“It’s A Very Underrated Thing That’s Going On”
August 7th, 2025
New Punter Riley Dixon is a dual-threat and has Bucs officials super-excited.
Nobody wants to read about punters because they’re boring, unless Pat McAfee is your punter or the guy is a threat in the passing game, like new Bucs punter Riley Dixon is.
The veteran, signed for big money this offseason to fix Tampa Bay’s punting woes, is 5-for-7 in his career as a passer, including a sweet touch pass in the playoffs for the Broncos last year.
How cool is that? Dixon is 5-for-7 as a punter. He’s got more NFL completions that Kyle Trask. Can Trask punt?
Obviously, Dixon is in town to punt, not throw. And Todd Bowles told SiriusXM NFL Radio today that Dixon has been a blessing from the football gods.
“We feel like we upgraded and he’s been a gem since he’s been here,” Bowles said of Dixon.”He knows how to put it up high. He knows how to place it and he knows how to get it long and he is been very consistent in camp. It’s a very underrated thing that’s going on on our team.”
Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht also expressed deep gratitude for Dixon’s arrival during the show. The Bucs burned through three punters last season and a subpar punting game.
Bowles is right. Fourth-down execution is always underrated. Always.
August 7th, 2025 at 6:34 pm
Hope he doesn’t get to play this year. 99 points per game.
August 7th, 2025 at 6:34 pm
Joe, does this also make you need a cold shower?
August 7th, 2025 at 6:35 pm
All that and didn’t have to use a draft pick..
August 7th, 2025 at 6:58 pm
More NFL completions than Kyle Trask. OUCH! You didn’t have to do that Joe. But I’m glad you did! And you Traskies out there who are bothered by that need to learn to take a joke.
August 7th, 2025 at 7:04 pm
RIP Camarda. Still not completely sure how a punter loses his ability to punt in one off season but he was my fav Bucs punter ever … for one glorious year.
August 7th, 2025 at 7:11 pm
His passing rate means absolutely nothing,
I’m quite sure Todd Bowles won’t be trying many fake punts
If he can nail a team Inside the 10, then he’s my punter
August 7th, 2025 at 7:43 pm
“It’s a very underrated thing that’s going on on our team.”
He’s right – because our punting last year was atrocious….
A good punter can net you 30-40-50 extra yards of valuable field position in any given game – compared to a lousy punter. That adds up to many hundreds of yards over the course of a 17 game season. And likely an extra win or 2….
Good punter – Great kicker – if the rookies and bottom of the roster players can be cobbled into a top 10 kick/punt coverage unit this year – I think our special teams might actually be somewhat “special” this year…. finally!!!
Really hoping also that Tez Johnson will show us some things as a punt returner that we haven’t seen around these parts in a long, long time… escapability – fearlessness – end zone dances…..
August 7th, 2025 at 7:43 pm
I’ll take trick play in primetime for $500.00 Alex.
August 7th, 2025 at 8:06 pm
Chargers just lost their LT for the season. More ‘demand’ in the league for other LTs. Hope to Bucs have the right one to backup Wirfs while he’s injured.
August 7th, 2025 at 8:32 pm
“Dixon is 5-for-7 as a punter. He’s got more NFL completions that Kyle Trask.“
Lord have mercy.
August 7th, 2025 at 8:36 pm
Thin air-sea level?
Growing up on a barrier island in Florida never knew much about high altitude stuff. Born in Tampa.
Assuming coaches are well aware.
August 7th, 2025 at 9:14 pm
I went to two practices and never saw Riley punt. Maybe he’s adjusting to the heat and low altitude here. The Canadian punter looked accurate as hell putting the ball out inside the 20 consistently, looked good and had some power too. Underwear punting tho.
August 7th, 2025 at 10:34 pm
Now let’s get a PR who isn’t tiny!
Jayden Mickens, Darden and Palmer all suck!!
Please let Rashad White return punts!
Or Rakim Jarret or Ryan Miller!
Anybody but a tiny PR! Please!!! (No Tez Johnson either!)
August 8th, 2025 at 8:06 am
Camarda was so good he was definitely a weapon turning the field anything close to him is a big upgrade
August 8th, 2025 at 8:30 am
I howled about the weakness at punter for quite some time. Glad Licht/Bowles addressed it. Now, punter returner has got to be one of the scariest positions to play in an already bruising sport. Hopefully, one will pop up.
August 8th, 2025 at 8:48 am
This made me look up some stats about Bucs defense last year. We forced the 5th fewest punts in the league and allowed the most field goal attempts.
Can this punter play defense and become DC to actually get off the field on passing downs?
August 8th, 2025 at 8:56 am
Finaly have a punter and a kicker at the same time? Whaaat?
“He’s got more NFL completions that Kyle Trask. Can Trask punt?”
That would actually be hilarious if it were not so freaking maddening Joe. Sad…
Go Bucs!
August 8th, 2025 at 10:20 am
I actually do like reading about punting, kicking and special teams. I love football and all of that is a core, if quirky, part of the sport. If you can’t love the quirky parts of a sport, do you even love it?
August 8th, 2025 at 11:13 am
I personally would love to know what REALLY happened to Jake Camarda…
August 8th, 2025 at 11:37 am
What really happened?
My completely baseless speculation is he’s got 100 problems.
August 8th, 2025 at 11:52 am
Joe!
“ He’s got more NFL completions that Kyle Trask. Can Trask punt?”
😂
ROTFLMAO
August 8th, 2025 at 1:45 pm
All I can think of when I hear about punters who can pass is Tom Tupa. That bum. Starts the 2002 season by throwing an INT returned for a TD in OT to lose to the Saints at home. Then that idiot ends the year with a blocked punt returned for a TD in the Super Bowl.
I hate Tom Tupa more than any other punter, ever.
Just punt the ball, don’t throw it.