BuccaneersFan.com • Player Spotlight • Tampa Bay No. 15
Official team portrait: Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Wide receiver • Punt returner • Second NFL season
From Pinson to Tampa Bay
Tez Johnson
- Born
- May 18, 2002
- Hometown
- Pinson, Alabama
- Listed size
- 5 feet 10 inches • 165 pounds
- High school
- Pinson Valley • Pinson, Alabama
- College
- Troy, 2020–2022 • Oregon, 2023–2024
- Studies
- Communications at Oregon
- NFL entry
- 2025 Draft • Round 7 • Pick 235
- Current role
- Buccaneers receiver • First on the punt-return depth chart, November 3, 2026
Sources: Troy biography and birth date, Oregon career biography, current team profile and listed measurements, draft announcement and the Buccaneers depth chart.
See the NFL career tables, Big Ten Championship feature and five college seasons for sources and scope.
Tez Johnson arrived in Tampa Bay after three seasons at Troy and two at Oregon. He left the Ducks with the program’s two highest season reception totals at the time: 86 in 2023 and 83 in 2024. Oregon’s account of his college career.
That background gives the Krewe plenty to follow: a receiver with a long college record, a returner with room to change field position, and a young Buccaneer building his own collection of NFL moments.
Pinson → Troy → Eugene → Tampa Bay
The places and people along the way
Pinson Valley A connection that carried into college.
Johnson played at Pinson Valley High School in Alabama, where he helped win a state championship as a junior and caught passes from Bo Nix. Troy’s high-school biography.
At 15, he moved in with the Nix family. He and Bo consider each other brothers, and they later reunited as teammates at Oregon. The team’s account of that bond.
Troy and Oregon Five seasons of production.
His three Troy seasons produced 141 catches for 1,809 yards and eight receiving touchdowns. At Oregon, he added 169 catches, 2,080 yards and 20 receiving touchdowns. The annual college record keeps each school and season visible.
In 2024, he earned second-team All-Big Ten honors and the conference championship game’s MVP award. Oregon’s honors record.
Tampa Bay, 2025 A seventh-round opportunity.
The Buccaneers selected Johnson with the 235th overall pick on April 26, 2025. The official selection announcement.
He played in 16 games with eight starts as a rookie, finishing with 28 receptions for 322 yards and five touchdowns. His completed 2025 statistical record.
October 12, 2025 • San Francisco at Tampa Bay
Forty-five yards to his first NFL touchdown
First regular-season NFL touchdown
45
YARDS TO THE END ZONE
A third-quarter pass from Baker Mayfield.
A new milestone for Tampa Bay’s No. 15.
TAMPA BAY 30 • SAN FRANCISCO 19
Johnson’s first NFL touchdown came on a 45-yard catch from Baker Mayfield in the third quarter of the Buccaneers’ victory over San Francisco. The team’s report on the milestone.
Another rookie milestone
On November 9, 2025, he caught four passes for 42 yards and two touchdowns against New England. Tampa Bay lost 28–23, but Johnson supplied two of its three touchdowns. The Patriots game recap.
December 7, 2024 • Big Ten Championship • Indianapolis
A championship night built on 181 receiving yards
Big Ten Championship Game MVP
181
RECEIVING YARDS
11 receptions • 1 touchdown
Oregon 45 • Penn State 37
Johnson caught 11 passes for 181 yards and a touchdown as Oregon defeated Penn State 45–37 for the Big Ten title. His 48-yard touchdown in the third quarter extended the Ducks’ lead to 38–24. Oregon’s championship recap.
He became the first wide receiver to earn the game’s MVP award, and his 181 receiving yards established a championship-game record. The university’s record of his performance.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers • 2025–2026
The NFL record through Week 8 of 2026
Cutoff: November 1, 2026, after Week 8. Johnson has 24 NFL regular-season appearances and 11 starts: 16 games in 2025 and all eight completed games in 2026. Sources: Buccaneers career tables; 2026 media guide, printed p. 151; 2026 gamebooks linked below.
