025 season.

One of the biggest surprises of the 2024 season was the swift emergence of rookie running back Bucky Irving. Despite earning just three starts all season, Irving managed to record over 1,500 yards from scrimmage, including 1,128 rushing yards to go with eight touchdowns on the ground. The rookie’s best game came in Week 12 when he recorded 152 rushing yards and a score on 25 carries.

Entering the 2025 season, the Bucs running back room currently consists of Irving, Rachaad White, Sean Tucker, and D.J. Williams. White had 613 yards and three scores (in 15 starts) while Tucker chipped in 308 yards and two touchdowns as the team’s third-stringer.

After another strong season for the Bucs as a whole, their players are getting a lot of love this offseason. In a new set of rankings by Pro Football Focus’ Dalton Wasserman where he ranks all 32 running back rooms, the Bucs landed just outside the top five at No. 6.

Here’s what he had to say about their placement:

“Bucky Irving’s outstanding rookie season boosts the Buccaneers well into the top 10 on this list. He finished fourth among all running backs with a 90.8 PFF overall grade and was the only player in the NFL to record 90.0-plus PFF grades as a rusher and receiver.”

“Rachaad White’s 73.8 PFF overall grade is evidence that he is more than capable of playing a complementary role. Even third-stringer Sean Tucker got in on the action last season, earning an 80.0 mark and racking up 237 total yards, including kick returns, against New Orleans in Week 6.”

The Bucs have had one of the best receiving groups in the league for several years now. The fact that they added an impressive running back on day three cannot be understated. It’s put the Bucs not only in a position to compete at the highest level now, but for years to come. While Mike Evans is getting further into his 30s, the team also just draft Emeka Egbuka in the first round.

You want to talk about a team that’s reloading before the need even arises? The Bucs are doing just that.

Source: https://www.bucsnation.com/2025/6/1...-irving-rachaad-white-mike-evans-emeka-egbuka
 
Can you guess this Bucs tight end in today’s in-5 trivia game?

bn_social.0.png


Think you can figure out which Bucs player we’re talking about? You’ll get five clues to figure him out in our new guessing game!

We’re back for another day of the Bucs Nation in-5 daily trivia game. Game instructions are at the bottom if you’re new to the game! Feel free to share your results in the comments and feedback in this Google Form.

Today’s Bucs Nation in-5 game​


If you can’t see the game due to Apple News or another service, click this game article.

Previous games​


Thursday, June 19, 2025
Wednesday, June 18, 2025

Play more SB Nation in-5 trivia games​


NFL in-5
MLB in-5
MMA in-5

Bucs Nation in-5 instructions​


The goal of the game is to guess the Bucs player with the help of up to five clues. We’ll mix in BOTH ACTIVE AND RETIRED PLAYERS. It won’t be easy to figure it out in one or two guesses, but some of you might be able to nail it.

After you correctly guess the player, you can click “Share Results” to share how you did down in the comments and on social media. We won’t go into other details about the game as we’d like your feedback on it. How it plays, what you think of it, the difficulty level, and anything else you can think of that will help us improve this game. You can provide feedback in the comments of this article, or you can fill out this Google Form.

Enjoy!

Source: https://www.bucsnation.com/2025/6/20/24452610/sb-nation-buccaneers-daily-trivia-in-5
 
Can you guess this Bucs specialist in today’s in-5 trivia game?

bn_social.0.png


Think you can figure out which Bucs player we’re talking about? You’ll get five clues to figure him out in our new guessing game!

We’re back for another day of the Bucs Nation in-5 daily trivia game. Game instructions are at the bottom if you’re new to the game! Feel free to share your results in the comments and feedback in this Google Form.

Today’s Bucs Nation in-5 game​


If you can’t see the game due to Apple News or another service, click this game article.

Previous games​


Friday, June 20, 2025
Thursday, June 19, 2025

Play more SB Nation in-5 trivia games​


NFL in-5
MLB in-5
MMA in-5

Bucs Nation in-5 instructions​


The goal of the game is to guess the Bucs player with the help of up to five clues. We’ll mix in BOTH ACTIVE AND RETIRED PLAYERS. It won’t be easy to figure it out in one or two guesses, but some of you might be able to nail it.

