As the Tampa Bay Buccaneers prepare to take the field against the Cincinnati Bengals, cornerback Zyon McCollum just called his shot, and gave the Bengals some bulletin board material in the process.
McCollum and the Bucs cornerbacks could make or break Sunday’s game as they face off against Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins — potentially facing their greatest challenge of the season right off the bat in Week 1.
McCollum’s recent comments made it crystal clear that he’s ready for the challenge, and he expects to come out on top.
Zyon McCollum sends bold message to Bengals ahead of Tampa Bay Buccaneers Week 1 matchup
McCollum was asked about the test of facing such a difficult test in the first game of the season, and just like his teammate Jacob Parrish, he’s embracing the opportunity.
Buccaneers cornerback Zyon McCollum believes Joe Burrow is going to throw 3 or 4 interceptions in Sunday’s season opener. The Bengals host the Bucs at 1pm on Sunday afternoon👀 pic.twitter.com/wPIkt3AT2M
— James Rapien (@JamesRapien) September 12, 2026
“You’re going to have opportunities. Guaranteed opportunities. I mean, they want to get their season started off right. They want to get in rhythm early, and so the ball is guaranteed to go in the air, and ball in the air belongs to us. That’s the mentality that we have. That’s what we’re going into the game thinking, and we know we’re going to get tested early and so it’s an incredible opportunity for us. There will be no better feeling than when we take away three, four interceptions,” McCollum said.
That’s a bold statement ahead of a matchup against one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks and arguably the league’s best wide receiver corps.
Tampa Bay’s defense struggled mightily against the pass last season, ranking 27th. McCollum was a part of those struggles with an up-and-down season. The team is counting on him to step up this year and consistently play at a CB1 level.
He’s talked the talk, but it’s time to see if he can walk the walk. Confidence is never a bad thing, but inside the Bengals locker room, you can take it to the bank that Cincinnati's playmakers have gotten ahold of McCollum’s comments. He’ll need to bring his “A” game, or the Bengals will be happy to pick on him in coverage and make him eat his words.
If Tampa Bay’s starting cornerbacks can hit the ground running and justify their confidence in the season opener, it would be perhaps the most encouraging sign possible for the remainder of the season.
The cornerback room enters the season as the roster’s biggest question mark. If McCollum and company can answer that question and hold their own against one of the NFL’s most dangerous wide receiver duos, it sends a message to the rest of the Buccaneers’ schedule that they’re ready for whatever comes next.
Add us as a preferred source on Google