2024 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Season 49 Brief
Our 2024 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season is the franchise's 49th in the National Football League, the 27th season playing home games at Raymond James Stadium and third season under the coaching leadership of head coach Todd Bowles. The Buccaneers enter the season as the three-time defending National Football Conference South champions.
2023 Stats Brief VS. OPPONENTS
286. TOTAL FIRST DOWNS TOTAL 1ST DOWNS.
71 182 33. 1ST DOWNS Rushing Passing By Penalty.
92 / 220. THIRD DOWN CONVERSIONS 3RD DOWN CONVERSIONS.
12 / 18. FOURTH DOWN CONVERSIONS 4TH DOWN CONVERSIONS.
5093. TOTAL OFFENSIVE YARDS.
983 5.2. OFFENSE Plays Average Yards.
1396. TOTAL RUSHING YARDS.
410 3.4.
2024 Draft Notes
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were the team no one saw coming in 2023. Expectations were exceeded as Baker Mayfield led the franchise to a NFC South division title, and a playoff win. They now head into the off-season hoping to build on that success with additions through the draft. With what could be some big time veteran departures, they will need to maximize every pick..
- Round 1 - Selection 26: T Graham Barton, Duke.
- Round 2 - Selection 57: EDGE Chris Braswell, Alabama
- Round 3 - Selection 89: S Tykee Smith, Georgia
- Round 3 - Selection 92: WR Jalen McMillian, Washington
- Round 4 - Selection 125: RB Bucky Irving, Oregon
- Round 6 - Selection 220: G Elijah Klien, UTEP
- Round 7 - Selection 246: TE Devin Culp, Washington
- Notes:
- Barton — Tampa Bay is set at tackle with Tristan Wirfs and Luke Goedeke, so Barton is sure to play inside. He has experience at center and enough athleticism to play anywhere up front. Barton earned an 88.7 overall PFF grade across the last two seasons, which stands as the fifth-best among all FBS tackles in that span.
- Braswell — The Buccaneers pick up a consistent power-based outside linebacker in Chris Braswell. He isn’t as explosive as his Alabama teammate Dallas Turner, but he led the SEC in pressures in 2023 and provides a solid anchor on the edge in the run game. He is likely to be an immediate starter for the Buccaneers.
- Smith — The second Georgia safety to come off the board, Smith is the perfect player to stack the box and add aggressiveness to a defense. Smith will have no problem setting the edge in the run game and graded well in the SEC, earning the third-best run-defense grade among safeties (84.0). He lacks the long speed to be a deep coverage player but has a role in the Buccaneers' secondary.
- McMillan — McMillan is the 15th receiver off the board and finds himself in a great situation in Tampa Bay. A weapon out of the slot, he recorded 14 touchdowns since 2022, most among Power Five receivers. In an offense with big-time playmakers, McMillan was prioritized in Washington. A nuanced route runner, he’ll need to lean into that strength, as he doesn’t have the top-end speed to take the top off defenses
- Irving — The Buccaneers add one of the toughest running backs to tackle in this draft, as Irving forced 136 missed tackles over the past two seasons to rank second among Power Five running backs. His 96.1 PFF rushing grade in that span also ranks second.
- Klein — Klein wasn’t on the PFF big board or consensus board, but he did post some impressive numbers as a pass blocker in his final season at UTEP. He earned a 93.5 PFF pass-blocking grade in 2023, allowing just three total pressures from 372 pass-blocking snaps.
- Culp — Culp was limited as a receiver, catching 16 passes for 208 yards on 23 targets. He was solid as a run blocker, though, earning a 73.2 PFF run-blocking grade in 2023.
2024 SEASON Gameday Notes
Week 1: Home vs. Washington Commanders
The Buccaneers won on opening day for the fourth consecutive season, the longest such streak in franchise history . Baker Mayfield threw for 289 yards and four touchdown passes as Tampa Bay defeated Washington 37–20. Mike Evans caught two of the touchdown passes, while rookie Jalen McMillan caught his first touchdown in his first career NFL game. Washington rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels led all rushers on the day with 88 yards and two touchdowns, but the Buccaneers defense for the most part stymied the Commanders offense throughout the game, the Buccaneers started off the season 1-0.
