Why Bucky Irving Still Has NFL Star Potential Despite Injury Setback

Bucky Irving's Injury Setback

The good news is, Tampa Bay is 5-1 after a dominant 30-19 home win over the San Francisco 49ers. The bad news is, Bucs coach Todd Bowles gave a bleak injury report for their next game - a Monday night showdown vs. Detroit. Bowles said Irving is "not in play" for the game vs. the Lions.

The injury set back may be a temporary pause on Irving's exciting NFL career but it's not a derailment. Irving's game is full of quick cuts, pass-catching and short-area burst - which tends to last longer in the NFL than pure power backs.

Irving was able to overcome tweaking his ankle in 2022 and 2023 with the Ducks - never missing a game. Irving started all 14 games in final season as a Duck, recording a second straight 1,000-yard rushing season with 1,180 yards and 11 touchdowns on 186 carries.

Following a breakout rookie season, Bucky Irving earned a spot on the Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie Team and quickly became a fan favorite in Tampa Bay. He became the first Buccaneers rookie to surpass 1,000 rushing yards since 2012, with chants of “Bucky! Bucky! Bucky!” echoing through the stadium.

Why Bucky Irving Still Has NFL Star Potential

Irving's NFL potential is still off the charts, despite the injuries. Irving's game is full of quick cuts, pass-catching and short-area burst - which tend to last longer in the NFL than pure power backs.

Irving has proved he belongs in the league. He now faces the challenge of navigating adversity early in his NFL career - but Irving's determination is evident and this set back will likely sharpen his mindset, patience, and understanding of the game.

After a break out rookie season, Irving made it clear that he's not satisfied - a determination that will bode well as he works from injury.

"Always going back and looking at the film and looking at things that you can get better at and improve in and also not getting satisfied and stuck in last year, because it’s a new year," Irving said. "Nobody cares about what you did last year. It’s, ‘What can you do for me now?’ But I’ve always been that guy that pretty much never gets stuck in the past and always [am] where my feet [are] and work hard every day.”

Despite missing two games this season, Irving still leads Tampa Bay with 237 rushing yards and is tied for second in catches (19) and receiving touchdowns (two) and is third in receiving yards (193.) As Tampa Bay continues to pile on the victories, Irving's return is highly anticipated and could go a long way towards a push in the NFC.

The Duck was drafted in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft and quickly exceeded expectations by leading all rookies with 1,122 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns - he also caught 47 passes for 392 yards.

Irving silenced any doubters of his 5-foot-9 size in 2024. Now, he will have to overcome injuries in 2025.

Ducks fans will be cheering Irving on as he continues to rehab and hopefully return to the field soon. Irving is joined by another beloved Oregon player in receiver Tez Johnson, who Tampa Bay drafted in the 2025 NFL Draft.

After the game vs. the Lions, Irving next chance to suit up for a Tampa Bay game is on Oct. 26 against the New Orleans Saints.