Bucky Irving's return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was long overdue, and he didn't waste any time making an impact. The second-year running back thrived in his return on Sunday, finishing with 80 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown.
While there was plenty to celebrate about getting Bucky back, his return to the lineup came at the cost of Sean Tucker.
In Irving's absence, Tucker dominated and took over the RB1 role from fourth-year back Rachaad White. He averaged 4.6 yards per carry and 60 yards per game over the last four weeks and totaled 52 rushes compared to White's 40 over the same time span.
Tucker emerged from the low depths of the roster as the lead back and even dabbled in the receiving game with a few receptions. Then, Irving returned, and the undrafted free agent was relegated to the bench once again. In Week 13, Tucker had two rushing attempts and played only nine snaps.
Snap counts are out for Bucs vs. Cardinals. RB splits were Irving 32, White 23, Tucker 9. Shepard down to 16 snaps as WR4 with Godwin healthy. pic.twitter.com/PUyV83qYOm
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) December 1, 2025
Buccaneers can't afford to forget about how special Sean Tucker is
Irving was expected to ease back into action, but had 19 touches and dominated the backfield. White only earned two rushes as well, but played 38 percent of snaps. Despite playing better and overtaking White in recent weeks, Tucker was once again RB3.
The former Syracuse standout has never been Bowles' favorite, and Week 13 proved that point. Last season, Tucker averaged 6.2 yards per carry over 50 attempts, but mainly played during garbage time. When needed most this season, he played well and wasn't rewarded for it.
Irving was a welcome sight on Sunday, but the Bucs' rushing offense didn't improve. Tampa Bay's 95 rushing yards were the fewest since Week 8 against the Saints. In the last three weeks, Tucker and White have led a rushing attack with 110 or more yards each game.
Take Tucker out of the mix, and it's an immediate downgrade. Once Irving is back to full strength, this trend may revert, but the first week isn't exciting. Especially considering the Cardinals are mediocre at best at stopping the run. Entering Week 13, the Cardinals allowed 142 rushing yards per game on average over the last three weeks.
Moving forward, this trend must not remain. Tucker has solidified himself as a strong running back in the league, and the Bucs need him. Looking toward the future, the Bucs aren't likely to re-sign White this offseason and need Tucker at full strength to back up Irving next season. Let Tucker on the field!