Todd Bowles: Feed Sean Tucker
August 10th, 2025
Running back Sean Tucker rumbles down the sideline Saturday against the Titans.
Bucs backup running back Sean Tucker, the team’s current No. 2 running back until Rachaad White gets healthy, had an OK night last night. Had one big run of 23 yards.
Tucker is sort of a fan favorite since he was a steal in 2023, having been undrafted out of Syracuse due to a heart issue. Last year, Tucker blew up against the slimy Saints with 136 yards rushing, averaging nine yards a carry. He ended 2024 averaging six yards a carry.
After rushing for 50 yards on 13 carries with a touchdown Saturday in a worthless preseason game against the mighty Titans, and with White on the shelf for who knows how long, Bucs head coach Todd Bowles sort of gave offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard a public piece of advice this morning:
Tucker needs more touches.
“Sean brings us another explosive runner,” Bowles said. “He’s a game breaker for us. He’s got very good contact balance He can break a lot of tackles and he can naturally find holes.
“He’s very fast, but he looks so smooth doing it that you can’t really tell until he gets out in the open field, and then he’s tough to bring down.
“He has great vision, and every opportunity he’s gotten, he’s shown [up]. Like I keep telling the guys on offense, we’ve got to give him the ball more.”
Hhhmmm? Did Joe detect a slight sense of frustration over Tucker’s use/non-use? “Telling the guys on offense,” Does that include past offensive coordinators Dave Canales and Liam Coen?
Joe knows Bowles’ wish is music to Tucker’s fans, who frequent this here corner of the interwebs. And Bowles is right. When Tucker has gotten chances, at least last season, he has answered the bell.
In a big picture view, Joe suspects White will bolt after the season in free agency. No one has told Joe this, but White in the past few months has sort of had cryptic messages on social media about his future come March.
If that happens, then Tucker could become Bucky Irving’s backup, the next Bucs No. 2 back.
As far as Tucker’s playing time, could it be that Bucs offensive coordinators, past and present, believed they may be tip pitches with Tucker on the field? The numbers don’t bear that out.
Tucker had 112 offensive snaps last season and was targeted 12 times in the passing game, or 11 percent of his snaps. White logged 591 offensive snaps in 2024 and was targeted 57 times, or 9 percent of his snaps.
August 10th, 2025 at 1:34 pm
Tucker has been a steal from the get go. he was a starter at Syracuse and carried the rock consistently. he is the epitome of a team player. more chances will result in better play and better results for him and the team,
August 10th, 2025 at 1:50 pm
And Tucker had Zero carries, Zero targets against Washington
They tried that single back approach against Washington
And they lost a home playoff game
Senseless!
August 10th, 2025 at 1:55 pm
White will be a Panther in 2026. Remember you saw it here first.
August 10th, 2025 at 1:58 pm
I love a good steal, a sale, a Bogo, getting more for my money. Sean Tucker is all of that to me.
August 10th, 2025 at 2:01 pm
Speaking of good deals…One of you Joe’s spent a dollar on a gift for the Sage? Now that’s just…well…frugal?
August 10th, 2025 at 2:01 pm
Buck and Tuck! Im calling it, those two will lead the NFL in combined rushing yards this season. Go Bucs!
August 10th, 2025 at 2:04 pm
That’s a good message the day after Rachaad White goes down with a groin injury. Another message might be to not permit running backs like Rachaard to get so lean from weight loss that muscle injuries happen more easily.
August 10th, 2025 at 2:07 pm
White would go back to being the number one RB on several teams. No, I won’t be shocked if he ends up in Carolina. I wish him the best. Picturing Tucker spelling Bucky is not hard at all.
August 10th, 2025 at 2:22 pm
Did anyone see the trainer?? trying to wrap R. White’s leg on the sideline? Looked like he didn’t know what the heck he was doing! They need to take a hard look at their medical staff!
August 10th, 2025 at 2:24 pm
Rastaferian Buc is right–Buc and Tuck show with some Owen Wright mixed in please.
August 10th, 2025 at 2:27 pm
Obvious to anyone watching that Tucker is a 1000 yard rusher in the right situation. True for a couple years now. I think a lot of modern offenses are overly complex. Hand it off to talented backs and throw to the tall fast guys. This isn’t rocket science.
August 10th, 2025 at 2:30 pm
Tucker IS our best #2 RB. Ray Charles can see that. Glad to hear Bowles pushing for more carries.
