Bucky Irving rushed for 106 yards and two touchdowns, Calijah Kancey returned a fumble 32 yards for a touchdown and the visiting Tampa Bay Buccaneers blasted the mistake-prone Carolina Panthers 43-13 on Sunday afternoon at Charlotte.
The Buccaneers won the opening coin toss and elected to receive, immediately establishing their commitment to the running game. Tampa Bay leaned heavily on Bucky Irving, grinding out a 14-play, seven-minute touchdown drive.
The Buccaneers scored their biggest win of the season (both literally and figuratively) against the Panthers and there are plenty of performances to talk about on all sides of the ball.
Baker Mayfield is back for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The quarterback is active Sunday at Bank of America Stadium after missing three games with a dislocated right thumb, and he’ll play in a glove the Rays helped build.
A few trades have rearranged the NFL's backup quarterback ranks, but the dust has mostly settled. From a mix of recent first-round disappointments, aging vets, and young project types, here is how the league's QB2 ranks look for the 2026 season.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have had far from the start to the season they wanted. They're currently just 1-5 and hold the worst record in the NFC, and another loss to the NFC South-leading Carolina Panthers on Sunday would almost certainly spell doom for the team's playoff hopes.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers face a grim outlook for the rest of the season if they fall to 1-6 on the year. They can prevent that by defeating the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, but it won't be easy to win their first division matchup.
Baker Mayfield heads into Bank of America Stadium on Sunday wearing a protective glove on his throwing hand, one the Rays helped build, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers need him to steady an offense that sputtered without him.
Bank of America Stadium gets a division game Sunday, and the Carolina Panthers walk in as the NFC South leaders at 3-2, a run that includes a 34-3 rout of the Falcons in Atlanta.
The 2026 season has not gone the way that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had hoped. They have limped to a 1-6 record and there are no real signs that they might turn things around.
NFL stars can't play forever, and retirement is coming sooner than later for some of the league's top players. These 25 players could call it quits following the 2026 season.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers travel to North Carolina for a crucial NFC South showdown against the Carolina Panthers. After a disappointing start, Tampa Bay needs sharper execution, more aggressive coaching and four quarters of complementary football.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are adding linebacker depth ahead of Sunday’s matchup against the Carolina Panthers. Two days after placing Christian Rozeboom on injured reserve, Tampa Bay elevated Caden Fordham from its practice squad.
Bucs QB Baker Mayfield said his thumb feels good, and he’s excited to return to the field. “Feel good, just improving,” Mayfield said, via PFT. “Never really missed time because of injury.
Buccaneers' star quarterback Baker Mayfield has received some help from an unexpected source. According to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, the Tampa
Tampa Bay finally got after the quarterback in Week 6, sacking Aaron Rodgers five times, and still lost in overtime to the Steelers. Before that game, the Buccaneers had six sacks through five weeks, and they sit at 1-5 with an edge group that still hasn’t settled.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers entered the season expecting their offense to be a major strength. Instead, Tampa Bay has struggled to produce consistent, efficient football as the season reaches a critical stretch.
Kenneth Gainwell signed with Tampa Bay to be the passing-down piece in a backfield built around Bucky Irving. Six games in, Irving has taken those snaps, too, which makes Gainwell one of the more practical names on The Athletic’s Daniel Popper’s trade deadline big board.
The NFL has acknowledged a significant officiating error from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Week 5 matchup against Dallas. Defensive lineman Calijah Kancey was penalized for illegal hands to the face, despite the Cowboys committing the infraction.
The Bucs’ offensive struggles go beyond execution. Offensive coordinator Zac Robinson has struggled to build a game plan that keeps defenses guessing, and Tampa Bay’s lack of success on opening drives has become increasingly concerning.
The Bucs will be without three important players for their upcoming road game against the Panthers on Sunday. Wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, right tackle Luke Goedeke and safety Antoine Winfield are all out, while quarterback Baker Mayfield makes his return for the first time in Week 3.