Bucs’ Emeka Egbuka Wins NFL Offensive Rookie Of The Month

Emeka Egbuka's Fantastic Rookie Start With The Bucs

Egbuka has made highlight play after highlight play already this season. He started out with a bang during Tampa Bay's season opening 23-20 win over the Atlanta Falcons making four catches for 67 yards and two touchdown catches. His second touchdown put the Bucs ahead for good with under a minute to go in the game. He became just the second player since the 1970 merger to record a game-winning touchdown reception in the final minute of regulation in his first career game (Ernest Wilford, 2004), per the Bucs PR staff.

The rookie first round pick out of Ohio State continued his scoring prowess with another touchdown in Week 2 on Monday night football, another win for the Bucs. Battling a quad injury, he took a screen 15-yards to the house.

Arguably his biggest highlight reel play came in Week 3 in a win over the Jets when Emeka Egbuka made an incredible one-handed catch with cornerback Sauce Gardner in coverage. It was a play that made the crowd go insnae when he caught it. Not to be outdone, he made a very important 28-yard catch on the final drive to help set the Bucs up for the game winning field goal.

Although the Bucs suffered their first defeat of the 2025 season on Sunday, Egbuka statistically had the best game of his young career. The big moment was a 77-yard touchdown catch, which resulted in a stat line of four catches for 101 yards and a score.

Egbuka Is Among The Best

Through four games Emeka Egbuka has compiled 18 receptions for 282 yards and four touchdowns. Egbuka led all rookies in receiving yards, receiving touchdowns and yards per reception in September, while tying for the rookie lead in total touchdowns scored (four). Among rookie wide receivers, he ranked first in yards from scrimmage (291) and yards after catch (115), while tying for the most receptions (18) and ranking second in receiving first downs (11). His four touchdowns is just two behind Amon-Ra St. Brown for the league lead. 

Many questioned why the Bucs drafted him with their first round pick, even though they needed help on defense. He became that much more important with the injuries to Chris Godwin Jr. and Jalen McMillan before the season and then Mike Evans during the season. It's only been four games, but Emeka Egbuka has quickly emerged as a star on this team.