After you correctly guess the player, you can click “Share Results” to share how you did down in the comments and on social media. We won’t go into other details about the game as we’d like your feedback on it. How it plays, what you think of it, the difficulty level, and anything else you can think of that will help us improve this game. You can provide feedback in the comments of this article, or you can fill out this Google Form.

Enjoy!

Source: https://www.bucsnation.com/2025/6/21/24453131/sb-nation-buccaneers-daily-trivia-in-5
 
Can you guess this Bucs defensive end in today’s in-5 trivia game?

bn_social.0.png


Think you can figure out which Bucs player we’re talking about? You’ll get five clues to figure him out in our new guessing game!

We’re back for another day of the Bucs Nation in-5 daily trivia game. Game instructions are at the bottom if you’re new to the game! Feel free to share your results in the comments and feedback in this Google Form.

Today’s Bucs Nation in-5 game​


If you can’t see the game due to Apple News or another service, click this game article.

Previous games​


Monday, June 16, 2025
Sunday, June 15, 2025

Play more SB Nation in-5 trivia games​


NFL in-5
MLB in-5
MMA in-5

Bucs Nation in-5 instructions​


The goal of the game is to guess the Bucs player with the help of up to five clues. We’ll mix in BOTH ACTIVE AND RETIRED PLAYERS. It won’t be easy to figure it out in one or two guesses, but some of you might be able to nail it.

After you correctly guess the player, you can click “Share Results” to share how you did down in the comments and on social media. We won’t go into other details about the game as we’d like your feedback on it. How it plays, what you think of it, the difficulty level, and anything else you can think of that will help us improve this game. You can provide feedback in the comments of this article, or you can fill out this Google Form.

Enjoy!

Source: https://www.bucsnation.com/2025/6/17/24450655/sb-nation-buccaneers-daily-trivia-in-5
 
Can you guess this Bucs running back in today’s in-5 trivia game?

bn_social.0.png


Think you can figure out which Bucs player we’re talking about? You’ll get five clues to figure him out in our new guessing game!

We’re back for another day of the Bucs Nation in-5 daily trivia game. Game instructions are at the bottom if you’re new to the game! Feel free to share your results in the comments and feedback in this Google Form.

Today’s Bucs Nation in-5 game​


If you can’t see the game due to Apple News or another service, click this game article.

Previous games​


Saturday, June 21, 2025
Friday, June 20, 2025

Play more SB Nation in-5 trivia games​


NFL in-5
MLB in-5
MMA in-5

Bucs Nation in-5 instructions​


The goal of the game is to guess the Bucs player with the help of up to five clues. We’ll mix in BOTH ACTIVE AND RETIRED PLAYERS. It won’t be easy to figure it out in one or two guesses, but some of you might be able to nail it.

After you correctly guess the player, you can click “Share Results” to share how you did down in the comments and on social media. We won’t go into other details about the game as we’d like your feedback on it. How it plays, what you think of it, the difficulty level, and anything else you can think of that will help us improve this game. You can provide feedback in the comments of this article, or you can fill out this Google Form.

Enjoy!

Source: https://www.bucsnation.com/2025/6/22/24453574/sb-nation-buccaneers-daily-trivia-in-5
 
Can you guess this Bucs linebacker in today’s in-5 trivia game?

bn_social.0.png


Think you can figure out which Bucs player we’re talking about? You’ll get five clues to figure him out in our new guessing game!

We’re back for another day of the Bucs Nation in-5 daily trivia game. Game instructions are at the bottom if you’re new to the game! Feel free to share your results in the comments and feedback in this Google Form.

Today’s Bucs Nation in-5 game​


If you can’t see the game due to Apple News or another service, click this game article.

Previous games​


Sunday, June 22, 2025
Saturday, June 21, 2025

Play more SB Nation in-5 trivia games​


NFL in-5
MLB in-5
MMA in-5

Bucs Nation in-5 instructions​


The goal of the game is to guess the Bucs player with the help of up to five clues. We’ll mix in BOTH ACTIVE AND RETIRED PLAYERS. It won’t be easy to figure it out in one or two guesses, but some of you might be able to nail it.