Week 2: Away vs. Detroit Lions
Tampa Bay visited Detroit in a rematch of the previous season's Divisional round playoff game. Quarterback Baker Mayfield threw a 41-yard touchdown pass to Chris Godwin in the first half. Mayfield then scored on an 11-yard designed quarterback run in the third quarter. The Buccaneers defeated the Lions 20–16, and started the season 2-0 for the fourth consecutive season. Aidan Hutchinson compiled 41⁄2 sacks for the Lions, and Mayfield threw one interception. But miscues by the Lions ruined their chances to win. With less than 10 seconds left and counting in the first half, the Lions were trying to spike the ball to set up a field goal attempt. However, the kicking unit had come out onto the field prematurely, and the Lions were penalized for too many men on the field. The drive came up empty. During the fourth quarter, Detroit was in Tampa Bay territory three times, but all three drives failed to produce any points.
Week 3: Home vs. Denver Broncos
Just when the Buccaneers felt like they were finally getting the respect they deserved, they fell flat on their face in a home game they needed to win. Tampa Bay picked up their first loss of the season, falling to 2-1. There’s no question that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — coming off two very impressive victories to start the season — were expected to dominate the struggling Denver Broncos. Were the Buccaneers beat up coming into this game? Yes, very much so. But as they proved in Week 2 vs. the powerhouse Detroit Lions, the Bucs have more depth than most people gave them credit for coming into the year.
Week 4: Away vs. Philadelphia Eagles
The Buccaneers dominated the Eagles 33-16 in Week Four. The Buccaneers dominated the Eagles in a 33-16 rousing victory in Week Four and advance to a 3-1 record. Baker Mayfield completed 30-of-47 attempts for 347 yards and two touchdowns for a 100.2 quarterback rating.
X-Factor of the game was Tom Brady Returns (In the Booth). Brady will be a special gameday commentator for this clash. After retiring from his illustrious playing career, Brady was set to add his expert insight to the broadcast. His knowledge of the game, especially having led the Bucs to a Super Bowl victory, added a new personalized dynamic to the gameday commentary, giving us BUCS fans a unique perspective on the team's strategies. The battle proved Tampa Bay is still among the elite teams in the NFC. Thank you GOAT, for providing your creative swag. Let’s get ready for another exciting NFL showdown next week GO BUCS!
Week 5: Away vs. Atlanta Falcons
As a Buccaneers fan, this Thursday Night Football game was a disappointment. The defense struggled to contain the Falcons' offense, allowing key drives that cost us points. Baker Mayfield's passing lacked consistency, and the offensive line couldn't protect him from pressure. Missed tackles and penalties further added to the frustration, while the lack of a strong running game made it tough to control the clock. This was a game we should have won, but the team fell short in critical moments, leaving a sour taste heading into the weekend.
Week 6: Away vs. New Orleans Saints
Tampa Bay faced rival New Orleans, just three days after Hurricane Milton made landfall just south of the Tampa Bay area. The team evacuated their headquarters in Tampa on Tuesday, and spent most of the week in New Orleans. They practiced at Tulane in preparations for the game. With Saints quarterback Derek Carr out with an oblique injury, rookie Spencer Rattler would make his first career NFL start for New Orleans.
The Buccaneers jumped out to a 17–0 lead in the first quarter. However, the Saints stormed into the lead scoring 20 unanswered points. After three interceptions and a punt return touchdown, the Saints took a 27–24 lead into halftime. After the wild first half, Tampa Bay took over the game in the second half. The Buccaneers pulled away for a 51–27 victory, shutting out the Saints in the second half. Spencer Rattler was intercepted twice, and Baker Mayfield rebounded to finish with 325 yards and 4 touchdown passes.
Tampa Bay racked up a franchise record 594 net offensive yards, and their 51 points was the second-highest total in team history. The Buccaneers became the fifth team in NFL history to achieve 300+ yards passing and 275+ yards rushing in the same game. After the game, the players dedicated their performance to "everyone back home" recovering from the storm.
Week 7: Home vs. Baltimore Ravens
On the opening drive, Mike Evans caught a 25-yard touchdown pass from Baker Mayfield. As a result, Evans became the 11th player in NFL history with 100 career touchdown receptions. Evans, however, left the game early in the second quarter with a hamstring injury.
Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson threw five touchdown passes, as the Ravens defeated the Buccaneers 41–31. Down by 10 points in the final minute, wide receiver Chris Godwin was lost for the season, after suffering a dislocated ankle.
