Buccaneers Activating DT Calijah Kancey From IR

Kancey tore his pectoral muscle and underwent surgery to repair it in September. The original hope was for him to return for the playoffs, and that appears to be the case.  

Kancey, 24, was a two-year starter at Pittsburgh but was named to the freshman All-American team in 2020. He was a third-team All-American in 2021 and a unanimous first-team All-American in 2022, as well as the ACC defensive player of the year. 

The Buccaneers selected him with the No. 19 overall pick in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He signed a four-year, $15,493,213 contract that includes an $8,267,791 signing bonus and includes a fifth-year option for the 2027 season.

In 2025, Kancey appeared in two games for the Buccaneers and recorded one tackle.