Buccaneers delete controversial social media post following backlash

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers social media team found itself facing criticism after some fans found one of the organization’s latest posts to be distasteful. 

The post in question was intended to get across that the Buccaneers are “flipping out” in excitement with the 2026 season on the horizon by playing off a recent viral video of a tourist getting gored and launched eight feet into the air by a bison in Yellowstone National Park. 

The clip of the tourist being flipped into the air suddenly transitions into Tez Johnson’s signature backflip touchdown celebration.

The video quickly drew thousands of interactions and sparked plenty of debate among fans online. 

The 65-year-old man in the video suffered a broken femur in the incident but underwent successful surgery, and is expected to make a full recovery, per CNN. 

The post intended to capitalize on a viral moment while generating excitement among Bucs fans for the upcoming season. But it fell flat, as not everyone interpreted the post the way the team imagined. 

While some fans found the post to be clever, others criticized the choice to make light of an incident that left someone seriously injured.

Buccaneers delete controversial social media post

Amid backlash, the team decided to scrub the video from their social media channels. 

The organization has not publicly addressed the post or explained why it was taken down. But it’s easy to imagine that the Bucs' brass didn’t take kindly to the negative publicity that surrounded the franchise as a result of the social media stunt. 

With training camp on the horizon, the Buccaneers social media team will aim to find less controversial ways to generate excitement for the upcoming season going forward. 

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