Now that the 2025 NFL Draft has come to an end, Buccaneers fans can turn their attention toward the release of the team's 2025 regular-season schedule, which will be announced on Wednesday, May 14.
The Bucs' schedule for their 50th season is chock-full of intriguing matchups, but several stand out as must-see TV.
These 5 games could make or break the Buccaneers’ 2025 NFC South chances
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Detroit Lions
The Bucs and Lions are very similar teams, and their shared qualities are what have made both teams competitive forces in the NFC over the past few seasons.
Both are scrappy, highly-competitive teams with tight-knit locker rooms that are fully bought into their coaches’ visions. They each play with a relentless chip on their shoulder, internally rallying around an underdog mentality and championship aspirations.
At the helm of both squads are former No. 1 overall picks, Baker Mayfield and Jared Goff, who were both cast aside by the teams that drafted them but have since revitalized their careers with franchises that truly believe in them.
The teams have faced off frequently recently, with the Lions defeating the Buccaneers twice in 2023, including a heartbreaking 31-23 loss in the NFC Divisional Round. However, the Bucs responded with a 20-16 victory in Detroit last season. With both teams now perennial playoff contenders in the NFC, an exciting rivalry is quietly brewing — and the next chapter in 2025 deserves a spot in prime time.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers
Baker Mayfield always plays with a chip on his shoulder, but that chip grows a little larger when returning to Carolina.
Mayfield finished just 1-5 as a starter for the Panthers, and found himself benched and relegated to the scout defense before his eventual release.
He has since found new life in Tampa Bay, where he gets to face the Panthers twice a year as a division rival.
Adding more fuel to this growing rivalry, former Bucs offensive coordinator Dave Canales left for the Panthers’ head coaching job after just one season in Tampa Bay, creating even more familiarity, and perhaps some friendly competition, between the two teams.
The cherry on top? An exciting quarterback matchup between Mayfield and Bryce Young, two former No. 1 overall picks and Heisman Trophy winners.
The Panthers surrounded Bryce Young with a ton of talent this offseason, headlined by first-round pick Tetairoa McMillan.
Bucs-Panthers matchups are always high-stakes thanks to the NFC South rivalry, but this year’s meetings will be must-see TV as Tampa Bay looks to defend the division crown against an up-and-coming Panthers squad.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Philadelphia Eagles
The Bucs and Eagles have a lot of history (and hatred), making every matchup between these teams feel worthy of the national spotlight.
The Buccaneers’ win over Philadelphia in the 2002 NFC Divisional Round, which shut down Veterans Stadium en route to the team’s first Super Bowl win, remains one of the most iconic moments in franchise history.
In recent years, the Bucs have dominated the Eagles, posting a 6-1 record in the last decade, dating back to 2015, including 2-0 in the postseason. The Eagles are coming off a dominant victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 59, but the Bucs handed the reigning champs a convincing 33-16 loss in an early-season matchup last year.
With both teams poised to contend for a title, this game could have serious implications for the NFC playoff picture. Will the Bucs continue their recent success over Philadelphia, or will the defending champs leave Tampa with a win?
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Houston Texans
The Bucs and Texans have only played each other six times historically, the fewest meetings the Bucs have had with any opponent. In those six games, the Bucs are an abysmal 1-5 against Houston.
This game is extra special for players like Baker Mayfield, Mike Evans and Zyon McCollum, all Texas natives who will get to play in front of a hometown audience.
Both teams won their respective divisions with 10-7 records a season ago and are looking to take the next step toward true Super Bowl contention.
Who could forget the matchup in 2023, when the Bucs lost 39-37 in one of the most explosive games of the season, allowing 470 passing yards and five passing touchdowns to rookie C.J. Stroud?
If this year’s matchup can live up to that 2023 thriller, it deserves a national audience to watch the fireworks — and hopefully, the Buccaneers defense will show up this time.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Seattle Seahawks
The Bucs and Seahawks entered the NFL together as expansion teams in 1976. Both are entering their 50th season, and just imagine the visuals: two beloved throwback uniforms under the prime-time lights on national television.
The Seahawks made a splash this offseason by signing Sam Darnold, a former first-round draft pick looking for long-term stability after a rocky start to his NFL career. Sound familiar, Bucs fans? That’s because Darnold’s career trajectory mirrors Baker Mayfield’s journey — they were even teammates during their brief and unsuccessful stints in Carolina.
Another fun nugget that adds to this matchup: Todd Bowles was the head coach of the New York Jets when they drafted Darnold third overall in 2018. Darnold is coming off an impressive 14-3 season with the Vikings and steps in as Seattle’s new starter after the team traded Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders in March.
The Buccaneers and Seahawks first met during their debut season in 1976, a 13-10 Seahawks victory in a year where the Bucs went 0-14 and the Seahawks finished 2-12. The franchises have come a long way since then, with the Seahawks winning one Super Bowl and the Bucs capturing two in their 50-year histories.
Both teams went 10-7 a season ago, and this matchup — celebrating their shared 50th seasons — promises to be an exciting and historic one, and could also have an impact on playoff seeding. The NFL should lean into the moment and market it accordingly.
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