What would it take for the Buccaneers to reclaim the throne as NFL champions this season?
Some believe the recipe for success is already being followed in Tampa Bay with this current iteration of Buccaneers football.
The offense is entering its third season under the command of veteran NFL passer Baker Mayfield, and all indicators point to success for the team in 2025. Baker is coming off his most impactful season as a pro, hitting peaks in almost all passing categories in his NFL career. He led the team to a playoff berth for the second year in a row and has become a Tampa mainstay alongside other legendary teammates.
Now it seems everything has finally fallen into place for the team to make a Super Bowl run — and everyone seems to be getting onboard with this idea.
Are the stars aligning for the Buccaneers to make a Super Bowl run in 2025?
The front office, led by General Manager Jason Licht, clearly shares this confidence in Baker. The team spent their 2025 first round pick on another weapon for the veteran quarterback, adding to an already loaded Bucs offense. Emeka Egbuka, one of the highest-regarded receivers in this year’s draft, joins an elite receiver room featuring Hall of Famer Mike Evans, veteran pass catcher Chris Godwin, and 2024 rookie breakout star Jalen McMillan — who wil miss the first portion of the season with an injury.
Beyond the four headed, star studded receiver attack, the roster features one of the league’s fiercest running back duos. Rachaad White, entering a contract year in 2025, faces a high stakes season, he’ll need to shine in the limited role he'll be featured in to secure an extension with the Buccaneers or secure an opportunity elsewhere. White will of course be contending with the likes of rookie phenom Bucky Irving, who returns after a standout rookie debut, racking up an impressive 1,122 yards at 5.4 yards per carry, scoring eight touchdowns on 207 attempts, this ranking just 19th among NFL ball carriers in carries.
Although the Bucs are transitioning at the offensive coordinator position, fans should rest assured that there will be more continuity than upheaval in carrying forward the successes of Liam Coen. Rather than outsourcing the hire, the Bucs promoted former pass game coordinator Josh Grizzard to offensive coordinator, ensuring a familiar face calls the shots in 2025.
The defense has also improved, bolstered by the addition of two-time Pro Bowl pass rusher Haason Reddick and the Buccaneers 2025 second round draft pick, former Notre Dame corner Benjamin Morrison, who tallied an impressive nine interceptions during his college tenure with the Fighting Irish. Returning Buccaneer defensive stars Lavonte David, Vita Vea, and Antoine Winfield Jr. bring an elite history in Tampa that should help the newcomers adapt quickly.
The excitement surrounding this year’s roster has caught the attention of some of the media’s biggest voices. Former Colts punter turned sports media super star Pat McAfee shared this on 'The Pat McAfee Show':
“What if the Tampa Bay Buccaneers win the Super Bowl this year? They got explosive plays, they got a defense, like maybe the Tampa Bay Buccaneers figure out how to make it to the end of the line to win the Lombardi. That would be a phenomenal story for Baker Mayfield.'
On Good Morning Football, Kyle Brandt ranked the Buccaneers as the top threat to the Eagles in the NFC.
”The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are under the radar,” Brandt said. “They smacked the Eagles last year look it up, they smacked them they held Saquon in check Baker went absolutely nuts, they also knocked the Eagles out of the playoffs the year before, also Nick Sirianni lost to them a few years prior when it was a different iteration of the Buccaneers. Eagles fans know that the Bucs always play them very tough.”
There’s a lot of reason to be hesitant that the Bucs can make the leap this year, but it’s also not hard to see reasons it happens. Pundits are starting to come around and get onboard, which means Tampa Bay’s stock might be higher than it’s been since Tom Brady arrived and led the team where everyone seems to think they can go this season.
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