Receiving, appearances and starts
| Season | G | GS | REC | YDS | AVG | LNG | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 16 | 8 | 28 | 322 | 11.5 | 45 | 5 |
| 2026 (Wk 1–8) | 8 | 3 | 9 | 178 | 19.8 | 64 | 1 |
| NFL career | 24 | 11 | 37 | 500 | 13.5 | 64 | 6 |
G = games played; GS = starts; REC = receptions; ATT = rushing attempts; RET = returns; AVG = yards per opportunity; LNG = longest gain; TD = touchdowns. A dash means there were no opportunities for an average or long. Career averages use total yards divided by total opportunities; longest gains are maxima.
The career receiving average is 500 yards ÷ 37 receptions = 13.5. Season and career totals above are regular-season figures.
Sources: Buccaneers career tables; 2026 media guide, printed p. 151; 2026 gamebooks linked below.
Rushing
| Season | ATT | YDS | AVG | LNG | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 7 | 22 | 3.1 | 6 | 0 |
| 2026 (Wk 1–8) | 3 | 20 | 6.7 | 14 | 0 |
| NFL career | 10 | 42 | 4.2 | 14 | 0 |
Rushing is counted separately from receiving and returns. Johnson has 10 carries for 42 yards across his two NFL seasons.
Sources: Buccaneers career tables; 2026 media guide, printed p. 151; 2026 gamebooks linked below.
Punt returns
| Season | RET | YDS | AVG | LNG | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 |
| 2026 (Wk 1–8) | 13 | 135 | 10.4 | 22 | 0 |
| NFL career | 13 | 135 | 10.4 | 22 | 0 |
Johnson has 13 punt returns for 135 yards through Week 8 of 2026. His ten fair catches are not counted as returns. He had no punt returns in 2025.
Sources: Buccaneers career tables; 2026 media guide, printed p. 151; 2026 gamebooks linked below.
Kickoff returns
| Season | RET | YDS | AVG | LNG | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 |
| 2026 (Wk 1–8) | 1 | 25 | 25.0 | 25 | 0 |
| NFL career | 1 | 25 | 25.0 | 25 | 0 |
His one NFL kickoff return through this cutoff gained 25 yards against Pittsburgh in Week 6 of 2026.
Sources: Buccaneers career tables; 2026 media guide, printed p. 151; 2026 gamebooks linked below.
NFL postseason: no playoff appearance through this cutoff. Johnson entered the league in 2025, and Tampa Bay did not qualify for that season’s playoffs. The 2026 postseason has not yet occurred. Source: the Buccaneers’ 2025 season review.
September 13–November 1, 2026 • Eight appearances
This season, game by game
On October 25 at Carolina, Johnson played a season-high 41 offensive snaps and contributed a 19-yard catch, a 14-yard touchdown reception and a 14-yard run. It was a productive afternoon in Tampa Bay’s 43–13 win. The team’s review of his expanded role.
Offense and participation
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | GS | REC | Rec YDS | Rec TD | ATT | Rush YDS | OFF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2026-09-13 | @ CIN | L 27–33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -4 | 13 |
| 2 | 2026-09-20 | vs. CLE | L 19–23 | 0 | 1 | 49 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 |
| 3 | 2026-09-27 | vs. MIN | L 16–23 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 |
| 4 | 2026-10-04 | vs. GB | L 14–17 | 0 | 2 | 17 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 35 |
| 5 | 2026-10-08 | @ DAL | W 24–16 | 1 | 1 | 64 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 |
| 6 | 2026-10-18 | vs. PIT | L 19–26 (OT) | 0 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 |
| 7 | 2026-10-25 | @ CAR | W 43–13 | 1 | 2 | 33 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 41 |
| 8 | 2026-11-01 | vs. ATL | W 16–0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 |
| Total | 8 games | — | — | 3 | 9 | 178 | 1 | 3 | 20 | 202 |
GS = start (1) or reserve appearance (0); REC/Rec YDS/Rec TD = receiving; ATT/Rush YDS = rushing; OFF = offensive snaps. Every row is an actual appearance. The 64-yard catch at Dallas was his career long through this cutoff. No rushing touchdown is recorded in these eight games.