After you correctly guess the player, you can click “Share Results” to share how you did down in the comments and on social media. We won’t go into other details about the game as we’d like your feedback on it. How it plays, what you think of it, the difficulty level, and anything else you can think of that will help us improve this game. You can provide feedback in the comments of this article, or you can fill out this Google Form.

Enjoy!

Source: https://www.bucsnation.com/2025/6/23/24454052/sb-nation-buccaneers-daily-trivia-in-5
 
Can you guess this Bucs safety in today’s in-5 trivia game?

bn_social.0.png


Think you can figure out which Bucs player we’re talking about? You’ll get five clues to figure him out in our new guessing game!

We’re back for another day of the Bucs Nation in-5 daily trivia game. Game instructions are at the bottom if you’re new to the game! Feel free to share your results in the comments and feedback in this Google Form.

Today’s Bucs Nation in-5 game​


If you can’t see the game due to Apple News or another service, click this game article.

Previous games​


Tuesday, June 24, 2025
Monday, June 23, 2025

Play more SB Nation in-5 trivia games​


NFL in-5
MLB in-5
MMA in-5

Bucs Nation in-5 instructions​


The goal of the game is to guess the Bucs player with the help of up to five clues. We’ll mix in BOTH ACTIVE AND RETIRED PLAYERS. It won’t be easy to figure it out in one or two guesses, but some of you might be able to nail it.

After you correctly guess the player, you can click “Share Results” to share how you did down in the comments and on social media. We won’t go into other details about the game as we’d like your feedback on it. How it plays, what you think of it, the difficulty level, and anything else you can think of that will help us improve this game. You can provide feedback in the comments of this article, or you can fill out this Google Form.

Enjoy!

Source: https://www.bucsnation.com/2025/6/25/24455427/sb-nation-buccaneers-daily-trivia-in-5
 
Buccaneers to wear throwback jerseys in prime-time

Atlanta Falcons v Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images

2025 will feature Bucco Bruce under the lights.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have announced when they will be wearing their throwback jerseys in 2025.

The return of Bucco Bruce and the beloved 'creamsicle' jersey began in 2023. The Buccaneers broke out their vintage look against the Detroit Lions. Tampa Bay's performance matched their iconic look— The Bucs lost 20-6. Still, the 'creamsicles' were born again.

In 2024, the Buccaneers once again donned Bucco Bruce on their helmets and orange across their backs. Once again— Defeat. The Bucs lost to the Atlanta Falcons, while fans watched Kirk Cousins toss four touchdowns and just six incomplete passes.

Now, 2025 is around the corner and fans have confirmation they will see more orange in the upcoming season.


#Bucs will wear their Creamsicke uniforms for their Thursday Night Football Week 15 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons on December 11.

— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) June 24, 2025

The Buccaneers will be wearing their famed throwback uniforms again— Against the Falcons, for the second straight year. The Falcons will be coming to Tampa in week 15. The game will be featured on Thursday Night Football and is likely to have massive playoff implications.

Based on the way the NFC South has played out over the past few seasons, the Buccaneers and Falcons will be battling until the bitter end for divisional dominance and Tampa Bay will need to pull out the late-season win against Atlanta— Will this rendition of Bucco Bruce be different than seasons previous?

For more Bucs coverage check us out here:

@Will_Walsh_NFL(X)

@Bucs_Nation(X)

@Will_Walsh_NFL(YouTube)

Source: https://www.bucsnation.com/2025/6/2...-in-prime-time-tampa-bay-bucs-falcons-atlanta
 
No, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are not trading for T.J. Watt

NFL: SEP 24 Steelers at Buccaneers

Photo by Roy K. Miller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Before you get 'Tampa T.J.' shirts made, let's think about this.

A small bite-sized rumor has been flurrying about, that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers might be attempting to work out a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers for star pass-rusher T.J. Watt. While, on paper the move to add Watt would be explosively exciting, it remains remarkably unlikely.

Tampa Bay's largest need following their 2024 campaign, through the diagnosis of most, was pass rush (specifically edge-rusher). The Tampa Bay faithful have seen, over the past decade or so, the stark contrast of what Todd Bowles' defense looks like with an elite edge-rusher (Shaq Barrett in his prime) and without an elite edge-rusher.

