Praise For Jalen McMillan Before And After Neck Injury

August 24th, 2025

Injured receiver Jalen McMillan was seen at last night’s preseason game in his neck brace.

Some young players would be bitter after their team used a first-round draft pick at their position, and after suffering a serious injury months later.

Bucs second-year receiver Jalen McMillan isn’t that guy.

Before last night’s preseason finale at The Licht House, rookie receiver Tez Johnson (a seventh-round pick) talked on the Buccaneers Radio Network about how upbeat McMillan has been since tearing up his neck in a gruesome-looking injury on Aug. 16.

“He’s been smiling the whole time [after the injury]. He’s goofy. He’s funny. He’s J-mac,” Johnson said.

Baker Mayfield joined the WFLA-TV and was quick to show McMillan love for what he’s done this year.

“It sucks losing J-Mac because I just think he had an unbelievable offeseason,” Mayfield said. “I think bringing in Emeka [Egbuka] pushed him even more and he handled it the right way. So I hate that [injury] for him.”

Joe thinks it’s a great point to note how McMillan could have shown immaturity dealing with the Bucs drafting a stud receiver and re-signing Chris Godwin after McMillan had an eight-touchdown season as a rookie. And he especially could have pouted in that situation after being part of the brutal Mayfield-McMillan botched handoff in the playoffs last season.

Instead, McMillan proved to be “that man,” as the Bucs front office likes to say, and was a professional.

Joe hopes McMillan can return this season and retain his ability to play fearlessly.

34 Responses to “Praise For Jalen McMillan Before And After Neck Injury”

  1. Hodad Says:

    Hopefully he’ll never have to a Teddy balloon again.

  2. SB~LV Says:

    Praying for him 🙏🙏🙏

  3. Pryda30 Says:

    So saddddd to see him in this pic!

  4. JA Says:

    Just keep J-Mac away from six team Teddy and he’ll be fine.
    Is that a record?
    Teddy has failed more times with teams than my cousin, Vinny, failed his bar exam.

  5. firethecannons Says:

    Be happy to see him in the neck brace at the game, I am! He looks great, if he was so injured and so torn up then honestly he would not be at the game. Yet he is there smiling and what not, he must be comfortable enough to handle that. Good sign! He will get better, likely sooner rather than later, he will ditch the neck brace soon enough. Expect a full recovery.

  6. Jmarkbuc Says:

    Time to get past all the kumbaya and how much the team all loves each other and find out what we’re really made of.

    Wirfs, CG, JMac… those are all serious losses.

    Time for talk is over…

  7. Tavvy Says:

    @JA,And,what team did you play for exactly!Asking for a friend!!
    Effing moron!

  8. TBBucFan Says:

    Could it be that the Bucs have two 1s and two 2s on the roster? I think it’s very well possible. Hard to keep 4 starters in those two positions but I sure hope I’m right.

  9. BA’s Red Pen Says:

    The Occult of Trask is coming hot today!

  10. Vanessa Anne Says:

    This speaks very well of Jalen.

    I hope he makes a full recovery.

    No rush to get him back on the field.

    Neck injuries can be a real tricky thing.

  11. JA Says:

    Hey, thin skin Tavvy …
    Because I disagree with you, I’m a moron? Wow, that hurt.
    Sorry to ruffle your feathers. Are you having an affair with Teddy? If so, I’m sorry. I had no idea.
    We all have opinions here, and mine, like many others, prefer Trask over Teddy. I would guess by your deleterious retort, you feel the opposite.
    It’s the way of the world.
    Bottom line: neither you or me have any say in who our backup will be.
    So, lighten up, m————. Nah, I’m above that.

  12. Warren Brooks Lynch Says:

    Saw JMac a few times when the broadcast cut to the sideline and looked like he was in good spirits. Good to see him up and moving around after that fall and looking forward to hearing more of his eventual return.

    We should be getting McMillan, Wirfs, & Godwin within games of one another. That’ll be a hell of a boost to our offense on the way to our bye week.

  13. heyjude Says:

    A positive attitude will help heal Jalen quicker too. Great kid and can’t wait to see him play again.

  14. Addb Says:

    Hopefully no more hospital balls

  15. ModHairKen Says:

    Would like to know MRI results.

  16. Rod Munch Says:

    Oh wow, he’s still in a neck brace? Dang.

    Thanks Teddy, regardless of if you make the team or not, you’ve left a lasting impression.

