Buccaneers Recognized as Super Bowl LX Contenders

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are entering the 2025 season with considerable praise. Sports Illustrated has named them among the 12 teams with a real chance of winning the Lombardi in February, and Pro Football Network has placed six of their stars on its list of the 100 best players in the NFL this year. And the Buccaneers are contenders to win the Super Bowl.

This double recognition cements Tampa Bay as more than just a surprise: the Bucs are no longer the NFC South’s “dark horse,” but a true NFL powerhouse.

Six Buccaneers among the top 100 players of 2025

Pro Football Network highlighted Antoine Winfield Jr. (56), Mike Evans (54), Lavonte David (48), Baker Mayfield (46), Yaya Diaby (44) and Tristan Wirfs (29) in its ranking of the league’s best players.

• Top-ranked Tristan Wirfs was hailed as “the NFL’s most valuable offensive lineman” after finishing 2024 without allowing a single sack and with the second-lowest pressure rate among all tackles with 200-plus pass snaps.
• Yaya Diaby , despite having fewer sacks than in 2023, led the Bucs in pressures (57) and added 13 tackles for loss or no gain.
• Baker Mayfield , meanwhile, continues to demonstrate that his performance is among the most efficient in the league, while Mike Evans continues to make his mark as one of the most consistent receivers of his generation.

With this core of talent, Tampa Bay is not only aiming to repeat as division champion, but also has the potential to aspire to more.

Sports Illustrated sees them among the 12 favorites for the title

In its traditional summer analysis, Sports Illustrated narrowed the list of Super Bowl LX contenders to just 12 teams. Tampa Bay appears alongside giants like the Chiefs, Eagles, 49ers, Bills, and Ravens.

The media highlighted:

• Todd Bowles’ clear vision for building a multi-pronged attack that complements an elite defense.
• The depth of the roster , with underrated talent beyond the big names like Evans and Godwin.
• The additions in the secondary , which will allow Bowles to deploy more aggressive pass-rush schemes without neglecting coverage.

The Bucs arrive with four consecutive NFC South titles and after having a historic season in 2024: they were the first team in NFL history to complete at least 70% of their passes and average 5.0 yards per carry in the same season.

From “underdogs” to feared team

Just a couple of years ago, Tampa Bay was considered a rebuilding team after the departure of Tom Brady. Today, they’ve become one of the most complete rosters in the league , both in terms of veteran talent and the development of young talent.

The combination of a top-three defense, an efficient offense, and a winning culture under Bowles means that, for the first time since 2021, the Buccaneers enter the season not as a surprise, but as a serious Super Bowl contender.