Key To Buccaneers Division Championship In 2025

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Adam Schultz | Last updated May 20, 2025 8:00 AM ET

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have had their way with the NFC South for the past four seasons, with Tom Brady and now Baker Mayfield claiming the division.

With Todd Bowles' team having perhaps one of the most well-rounded rosters in the NFC, the Buccaneers are poised to make it five straight NFC South titles.

However, there are some skeptics about the Buccaneers' being one of the NFC's best units, and the division might not be a one-horse race with the Atlanta Falcons popping up as a contender.

But for NFL.com's Judy Battista, in ranking her most vulnerable division champs to least, out of eight, the Buccaneers come in at No. 6, with little worry about their status.

"Every year, I make the mistake of thinking Tampa Bay is vulnerable just because the NFC South is so underwhelming," Battista writes. "And every year for the past four, the Bucs have prevailed. Why might that change in 2025? Well, quarterback Michael Penix Jr. gave the Falcons a spark when he took over the job last season and he is the entrenched starter now.

"Still, Baker Mayfield is clearly the best quarterback of the group and he will have a stellar group of receivers. Continuity counts for plenty, and Tampa Bay has it. You don’t always have to be dominant to win your division, and the Bucs get the job done."

Perhaps the one thing that will sway people is Tampa Bay's offense.

There are weapons everywhere for Mayfield. Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Jalen McMillan, Emeka Egbuka, and Cade Otton round out the pass catchers, and then we have Bucky Irving, Rachaad White, and Sean Tucker as a three-headed running back monster.

Good luck stopping all of those weapons.

Defensively, the Buccaneers added Haason Reddick to bolster the pass rush, along with a couple of steady defensive draft picks in Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish.

So yes, the Falcons might be improved, and so are the Carolina Panthers, but for us, the NFC South still runs through Tampa Bay until otherwise stated.

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

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