NFL: SEP 24 Steelers at Buccaneers
Photo by Roy K. Miller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Watt even checks more boxes than a traditional hand-in-the-dirt defender because he has the flexibility and versatility to do much more. His versatility may not excite the average fan wanting to see Watt terrorize opposing quarterbacks, however, it would (in theory) excite Todd Bowles quite a bit. Bowles has been criticized frequently for his 'creativity' in defensive scheming, leading to players who are designated pass-rushers dropping into coverage in order to create confusion for an offense. Watt can not only get after the quarterback (108 career sacks), but he also has seven career interceptions as well, just one less than Jamel Dean.

So a T.J. Watt-type made sense then, but does he make sense now?

NFL: JUN 10 Buccaneers Mini Camp
Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Tampa Bay has addressed their edge-rusher group since the end of season, through the draft and free agency. Still, Watt would help any defense in the National Football League. He is an A+ defender at a premium position and likely on his way to a Hall of Fame speech and a gold jacket. For the Buccaneers, it would all come down to price— And that price is twofold. Not only would Jason Licht and co. have to buy the product but they would have to pay hefty fees and taxes on the purchase as well.

In the most commonly proposed trade scenario the Buccaneers would be sending the Steelers a first-round pick, a third-round pick, and a player (Chris Braswell). Now, that may seem like a small price to pay for a two-time defensive player of the year, however, that alone isn't what Tampa must consider. Watt will also be expecting a fresh new contract upon arrival— The reason he is holding out and 'available' in the first place. The money would certainly be a reward that he has earned, still, for Tampa Bay that would be the most expensive possible way to go about adding new talent.

While it is fun to think about, Jason Licht has shown that he places a high value on draft capital and young pieces. Giving up both assets (players and draft picks) and then cap space, while Tampa has their own contracts to work on, makes any move for Watt highly unlikely.

For more Bucs coverage check us out here:

@Will_Walsh_NFL(X)

@Bucs_Nation(X)

@Will_Walsh_NFL(YouTube)

Source: https://www.bucsnation.com/2025/6/2...r-t-j-watt-tampa-bay-bucs-steelers-pittsburgh
 
Can you guess this Bucs linebacker in today’s in-5 trivia game?

bn_social.0.png


Think you can figure out which Bucs player we’re talking about? You’ll get five clues to figure him out in our new guessing game!

We’re back for another day of the Bucs Nation in-5 daily trivia game. Game instructions are at the bottom if you’re new to the game! Feel free to share your results in the comments and feedback in this Google Form.

Today’s Bucs Nation in-5 game​


If you can’t see the game due to Apple News or another service, click this game article.

Previous games​


Friday, June 27, 2025
Thursday, June 26, 2025

Play more SB Nation in-5 trivia games​


NFL in-5
MLB in-5
MMA in-5

Bucs Nation in-5 instructions​


The goal of the game is to guess the Bucs player with the help of up to five clues. We’ll mix in BOTH ACTIVE AND RETIRED PLAYERS. It won’t be easy to figure it out in one or two guesses, but some of you might be able to nail it.

After you correctly guess the player, you can click “Share Results” to share how you did down in the comments and on social media. We won’t go into other details about the game as we’d like your feedback on it. How it plays, what you think of it, the difficulty level, and anything else you can think of that will help us improve this game. You can provide feedback in the comments of this article, or you can fill out this Google Form.

Enjoy!

Source: https://www.bucsnation.com/2025/6/28/24457708/sb-nation-buccaneers-daily-trivia-in-5
 
Can you guess this Bucs receiver in today’s in-5 trivia game?

bn_social.0.png


Think you can figure out which Bucs player we’re talking about? You’ll get five clues to figure him out in our new guessing game!

We’re back for another day of the Bucs Nation in-5 daily trivia game. Game instructions are at the bottom if you’re new to the game! Feel free to share your results in the comments and feedback in this Google Form.

Today’s Bucs Nation in-5 game​


If you can’t see the game due to Apple News or another service, click this game article.

