Buccaneers WR Emeka Egbuka emerges as Rookie of the Year candidate in Week 1

The Buccaneers were expecting big things from their first-round selection, rookie wide receiver Emeka Egbuka in his NFL debut against the Falcons in Week 1.

With Chris Godwin Jr. and Jalen McMillan both out due to injuries, the team needed someone outside of Mike Evans to step up in their absence, and Egbuka rose to the occasion.

Emeka Egbuka shines with two touchdowns in historic NFL debut for Buccaneers

Egbuka started his NFL career with a bang, scoring Tampa Bay’s first touchdown of the 2025 season midway through the second quarter on a 30-yard dart from quarterback Baker Mayfield.

Later in the game, Egbuka found the end zone again, hauling in a game-winning 25-yard touchdown with less than a minute remaining to give Tampa Bay a 23-20 lead.

With Evans often drawing double coverage from the Falcons’ defense, it opened the door for one-on-one opportunities, and Egbuka took full advantage. He finished with four catches for a team-high 67 yards on six targets to go along with his pair of touchdowns.

Egbuka’s debut wasn’t just impressive, it was historic. According to NFL Communications, he became only the second player since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970 to catch a game-winning touchdown in the final minute of regulation or overtime, joining Jaguars wide receiver Ernest Wilford in 2004.

He also became just the second rookie since 1950 to record two receiving touchdowns of 25-plus yards in Week 1.

According to Buccaneers Communications, Egbuka was the first Buccaneers rookie to score the team’s opening touchdown of the season since Mike Williams did it in 2010, and only the second Buccaneer ever to record multiple receiving touchdowns in his NFL debut, joining tight end Alex Smith in 2005.

Egbuka has already placed himself in rare company and made himself a household name after just one game. If he can continue to perform at this level — and there’s little reason to believe he won’t — he could make a strong case for AP Offensive Rookie of the Year.

If that happens, Egbuka would become just the third player in franchise history to win the award, and the first wide receiver to do so. He would join running backs Warrick Dunn in 1997 and Cadillac Williams in 2005.

The last time the Buccaneers spent a first-round pick on a wide receiver was in 2014, when they selected Mike Evans, who has enjoyed a Hall of Fame–caliber career. If Week 1 was any indication, Egbuka may be ready to follow in those footsteps and carve out a legacy of his own in Tampa Bay.

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