Returns and special-teams snaps
| Week | Opponent | PR | PR YDS | KR | KR YDS | ST |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | @ CIN | 1 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2 | vs. CLE | 2 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 3 | vs. MIN | 3 | 40 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| 4 | vs. GB | 1 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 5 | @ DAL | 1 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 6 | vs. PIT | 2 | 13 | 1 | 25 | 6 |
| 7 | @ CAR | 1 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 8 | vs. ATL | 2 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Total | 8 games | 13 | 135 | 1 | 25 | 33 |
PR/PR YDS = punt returns and yardage; KR/KR YDS = kickoff returns and yardage; ST = special-teams snaps. No return touchdown is recorded in these games. Fair catches are excluded from return counts.
vs. = home; @ = away; OT = overtime. Results are from Tampa Bay’s perspective. Opponents: CIN = Cincinnati; CLE = Cleveland; MIN = Minnesota; GB = Green Bay; DAL = Dallas; PIT = Pittsburgh; CAR = Carolina; ATL = Atlanta. The gamebooks label playtime counts unofficial. These eight games are already included in the 2026 season tables.
Official gamebooks: Week 1: statistics / snaps; Week 2: statistics / snaps; Week 3: statistics / snaps; Week 4: statistics / snaps; Week 5: statistics / snaps; Week 6: statistics / snaps; Week 7: statistics / snaps; Week 8: statistics / snaps.
Troy Trojans • Oregon Ducks • 2020–2024
The complete college record
Johnson appeared in 62 college games: 36 at Troy and 26 at Oregon. These are complete season totals, including conference championship and bowl games. Receiving, rushing and returns have separate tables.
Receiving and participation
| Season | G | REC | YDS | AVG | LNG | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 · Troy | 11 | 18 | 211 | 11.7 | 58 | 0 |
| 2021 · Troy | 12 | 67 | 735 | 11.0 | 64 | 4 |
| 2022 · Troy | 13 | 56 | 863 | 15.4 | 74 | 4 |
| 2023 · Oregon | 14 | 86 | 1,182 | 13.7 | 77 | 10 |
| 2024 · Oregon | 12 | 83 | 898 | 10.8 | 52 | 10 |
| College career | 62 | 310 | 3,889 | 12.5 | 77 | 28 |
School receiving totals: Troy — 141 catches, 1,809 yards, eight touchdowns; Oregon — 169 catches, 2,080 yards, 20 touchdowns. The combined receiving touchdown total is 28. Adding his one rushing TD and one punt-return TD gives 30 touchdowns scored across all categories.
Original university season records: 2020 · Troy (PDF p. 2), 2021 · Troy (PDF p. 2), 2022 · Troy (PDF p. 2), 2023 · Oregon (PDF p. 2), 2024 · Oregon (PDF p. 2).
Rushing
| Season | ATT | YDS | AVG | LNG | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 · Troy | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 5 | 0 |
| 2021 · Troy | 2 | 35 | 17.5 | 31 | 1 |
| 2022 · Troy | 5 | 11 | 2.2 | 11 | 0 |
| 2023 · Oregon | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 |
| 2024 · Oregon | 1 | -1 | -1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| College career | 9 | 50 | 5.6 | 31 | 1 |
School rushing totals: Troy — eight carries for 51 yards and one touchdown; Oregon — one carry for −1 yard. Oregon’s 2024 record prints a long of zero for that carry; this table preserves the original statistic. Separately, his college passing record was one completion in four attempts for seven yards, one touchdown pass and one interception. Passing is not added to receiving or rushing.
Original university season records: 2020 · Troy (PDF p. 2), 2021 · Troy (PDF p. 2), 2022 · Troy (PDF p. 2), 2023 · Oregon (PDF p. 2), 2024 · Oregon (PDF p. 2).
Punt returns
| Season | RET | YDS | AVG | LNG | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 · Troy | 9 | 42 | 4.7 | 18 | 0 |
| 2021 · Troy | 8 | 63 | 7.9 | 16 | 0 |
| 2022 · Troy | 6 | 69 | 11.5 | 28 | 0 |
| 2023 · Oregon | 20 | 190 | 9.5 | 47 | 0 |
| 2024 · Oregon | 13 | 155 | 11.9 | 85 | 1 |
| College career | 56 | 519 | 9.3 | 85 | 1 |
School punt-return totals: Troy — 23 returns for 174 yards; Oregon — 33 returns for 345 yards and one touchdown. The 2024 Oregon season total follows the original university record: 13 returns for 155 yards, including an 85-yard touchdown return.
