Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie pass rusher Rueben Bain Jr. has gotten off to a slow start to his NFL career.
After an offseason of hype, Bain has failed to meet fans' lofty expectations, and has also missed two games with injury. He hasn't quite made the immediate impact as a pass rusher the Buccaneers anticipated when they drafted him No. 15 overall.
But in Week 6 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Bain finally notched his first career sack, and it was quite a trophy. The rookie took down future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers on third down to help get the defense off the field. He also had a deflected pass that led to an interception in the first quarter, so it's safe to say the rookie made his presence felt in the first half.
Another sack by the Buccaneers defense! This time by the rookie, Rueben Bain Jr. 🗣️
— NFL (@NFL) October 18, 2026
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Rueben Bain Jr. is having his breakout game against the Steelers
With a sack and a pass defended, Bain finally looked like the game changer Bucs fans have been waiting for. It was only a matter of time before the rookie delivered his signature moment.
It never made sense why some were so quick to give up on the promising rookie. He’s only played in three games, missing two with a groin injury. And even in the games he did play, he was hampered by a shoulder injury he suffered late in the preseason.
Bain was the most dominant pass rusher in college football during his Miami career. He totaled 20.5 sacks, 33.5 tackles and four corced fumbles for loss in three seasons with the Hurricanes. He was also dominant during training camp and the preseason. That player didn't simply disappear -- he just needed some time to adapt to the NFL level.
It was always unfair to expect Bain to be the savior of this pass rush from day one, and now that he has the proverbial monkey off his back after getting his first sack, it’s a safe bet that he’ll build on this momentum going forward.