Week 8: Home vs. Atlanta Falcons
Quarterback Baker Mayfield threw two interceptions, and a fumble on the opening drive by Rachaad White cost Tampa Bay dearly, as they fell to Atlanta 31–26. The Falcon swept the season series, and took over sole possession of first place in the NFC South. With 6 seconds left in regulation, Mayfield's hail mary pass to the endzone was caught by Rakim Jarrett - but out of bounds - as time expired.
Week 9: Away vs. Kansas City Chiefs
In a rematch of Super Bowl LV, Tampa Bay faced Kansas City on Monday Night Football. Quarterback Baker Mayfield found Ryan Miller for a 1-yard touchdown pass with 27 seconds left in regulation, instead of going for the Two-Point conversion coaching decided to tie the game at 24–24 with a field goal. The game went to overtime, and Kansas City won the toss with HEADS taking possesion and scoring a touchdown on their first possession winning 24-31.
Week 10: Home vs. San Francisco 49ers
Quarterback Baker Mayfield was held to just 116 yards passing, however, he drove the Buccaneers to a game-tying field goal with 41 seconds remaining in regulation. With the score tied 20–20, Jake Moody - who had missed three field goals on the day - kicked a 44-yard field goal as time expired. San Francisco won 23–20, and Tampa Bay lost their fourth straight.
Week 11: ***** BYE *****
Week 12: Away vs. New York Giants
After a bye week, Buccaneers traveled to the New York Giants. The Giants had released Daniel Jones during the week, and Tommy DeVito started for them at quarterback. The BUCS dominated the Giants, stretching out to a 30–0 lead after three quarters, and finished with a 30–7 victory. Baker Mayfield threw for 294 yards, and ran for a touchdown, as the Tampa Bay offense racked up 450 total yards. The Buccaneers defense sacked DeVito four times, forced one turnover (fumble), plus two turnovers on downs. The win snapped a four-game losing streak for Tampa Bay.
After missing three games with a hamstring injury, Mike Evans was back in the starting lineup. Evans caught 5 passes for 68 yards.
Week 13: Away vs. Carolina Panthers
Another nail-biter, after sending the game into overtime with a 51-yard field goal, Chase McLaughlin missed on a 55-yarder on the first possession of overtime. That'd give way to what seemed to be the game-winning drive for the Panthers and Young, who got down to the Buccaneer's 34-yard line.
But that would be where our dominating defensive linman Anthony Nelso ripped the ball away from running back Chuba Hubbard. The Buccaneers recovered the stripped fumble, sailed down the field for 59 yards and set up McLaughlin for the walk-off 30-yard field goal VICTORY!
Week 14: Home vs. Las Vegas Raiders
Battling for two wins after the bye week rest, the Buccaneers were tied in the NFC South with the Atlanta Falcons at 6–6, anchored in Victorys the BUCS were ready to battle against the 2–10 Raiders. Baker Mayfield threw two touchdown passes in the first quarter, the first to Jalen McMillan and the other to Rachaad White, setting up a 14–0 lead. Struggling in the second quarter, Mayfield turning over the ball three times (two interceptions and one lost fumble). The Raiders scored 10 unanswered points and threatened to take the lead at the start of the third quarter, when they put together an 18-play drive that took up over ten minutes, only to end in an Aidan O'Connell interception inside the red zone.
The BUCS held a 14–10 lead early in the fourth quarter. With 11:03 left in regulation play, facing a 3rd & 9 at their own 24 yard line, Mayfield and Mike Evans connected for a big play. Evans hurdled one defender, and dragged another down to the Las Vegas 44 for a gain of 32 yards. That drive was capped off by a Rachaad White 3-yard touchdown run, giving the BUCS a 11-point lead. The Raiders made it a one-possession game again after a 27-yard field goal, but Mayfield wiped away any hope for a Raiders comeback when he found Jalen McMillan who high-stepped untouched into the end zone on the first play after the two-minute warning. Mayfield threw for 295 yards and three touchdowns and was picked twice. White had 17 carries for 90 yards and a score. With Atlanta's loss at Minnesota, the Buccaneers took sole possession of first place in the NFC South at 7–6, one game clear of the Falcons.
Week 15: Away vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Tampa Bay overcame two turnovers in the second quarter, and routed the Chargers by the score of 40–17 to win their fourth straight game. Baker Mayfield threw for 288 yards and four touchdown passes. Mike Evans had 9 receptions for a season-high 159 yards, leaving him just 251 yards shy of his eleventh consecutive season with 1,000+ receiving yards. Evans scored two touchdowns, including a 57-yard catch-and-run early in the third quarter, which put the Buccaneers ahead - a lead which they would not surrender.