  17. firethecannons Says:

    ModHair lol so would I, best we can hope for is JMac tells us exactly what was found–Joe can you ask him? next time you see him like at a home game.

  18. Bojim Says:

    Muscle relaxers make you smile too. Hang in there Jmac!!!

  19. Tavvy Says:

    @JA,my friend says you still didn’t answer the question!
    What team again??
    ROTFLAO

  20. An Erection For Sacks Says:

    SB~LV Says:
    August 24th, 2025 at 11:22 am
    Praying for him 🙏🙏🙏

    –Prayers are useless. gods don’t heal people. Doctors do that.

  21. Win in the Trenches Says:

    That’s rude dude….

  22. BucsfaninOregon Says:

    But, Sacks is correct.

  23. David Says:

    I think he returns after the bye week. Miller and Tez are going to get some valuable playing time until Godwin and McMillan are back.
    Really hope Egbuka is as good as they say right out of the gate because if he is not, they are suddenly thin at WR for the first 3-4 games

  24. Cometowin2 Says:

    I have witnessed many miracles through prayers. Feel bad that you are a non-believer. Suggest you read the bible and listen to Jesus’s teachings and then tell me even if you still do not believe that it is not the best way to live your life.

  25. GoneGator Says:

    The bible says its a sin to touch the meat or carcass of swine. And it commands us to NOT work on sunday. Hmmm.

    I will agree that many of the teachings of Jesus are good ones but unfortunately its his supposed “followers” that are the worst examples of the opposite behavior in my experience 🙁

  26. Cometowin2 Says:

    Time for Cade, Culp and Durham to step up. Use 12 personnel especially on first and second down where already Grizz is showing tendencies to want to run. Hope he keeps 3rd down and passing game coordinator for hisself. Durham can chip to help out Charlie Heck. After the first preseason game, the running game looked weak even when Bucky was in there.

    We are going to need to score over 30 points a game even without Chris and JMac or we’ll be below 500 before the bye. By the way, Todd called the defense, it’s more soft a$$ pass defense. Hopefully Sirvocea plays better than in preseason. Feel confident in Parrish and Zyan. Enough of these 8-10 yard cushions. Any 2nd or 3rd string NFL Quarterback will pick us apart let alone starters.

  27. White Tiger Says:

    Appreciate J-Mac, great attitude and ability. Hate it, as he seemed ready for a breakout. Getting J-Mac and CG at around the same time will change the offense to a dynamic way. Winning with a deep WE/RE room – without them – is a necessity. Could be really interesting when everyone gets healthy.

  28. Jeff Says:

    He’ll never be the same again.

  29. mj Says:

    he’ll be fine and back sooner than later

  30. An Erection For Sacks Says:

    Cometowin2 Says:
    August 24th, 2025 at 7:25 pm
    I have witnessed many miracles through prayers. (No, you havent. You have simply been lied to from such a young age that you are now programmed to believe without evidence.)
    Feel bad that you are a non-believer. (That’s because those that you have trusted since you were a child have warped your mind to the Nth degree.
    I feel bad for YOU! To live your one and only life under the oppression of dogma is a truly horrific fate.)
    Suggest you read the bible and listen to Jesus’s teachings and then tell me even if you still do not believe that it is not the best way to live your life.
    (SMH, I’ve already done that! That’s how I know it’s all man-made lies to facilitate control over other people.
    I went to catholic school for 12 years, and the most important thing that they taught me was that they claimed to know things that no person could possibly know, all without a viable explanation.

    “The best way to live”?!
    What a ridiculous statement!!
    Which part? Don’t eat figs? Drive pigs off of a cliff? Take no thought for the morrow? Hate your family?

    I suggest that you read Spinoza and Hume and Voltaire and Bertrand Russell and Carl Sagan and Daniel Dennett and Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris and especially Christopher Hitchens. They will teach you the things that you truly need for the best way to live the only life you’ll ever have.)

  31. Cometowin2 Says:

    Bitter much?

  32. jcscycles Says:

    Hopefully no more third string linebackers undercutting defenseless receivers going up for a catch….

  33. MelvinJunior Says:

    I would say being a part of such a ‘loaded’ WR-room (and with injuries) while in college at Washington, has prepared JMac really well for all of this!!!! 💯

  34. An Erection For Sacks Says:

    @Cometowin2: No, I’m not bitter at all, since I no longer allow dogma to control my life.

 

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