Tez Johnson Sure Seemed To Get A Stamp Of Approval From Todd Bowles
August 24th, 2025
Receiver Tez Johnson celebrates catching a Kyle Trask pass for a touchdown Saturday by doing a flip.
When Joe is trying to figure out which bubble players have a shot to make it, Joe tries to determine who is on an upward trajectory.
In other words, which bubble player’s arrow is pointing up?
(This is why Joe is getting a bit concerned with tight end Devin Culp. He was on fire the first couple of weeks of training camp but he has tapered off a great deal. Then last night, he fumbles. Not good.)
With Bucs rookie receiver/returner Tez Johnson, he was making progress and then got dinged up. Since he returned to practice, you can see him slowly improving. In other words, arrow is pointing up.
Then last night in the Backup Bowl with the Bills, Johnson made really nice catches, including a fade to the right sideline in the end zone for a touchdown from Kyle Trask.
After the game, Bucs coach Todd Bowles praised Johnson’s progress.
“He really grew from last week to this week, understanding the little things,” Bowles said. “He made some plays.
“He played fast. He played like he knew what he was doing.”
Johnson’s one-yard touchdown catch from Trask on a fade to the right side came with style. After Johnson caught the ball, he made like Ozzie Smith and did a backflip in the end zone. And Johnson got far off the ground, too.
Bowles was asked how he scored Johnson’s backflip.
“I actually didn’t even see it,” Bowles smiled. “I was too busy doing other things, but I’ll look at it on tape.”
Johnson’s touchdown came in the final minute of the first half. At the start of the second half, Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht was in the broadcast booth of WFLA-TV Channel 8 and he seemed to grouse about Johnson’s backflip.
It wasn’t that Licht was angry about it or thought Johnson was trying to show up Buffalo. Licht was scared Johnson was going to hurt himself.
The Bucs have enough injuries as it is.
Joe also wondered, if the Bucs were going to cut Johnson, would Licht have given two s(p)its about Johnson’s backflip?
Come for the Tez Johnson TD.
Stay for the flip!Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/8w5c1zuMCY
— NFL (@NFL) August 24, 2025
August 24th, 2025 at 6:16 am
I think Tez made the team.
August 24th, 2025 at 6:19 am
I have to say, those back flips scare the heck out of me. Tez did a perfect one though. Love the photo. Yes, he has made the team. Go Bucs!
August 24th, 2025 at 6:20 am
We got us another one! He’s a playmaker and they don’t come around every day. Or every year for that matter. Last year we got Bucky and Jalen. This year Tez and Egbuka. I’m drooling. Hope JMac heals up quickly.
August 24th, 2025 at 6:42 am
I’ve been saying for a while now we may see some 3 WR sets with Evans/Egbuka/Tez before Godwin returns. Tez is electrifying. He had the most separation statistics of any receiver in the draft.
August 24th, 2025 at 6:56 am
Given his size I don’t expect Tez to have a long career. But if we can get a couple of good years out of him then it’s worth it.
August 24th, 2025 at 7:46 am
He’s a water bug and a lock to make this team. Just goes to show you can’t obsess over 40 times. He’ll need to improve on ball security, but his quicks are off the chart. Also love how he runs north on returns. Nice pick JL.
August 24th, 2025 at 7:53 am
Tez will last in the nfl. He’s a smart player. He knows when to go down to avoid big hits. He has amazing vision n field recognition. He’s slippery, n is very feisty when need to be. The refs missed out on defenders holding him past five yards after he proved he can juke them at ease. The best is yet to come from TJ. He knows how to pick n choose his battles of when n how to fight for extra yards. He’s very deceptive.
August 24th, 2025 at 8:35 am
He constantly gets open & catches the ball🍔….we will be hard to stop with Evans, Egbuka, Bucky & Tez on the field….And then , CzG & JMac return.
August 24th, 2025 at 8:40 am
would be a bunch of BS if we still cut him
August 24th, 2025 at 8:43 am
I’ll have to call Bowles out on that reply. Literally in the same breath that Tez caught the pass he turned and did the back flip and Bowles didn’t see it! Were there other administrative duties he was called to attend to that were more important than watching the complete play?
August 24th, 2025 at 8:44 am
dmatt nailed it. Watch the tape. Tez went down every time it looked like a big hit was coming. Dude got open, caught the ball and slipped the first tackle every time, avoiding the gang waiting at the next level. I’m good with that. He might last longer than many people think if he keeps doing that.
August 24th, 2025 at 8:59 am
If Johnson doesn’t make the team, he should try out for the Olympic gymnastic team.
August 24th, 2025 at 9:15 am
He’s not getting hurt doing a backflip.
At least he didn’t punch someone.
Keep him.
Cut Sanders. He obviously has not learned to control the violent ways that he has displayed since high school.
Was pulling for the guy.
August 24th, 2025 at 9:58 am
Tez was one of a handful of positives out of this game-will make the team unlike Palmer
August 24th, 2025 at 10:02 am
Those celebrations bother me for the potential injuries, one awkward landing on an ankle and that’s it. Pull a hammie? See ya. Even their jumping into each other, if they come down on the others foot there’s a twisted ankle, Not bothered by the enthusiasm, that’s youth too but we are talking the Bucs here. Seems like there is san injury just waiting to attach itself to someone on this team. Now I’m paranoid. Great album but not state.
August 24th, 2025 at 10:40 am
When I see a 190+ pound guy run 30 or 40 yards and go straight into a flip with pursuers on his heels, I groan.
Tez, at 160 pounds, got off the ground and led into his backflip with a handspring. It looked smooth and controlled, and it seemed like a reasonably safe expression of his excitement and enthusiasm for a guy of his size with his abilities.
August 24th, 2025 at 10:43 am
“When Joe is trying to figure out which bubble players have a shot to make it, Joe tries to determine who is on an upward trajectory.”
This is why “worthless preseason games” are not worthless!!!!!! Preseason games are important to sooo many players and coaches and take them very seriously.
August 24th, 2025 at 10:43 am
Tez “I’m always open, maybe because I’m so small they lose me in the shuffle” Johnson should make the team with his performance yesterday
August 24th, 2025 at 12:41 pm
Ronde seemed to think he had made the team as punt returner heading into the game. He seemed to make the team as a receiver during the game. Of course, he averaged about 7 yards per catch. I hope the rookie running back made the team, too.
I didn’t like the Tez flip at all. One yarder, in preseason, after last week’s muff.
August 24th, 2025 at 12:50 pm
Just curious is a backflip still legal during the regular season. For awhile it seemed they wanted to take away any showmanship.
IMHO TD celebrations should be a function of time and effort. Is the celebration a smooth continuation of the play like dunking over the goal posts or doing a well executed backflip? Those are fun and fine IMHO.
Getting everybody into a rowboat to row together may seem like a great “team” thing but over involved celebrations are just too much.
T.O. was the King of TOO MUCH!
August 24th, 2025 at 5:42 pm
Cool backflip aside, on the highlight reel, Tez made a short catch on the left side and outran several defenders. People say he isn’t fast and his 40 time sucks, but on that play, he was FAST.
I really like him and his infectious joy of the game. He’s a keeper to me.
August 24th, 2025 at 7:09 pm
I like hearing Rhonde’s comments about players. But not sure how he determined that Tez will be the punt returner. He was awful against the Steelers, and was not the punt returner last night. Let’s see if Greene makes the roster and might be the punt returner to open the regular season.