Rookie running back Bucky Irving had 15 carries for 117 yards rushing, his second-highest single-game total of the season. His 54-yarder in the third quarter was his second-longest of the season, and he ended the day just 148 yards shy of a 1,000-yard rushing season. Irving, Rachaad White, Sean Tucker, along two Mayfield scrambles, combined for 223 yards on the ground.
The Tampa Bay defense sacked Justin Herbert three times, and forced two turnovers including one interception. It was Herbert's first interception since Week 2 (snapping a streak of 357 pass attempts without throwing a pick). After leading 17–10 midway through the second quarter, the Chargers were shut out in the second half. Tampa Bay scored 30 unanswered points and cruised to victory. They maintained their one-game lead over the Falcons for first place in the NFC South.
Week 16: Away vs. Dallas Cowboys
Tampa Bay faced Dallas on Sunday Night Football. Dallas had been eliminated from playoff contention before kickoff when Washington beat Philadelphia earlier in the afternoon. Tampa Bay was attempting to win their fifth straight game and stay one game ahead of Atlanta in the NFC South, as the Falcons had won their game against the Giants earlier in the day.
Trailing 26–24, the Buccaneers got the ball back with 1:40 left in regulation. On 1st & 10 at the 26 yard line, Baker Mayfield was under pressure, and threw a shovel pass to Rachaad White. After a gain of 5 yards, White was tackled and stripped of the ball, which was then recovered by the Cowboys. Dallas took a knee to run off the clock and secured the victory. With the loss, Tampa Bay snapped their four-game winning streak, slipped to 8–7, and into a tie with Atlanta in the NFC South; the Falcons took over first place holding the head-to-head tiebreaker.
Mike Evans finished the day with 69 yards receiving, putting him just 182 yards shy of his eleventh consecutive 1,000+ yard season with two games remaining.
Week 17: Home vs. Carolina Panthers
Tampa Bay routed division rival Caroliona by the score of 48–14 to improve to 9–7, and stay in the hunt for a postseason berth. Baker Mayfield threw for 359 yards and five touchdown passes. Mike Evans had 8 receptions for 97 yards, and two touchdown passes. Evans improved to 915 receiving yards on the season, just 85 yards short of his eleventh consecutive 1,000+ yard season. Running back Bucky (DUCKY) Irving had his third game with 100+ yards rushing, and became the first Tampa Bay rookie with 1,000+ yards rushing since Doug Martin in 2012.
With 5:30 left in the third quarter, Carolina faced a 4th & 10 at their own 30 yard line. As the Panthers lined up for punt, a female mallard duck landed on the field, right next to return man Trey Palmer. Seconds later, Johnny Hekker's punt was blocked by Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, then scooped up by J. J. Russell who returned it 23 yards for a touchdown. The Panthers were held to just 204 offensive yards, and were shutout in the second half.
Later in the day on Sunday Night Football, Atlanta lost to Washington in overtime, elevating Tampa Bay into sole possession of first place in the NFC South.
Week 18: Home vs. New Orleans Saints
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers clinch their fourth straight NFC South title while putting Mike Evans over 1,000 yards receiving.
Mayfield’s 32-yard touchdown pass to Jalen McMillan for the go-ahead score and then scrambled 28 yards for a crucial first down on the next drive, leading the Buccaneers to a 27-19 victory over the New Orleans Saints.
The team didn’t take a knee to end the game, the call came to pass and Evans caught a 9-yard pass on the final play of the game to surpass 1,000 yards for the 11th straight season, tying Jerry Rice for the most in NFL history. After Mayfield’s long scramble on third-and-14 from the Tampa 12, the Buccaneers drove to the Saints 11. Mayfield looked for Evans but flipped the ball backward to Bucky Irving, who ran 11 yards for a TD that made it 27-19.
The Saints turned the ball over on downs and the Buccaneers got one more chance to get Evans the milestone. Mayfield tossed a short pass to Evans, who ran upfield for a 9-yard gain. He got up, spiked the ball and was mobbed by teammates in a wild celebration.
The Buccaneers trailed most of the game and were down 16-6 at halftime. They went ahead when Mayfield connected with McMillan for a score in the fourth quarter. McMillan was penalized 15 yards for an unsportsmanlike penalty after making a 33-yard catch that extended the drive on fourth-and-8. The rookie receiver signaled first down in a gesture that was interpreted as mimicking shooting a gun. That pushed the Buccaneers back from the 9 to the 24. But McMillan made up for it with a toe-tapping catch in the end zone for his seventh TD in the past five games.