Previous games​


Saturday, June 28, 2025
Friday, June 27, 2025

Play more SB Nation in-5 trivia games​


NFL in-5
MLB in-5
MMA in-5

Bucs Nation in-5 instructions​


The goal of the game is to guess the Bucs player with the help of up to five clues. We’ll mix in BOTH ACTIVE AND RETIRED PLAYERS. It won’t be easy to figure it out in one or two guesses, but some of you might be able to nail it.

After you correctly guess the player, you can click “Share Results” to share how you did down in the comments and on social media. We won’t go into other details about the game as we’d like your feedback on it. How it plays, what you think of it, the difficulty level, and anything else you can think of that will help us improve this game. You can provide feedback in the comments of this article, or you can fill out this Google Form.

Enjoy!

Source: https://www.bucsnation.com/2025/6/29/24458220/sb-nation-buccaneers-daily-trivia-in-5
 
Can you guess this Bucs lineman in today’s in-5 trivia game?

bn_social.0.png


Think you can figure out which Bucs player we’re talking about? You’ll get five clues to figure him out in our new guessing game!

We’re back for another day of the Bucs Nation in-5 daily trivia game. Game instructions are at the bottom if you’re new to the game! Feel free to share your results in the comments and feedback in this Google Form.

Today’s Bucs Nation in-5 game​


If you can’t see the game due to Apple News or another service, click this game article.

Previous games​


Thursday, June 26, 2025
Wednesday, June 25, 2025

Play more SB Nation in-5 trivia games​


NFL in-5
MLB in-5
MMA in-5

Bucs Nation in-5 instructions​


The goal of the game is to guess the Bucs player with the help of up to five clues. We’ll mix in BOTH ACTIVE AND RETIRED PLAYERS. It won’t be easy to figure it out in one or two guesses, but some of you might be able to nail it.

After you correctly guess the player, you can click “Share Results” to share how you did down in the comments and on social media. We won’t go into other details about the game as we’d like your feedback on it. How it plays, what you think of it, the difficulty level, and anything else you can think of that will help us improve this game. You can provide feedback in the comments of this article, or you can fill out this Google Form.

Enjoy!

Source: https://www.bucsnation.com/2025/6/27/24457001/sb-nation-buccaneers-daily-trivia-in-5
 
A brief moment of appreciation

NFL: Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Bruce Arians Press Conference

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The Tampa Bay Bucs are in the midst of unprecedented franchise success, but how did it start?

Heading into 2025, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have high expectations. The team is coming off of a 10-win season. In the offseason, Jason Licht and co. made sure to keep all the key cogs in position to counteract any sort of drop off. Tampa Bay kept all 11 of their starting offensive players while adding new additions to their defense— Ensuring 2025 was prepped for a step forward, rather than a regression to the mean.

Tampa Bay’s ‘mean’ has been pretty porous. While success in recent years has been plentiful, the Buccaneers are still the same organization that boasts an all-time record of 318-457-1 (The worst win percentage of any NFL franchise). The Buccaneers haven’t been flawless as of late, but the team has more than turned themselves around. It was not that long ago when the narrative of the Buccaneers being hopeless losers engulfed the entire franchise from top to bottom. Now, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have more Super Bowl titles than the rest of the NFC South combined, they currently have tied New Orleans’ record for most consecutive NFC South championships, and they are one of just two teams with a five-year postseason streak, a Super Bowl championship, and four straight division titles. The other team in that category? The Kansas City Chiefs. Yes, Tampa has certainly come a long way.

There have been more than few faces responsible for this change, however, a few do stand out. In no particular order or ranking, the conversation’s most obvious figure— Tom Brady. Brady choosing the Bucs as his free agent destination will go down as the greatest free agent signing in league history and likely the most impactful singular moment the franchise has ever had. Brady did not single-handedly turn the Buccaneers into winners, but he has not taken a snap for the team since 2022 and his fingerprints are still littered all over organization. Brady’s ability to lead a young talented team in the right direction on the field with this play and off it through his experience was nothing short of miraculous.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers v New York Giants
Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

Brady was not alone in his Florida conquest because there were multiple reasons the greatest quarterback of all-time would choose the Bucs. Coming from the New England Patriots and Bill Belichick, Brady was not going to leave the closing scenes of his football career in the hands of an inexperienced, unproven leader. At the time, Bruce Arians had not won a championship as a head coach, but he was a highly respected football mind, offensive play caller, and person inside football circles.

