The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have figured out this season that they don't even need to throw the ball in order to win games, and with how poorly Baker Mayfield is playing under center right now despite signing a $55 million per year contract this offseason, it may actually be preferred for the Bucs to run the football as much as possible.
Bucky Irving and Kenny Gainwell combined for over 300 rushing yards in a shutout win over the rival Atlanta Falcons, and when all three backs, including Sean Tucker, got involved the week prior, the Bucs offense was even more impressive by dropping 43 points on the Carolina Panthers and rushing for 258 yards as an offense.
Irving and Gainwell are obviously leading the charge right now in the Bucs' backfield. Now healthy, Irving has reestablished himself as one of the best running backs in the NFL and is on pace for more than 1,500 rushing yards. Gainwell is at 305 rushing yards himself on just over 60 carries, moving the ball just as effectively as Irving.
Buccaneers need to give Sean Tucker more carries
But lost in the shuffle is the more bruising Tucker, who burst onto the scene in the second half of the 2025 NFL regular season for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, absolutely smashing defenses between the tackles with ruthless efficiency.
But with Irving and Gainwell stealing the show, Tucker is starting to get lost in the shuffle,, and has not gotten enough chances.
Tucker has recorded 15 carries for 80 yards, so even though he is averaging more than five yards per carry, the Buccaneers talented No. 3 running back has fewer rushing attempts than either of the team[s quarterbacks Jalon Daniels and Baker Mayfield, neither of whom has played in every single game for the Bucs this season.
With 4.4 yards after contact per carry, Tucker is getting most of that yardage on his own and actually has nearly two yards after contact per carry more than the next best on the Buccaneers roster, which would be feature back Irving. That is an insane statistic. Tucker averages more yards after contact per carry than most running backs average per carry in the NFL.
The man is a physial, tackle-breaking monster, and while the Buccaneers should keep feeding Irving and Gainwell, they really need to be making more use of the special Tucker, too. He is unstoppable.
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