NFC Playoffs
STAY TUNED for BuccaneersFan.com Playoff Brief by W.P. Rader.
| PRESEASON | ||||
| Date | Opponent | Week/Record | Outcome | |
| Saturday Aug. 10 |
|
@ Cincinnati Bengals
Paycor Stadium, Cincinnati, OH |
PS - WK 1 1-0 |
Won 17 - 14 |
| Saturday Aug. 17 |
|
@ Jacksonville Jaguars EverBank Stadium, Jacksonville, FL |
PS - WK 2 1-1 |
Loss 07 - 20 |
| Friday Aug. 23 |
|
Miami Dolphins Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL |
PS - WK 3 2-1 |
Won 24 - 14 |
2024 Season Results
|
||||
| Date | Opponent | Week/Record | Outcome | |
| Sunday Sept. 08 |
|
Washington Commanders Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay, FL |
RS - WK 1 1 - 0 |
Won 37 - 20 |
| Sunday Sept. 15 |
|
@ Detroit Lions Ford Field, Detroit, MI |
RS - WK 2 2 - 0 |
Won 20 - 16 |
| Sunday Sept. 22 |
|
Denver Boncos Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay, FL |
RS - WK 3
2 - 1 |
Loss 07 - 26 |
| Sunday Sept. 29 |
|
Philadelphia Eagles Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay, FL |
RS - WK 4 3 - 1 |
Won 33 - 16 |
| Thursday Oct. 03 |
|
@ Atlanta Falcons Mercedes-Benz, Atlanta, GA |
RS - WK 5 3 - 2 |
Loss 30 - 36 |
| Sunday Oct. 13 |
|
@ New Orleans Saints Ceasars Superdome, New Orleans, LA |
RS - WK 6 4 - 2 |
Won 51-27 |
| Monday Oct. 21 |
|
Baltimore Ravens - MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay, FL |
RS - WK 7 4 - 3 |
Loss 31-41 |
| Sunday Oct. 27 |
|
Atlanta Falcons Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay, FL |
RS - WK 8 4 - 4 |
Loss 26-31 |
| Monday Nov. 04 |
|
@ Kansas City Chiefs - MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL NRG Stadium, Houston, TX |
RS - WK 9 4 - 5 |
Loss 24-31 |
| Sunday Nov. 10 |
|
San Francisco 49ers Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay, FL |
RS - WK 10 4 - 6 |
Loss 20-23 |
| BYE | BYE | BYE | BYE | |
| Sunday Nov. 24 |
|
@ New York Giants MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ |
RS - WK 12 5 - 6 |
Won 30-07 |
| Sunday Dec. 1 |
|
@ Carolina Panthers Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC |
RS - WK 13 6 - 6 |
Won 26-23 |
| Sunday Dec. 08 |
|
Las Vegas Raiders Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL |
RS - WK 14 7 - 6 |
Won 28-13 |
| Sunday Dec. 15 |
|
@ Los Angeles Chargers SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA |
RS - WK 15 8 - 6 |
Won 40-17 |
| Sunday Dec. 22 |
|
@ Dallas Cowboys AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX |
RS - WK 16 8 - 7 |
Loss 24-26 |
| Sunday Dec. 29 |
|
Carolina Panthers Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL |
RS - WK 17 9 - 7 |
Won 48-14 |
| TBD Jan. 4/5 |
|
New Orleans Saints Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL |
RS - WK 18 10-7 |
Won 27-19 |
| PLAYOFFS | ||||
| Date | Opponent | NFC Playoffs | Outcome | |
| MONDAY Jan. 11/12/13 |
|
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay, FL |
NFC WILD-CARD 8:15 p.m. EST - ESPN |
WON 00-00 |
| MONDAY Jan. 18 |
|
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay, FL |
NFC DIVISIONAL 4:30 p.m. EST - TBA |
WON 00-00 |
| SUNDAY Jan. 19 |
|
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay, FL |
NFC DIVISIONAL
3:05 p.m. EST - TBA |
TBD 00-00 |
| Sunday Jan. 26 |
|
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay, FL |
NFC CHAMPIONSHIP
3:00 p.m. - FOX |
TBD 00-00 |
| Sunday Feb. 09 |
|
@ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, LA |
SUPER BOWL LIX
6:30 p.m. - FOX |
TBD 00-00 |