The Buccaneers had signed him, out of retirement, a year prior to try and fix their perennially up and down quarterback Jameis Winston. In Arians’ first season with the Buccaneers, Winston was as Winston as ever— Tossing 33 touchdowns and 30 interceptions. Following the season’s final game (which fittingly ended on a Jameis Winston pick-6), Arians was very candid about his team’s quarterback situation and expressed interest in moving off the former number one overall pick. That offseason, names like Phillip Rivers and Tom Brady were bantered about, but their was genuine doubt that the down-trodden Buccaneers would have the clout to pull off a signing of that caliber. Sure enough, the Buccaneers led by Bruce Arians were not the Buccaneers of old, Tampa Bay shocked every outlet of sports media by managing to pull off the impossible. The greatest quarterback of all-time became a Tampa Bay Buccaneer.

While Arians’ offensive prowess combined with the respect of his peers gave Tom Brady a certain comfortability in selecting Tampa Bay as his new home, Brady would still need to take the field against NFL defenses and in order to score points and win games he needed players around him who could carry their weight— Introducing the man who engineered all those pieces into one perfect Super Bowl puzzle, Jason Licht.

NFL: SEP 29 Buccaneers Work Out
Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Jason Licht has not been perfect as the general manager for the Tampa Bay buccaneers, however, any early bumps in the road he hit have been mostly forgotten if not completely erased by his performance in recent years. Licht stacked an incredibly young and highly talented team around the greatest quarterback and leader in the history of the sport and watched magic happen. The 2020 Tampa Bay Buccaneers went on to be crowned Super Bowl champions, but Licht’s work did not stop there. Following another postseason run the next season, Tom Brady would announce his retirement— Briefly. Tom’s retirement and then subsequent unretirement, led to Bruce Arians’ retirement, forcing Jason Licht to pivot quickly. The Buccaneers promoted Todd Bowles to head coach and while the 2022 Tampa Bay Buccaneers did not look like the 2020/2021 Tampa bay buccaneers the team was once again good enough to take home another division title and secure a home playoff game.

2022 was Tom Brady’s last season, officially— After his second retirement. This meant the Buccaneers had no face. A team that had Super Bowl aspirations for three consecutive seasons had lost its head coach, its quarterback, and a few star players to go along with them. Fans and media pundits alike spent the offseason hollering that Jason Licht should tank for a quarterback and fire his head coach. Rather than rebuild, Licht simply recalibrated. The Buccaneers’ GM scooped Baker Mayfield up off of the NFL scrapheap and stood by his head coach as the new faces of Buccaneer football. Heading into the 2023 NFL season, you could have searched far and wide and you would have had an extremely difficult time locating a believer in the Todd Bowles/Baker Mayfield-led Buccaneers.

In what was arguably a Comeback Player of the Year campaign, Baker Mayfield led the 2023 Tampa Bay Bucs to another division title (Bowles’ second), keeping their reign of dominance over the NFC South intact. The Buccaneers hosted and won a home playoff game and Jason Licht watched the national media’s punching bag become his franchise quarterback.

Chicago Bears v Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

Two years later, Baker Mayfield has done nothing but continue to grow— He is viewed by most as a consensus top-10 quarterback. Todd Bowles’ teams have had better records each year he’s been Tampa’s head coach and he has won the NFC South every year he’s coached in it. The Buccaneers have been one of the most consistent teams in the National Football League. Just six short years ago, that was anything but the case. Credit and appreciation needs to be given to the men, on the field and off of it, who oversaw one of the most substantial turnarounds a franchise has undergone in recent memory. Brady, Arians, and Licht are not a trio that should be given credit in insolation, however, the three of them and their impact will forever be the fulcrum towards the modern day success of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

For more Bucs coverage check us out here:

@Will_Walsh_NFL(X)

@Bucs_Nation(X)

@Will_Walsh_NFL(YouTube)

Source: https://www.bucsnation.com/2025/6/3...-arians-todd-bowles-tampa-bay-bucs-buccaneers
 
Back
Top