The Tampa Bay Buccaneers kick off their rookie minicamp tomorrow, and the rookies are arriving to One Buc Place ahead of their first on-field action in the NFL.
First-round pick Rueben Bain Jr. took advantage of the opportunity to make the best first impression imaginable.
Rueben Bain Jr. is making himself an instant Bucs fan favorite after paying homage to Warren Sapp
Warren Sapp is revered as one of the greatest players in Buccaneers history. He was a cornerstone of the 2002 Super Bowl defense, and is enshrined in both the franchise Ring of Honor and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
His path to Tampa Bay draws a lot of similarities to Bain. Both attended the University of Miami, but fell further than expected in the NFL Draft, right into the Buccaneers’ laps who were thrilled to draft them.
Last time a Miami player fell further than expected and landed right in the Bucs’ laps in the first round of the NFL Draft 👀 pic.twitter.com/3g9PR10TfD
— The Pewter Plank (@ThePewterPlank) April 24, 2026
Making his entrance to rookie minicamp, Bain got off the bus wearing a Bucs Warren Sapp jersey, and it’s already making an impression on Bucs fans.
According to ESPN’s Jenna Laine, Sapp texted Bain immediately after he was drafted, telling him, “This my city,” along with sending him some well wishes.
Rueben Bain Jr. said he got a text from Warren Sapp right after he was drafted telling him, “This my city,” along with well wishes. So what does he do? Reps Sapp’s 99 jersey upon his arrival for rookie camp. Wrote about him here https://t.co/Ujxtcvjbib pic.twitter.com/QpFcs8PXnf
— JennaLaineESPN (@JennaLaineESPN) May 7, 2026
Bain got the message loud and clear and took the opportunity to pay homage to the Bucs legend.
It would be unfair to pin Sapp-level expectations on Bain, or any player for that matter, and I won’t go that far — but with Sapp as a mentor, along with Bain’s talent as a pass rusher, the sky is the limit.
The start to his Buccaneers career has already been unforgettable, and he hasn’t even stepped on the field yet. If Bain can make the impact the organization expects him to, the Tampa Bay defense will be among the league’s most improved units and the Bucs will be right back in playoff contention.
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