Original university season records: 2020 · Troy (PDF p. 2), 2021 · Troy (PDF p. 2), 2022 · Troy (PDF p. 2), 2023 · Oregon (PDF p. 2), 2024 · Oregon (PDF p. 2).
Kickoff returns
| Season | RET | YDS | AVG | LNG | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 · Troy | 1 | 12 | 12.0 | 12 | 0 |
| 2021 · Troy | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 |
| 2022 · Troy | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 |
| 2023 · Oregon | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 · Oregon | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 |
| College career | 2 | 12 | 6.0 | 12 | 0 |
Johnson recorded one kickoff return at each school: 12 yards at Troy in 2020 and zero yards at Oregon in 2023. The zero-yard return is an actual opportunity, so its average and long are shown as zero.
Original university season records: 2020 · Troy (PDF p. 2), 2021 · Troy (PDF p. 2), 2022 · Troy (PDF p. 2), 2023 · Oregon (PDF p. 2), 2024 · Oregon (PDF p. 2).
Cure Bowl • Fiesta Bowl • Rose Bowl
Three bowl appearances, included in the college totals
| Date | School / Bowl | Opponent | Result | REC | YDS | AVG | LNG | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-12-16 | Troy / Cure Bowl | UTSA | W 18–12 | 4 | 40 | 10.0 | 14 | 0 |
| 2024-01-01 | Oregon / Fiesta Bowl | Liberty | W 45–6 | 11 | 172 | 15.6 | 40 | 1 |
| 2025-01-01 | Oregon / Rose Bowl · CFP quarterfinal | Ohio State | L 21–41 | 5 | 32 | 6.4 | 12 | 0 |
| Bowl total | 3 appearances | — | — | 20 | 244 | 12.2 | 40 | 1 |
These figures are already included in the annual college tables. The Fiesta Bowl belongs to the 2023 season; the Rose Bowl CFP quarterfinal belongs to the 2024 season, despite their January dates. Bowl rushing and returns: one punt return for zero yards in the Cure Bowl; one punt return for 12 yards in the Fiesta Bowl; one carry for −1 yard in the Rose Bowl. He also attempted one incomplete pass in the Cure Bowl. Results are from Johnson’s team’s perspective; UTSA = University of Texas at San Antonio.
Original box scores: Cure Bowl (2022-12-16); Fiesta Bowl (2024-01-01); Rose Bowl · CFP quarterfinal (2025-01-01).
Beyond the playing statistics
Studies and a welcome to the Tampa Bay community
The student behind the jersey
Johnson studied communications at Oregon, according to his Buccaneers biography. His college chapter spans Troy and Oregon, with a move from Alabama to the Pacific Northwest before his professional opportunity in Tampa Bay. The team biography; his university career record.
Supporting local children
On August 24, 2025, Johnson joined teammates at Baker and Emily Mayfield’s Be the Ball fundraiser at Topgolf Tampa. The event supported organizations serving young people in the Tampa Bay area. The Buccaneers’ dated event report.
It was an early opportunity for the rookie to take part in his new community alongside the people sharing his NFL journey.
Sources & statistical notes
The records behind the spotlight
- Biography: Troy’s roster biography supplies the birth date and high-school background; Oregon’s biography documents the college career. Current measurements, role and NFL entry are linked to Buccaneers records above.
- NFL statistics: Buccaneers career tables; 2026 media guide, printed p. 151; 2026 gamebooks linked below. Each 2026 game’s individual-statistics and snap-count pages are linked above.
- College statistics: five original university season records and three bowl box scores, linked beneath the tables. Receiving touchdowns total 28; the rushing and punt-return touchdowns are additional. Averages are calculated from total yards and opportunities, and the longest gain is the maximum.
- Milestones: official Buccaneers reporting on the October 12, 2025 touchdown and October 25, 2026 Carolina game; Oregon’s championship recap and player biography for the 2024 MVP performance.
- Studies and community: the Buccaneers biography identifies communications as his field of study; the August 25, 2025 event report documents his attendance at Be the Ball.
- Portrait: the image supplied on Johnson’s current official Tampa Bay Buccaneers profile.
Updated November 3, 2026. NFL regular-season figures stop after November 1, 2026, Week 8; preseason statistics are excluded. College totals include conference championship and bowl games. Historical records and honors are described in their original season context.