Buccaneers Still Doubted By 'Haters' With Brutal 2025 Prediction

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Adam Schultz | Last updated May 16, 2025 10:08 AM ET

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers already have enough bulletin board material for their 2025 season, and a host of publications are doubting their potential this upcoming year.

And we've just got another.

Despite the Buccaneers coming off yet another playoff season in 2024, Baker Mayfield playing the best season of his career (4,500 yards, 41 touchdowns) and the additions of Emeka Egbuka and Haason Reddick, some still aren't sold on Todd Bowles' team.

In fact, some have them finishing third in the division, like Gilbert Manzano, who has the franchise with an 8-9 record in 2025. Yikes.

"It’s probably not wise to doubt the Buccaneers, who have won four consecutive NFC South titles," he writes. "However, Baker Mayfield, who will be without former offensive coordinator Liam Coen, has a tough slate, including road matchups against the Texans, Lions, Bills and Rams. The Buccaneers can prove they’re still the team to beat in the division by knocking off the Falcons at home in Week 1."

Granted, this is purely subjective and based on what we "think" might happen, but an 8-9 record with the Buccaneers' schedule we think is a little thin.

But Manzano also has the Atlanta Falcons (8-9) and the Carolina Panthers (10-7) ahead of Tampa Bay.

And if you're a Bucs fan? You wonder why the "haters'' think as they do.

If the Buccaneers needed any more bulletin board material to begin training camp with, they just got it with a third-place finish and their worst record since 2022.

The Buccaneers, for most, are one of the teams that can challenge in the NFC, but not for Manzano, who has Tampa failing spectacularly after having lofty expectations entering the year.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: