All offseason, everyone around the Tampa Bay Buccaneers raved about how special first-round pick Emeka Egbuka is. Despite his status as a rookie, teammates and coaches praised him for operating like a pro, and because of that, everyone knew he would immediately be a contributor for the Bucs. It didn’t take long for the world to see that Tampa Bay wasn’t bluffing.
In Egbuka‘s debut, he caught four passes for 67 yards and two touchdowns. His second touchdown ended up being the game-winning score, putting the Bucs up 23-20 over the Atlanta Falcons. The clutch play, alone, endeared him to Buccaneers fans, but the story behind the touchdown will make fans love the rookie receiver even more.
Following the game, Tampa Bay’s star receiver Mike Evans revealed that Egbuka actually called the touchdown. The veteran receiver explained that while in the huddle, the rookie wideout called for a post route, and told everyone that he was about to game the Falcons. Sure enough, a play later, Egbuka got his post route and game-winning touchdown.
Mike Evans reveals that Emeka Egbuka called his game-winning touchdown
This explains why the Buccaneers felt Egbuka arrived as a pro already. For a rookie, in his debut, to know which play to go to, have the confidence to call it and declare he will make the play, and then actually deliver, shows he’s more than ready for the NFL.
Not his fist time calling a game winner https://t.co/cAo8DmLVbF pic.twitter.com/o8WF5NAvcI
— Woody (@woodyVSworld) September 8, 2025
None of this is surprising to Ohio State fans, because it isn't his first time doing it. In his final college game, a national championship game against Notre Dame, Egbuka also called a game-winning play. Noticing the alignment of an opposing corner, the receiver instructed his offense to run a go ball on him, knowing it would be wide open. Sure enough, needing to put the game away on a big third down in the fourth quarter, Ohio State took Egbuka’s advice and the play worked to perfection.
Now, one game into his career, Emeka Egbuka is already doing the same thing. This is surely just the start for the promising receiver.