August 10th, 2025 at 2:32 pm
Good teams often use a change-of-pace strategy. See Brady’s use of Legarratte Blount in the second and fourth quarters of Patriot games. Problem here is that Buck and Tuck are similar players. White has more size and weight. While he doesn’t run like an Alstott he is physical in pass pro and has improved in power running. Have been hoping the Bucs would get a road grader type but that hasn’t happened yet. So give Tuck some touches, sure, but don’t fantasize about a one-dimensional backfield.
While Tucker has skills it’s concerning how he has so many do-nothing plays. Last night he had a nice run for 23. But his average was under 4, and taking away that one run makes his night look even worse. Need more positive plays from him.
August 10th, 2025 at 2:35 pm
White will probably leave after the season. However, I doubt he’s shown enough to get a huge contract for a starting job anywhere. So, if Licht decides that his pass protection skills and dynamic receiving skills are worth a reasonable second contract, he may stay.
He really IS a serious weapon in the passing game, and he really IS a great #2 back. He ran the ball really well last year in a much-improved rushing attack with a good offensive line. So I hope he stays.
I hope Tucker gets more carries as well. We can three-head this backfield. It’ll keep the mileage low on Bucky.
August 10th, 2025 at 2:41 pm
Hey Joe, I didn’t listen to the whole game last night. How come I had to go to another Bucs blog to get the final score?
August 10th, 2025 at 2:47 pm
Who is the head coach, Todd? Maybe Todd doesn’t realize that he is the boss and ultimately accountable. It confuses him that he reports to himself, maybe he gets stuck in an infinite loop telling himself what to do and then not doing it.
If Todd wants Tucker to get more touches, why hasn’t it happened?
Same reason the Cam Ward TD drive gave up big plays over the middle to wide open receivers with Nelson and Braswell floundering in coverage. At least Cam had plenty of time to find the wide open guys, as the pass rushers were in coverage which they suck at.
Just make it happen, Todd, you’re the boss. Yes! You are.
August 10th, 2025 at 2:54 pm
Not rocket science, Tucker is home run hitter. The older gen would call him a 3 yards and a cloud of dust type RB
August 10th, 2025 at 3:08 pm
Dude could be a #1 on half of NFL teams.
August 10th, 2025 at 3:10 pm
We’re going to find out if running the ball is as important to Grizz as it was to Coen. If it is still that important, and we know we like to throw it to all 3 of these backs, well we definitely need all 3 of our backs and maybe another. Wouldn’t be surprised to see Tucker getting more rushes than White. But we need at least 3 good RBs and we’ve definitely got them.
August 10th, 2025 at 3:18 pm
Count me as a Tucker fan. It seems to me that Bowles or a reasonable facsimile was calling for Sean to get the ball more often last year, but not much came of it, even after the NO game. i also remember murmurs about ball security after he
mishandled a ball –on a kick, I think. Anyway, I’m looking forward to his getting a bigger role in the offense. He’s a hammer.
August 10th, 2025 at 3:18 pm
Lou … ‘While Tucker has skills it’s concerning how he has so many do-nothing plays. Last night he had a nice run for 23. But his average was under 4, and taking away that one run makes his night look even worse. Need more positive plays from him.’
You could say similar things for just about every RB Lou. Most productive RBs only seem to get a couple really nice, long runs in a game; and hopefully avoid negative runs.
Tucker had 13 runs for 50 yards. ONE of those runs (around right end) went for 23 yards. The other TWELVE runs only went for 27 yards combined (2.3 YPC). And of those 12, 2 runs went for 6 & 8 yards. So 10 of Sean’s 13 runs went for 13 yards total (1.3 YPC on over 3/4 of his runs). In those 10 runs, he had 3 runs of 0 yards, 2 runs of 1 yard & 1 run of minus 1 yard.
Gotta remember though, he was running behind the 2nd & 3rd team OLines. Put Wirfs, Bredeson, Graham, Mauch & Goedeke in front of him, and the mileage may vary.
August 10th, 2025 at 3:25 pm
Football is brutal, we’ll need them all at some point this season. GO BUCS
August 10th, 2025 at 3:28 pm
One of those short runs was a tough TD run that he made look easy.
August 10th, 2025 at 3:34 pm
Behind our 1st team O-line, Tucker is one of the best-looking RB’s in the entire NFL.
He was out there with our weak 2nd team OL last night.
August 10th, 2025 at 3:37 pm
Tucker could/would be RB1 on 80% of the other NFL teams.
He’s an absolute stud.
And with enough carries for eligibility, he would almost guaranteed have the highest yards-per-carry avg in the NFL.
August 10th, 2025 at 3:39 pm
If White is planning on leaving the Bucs need to stash Owen Wright on the practice squad.
August 10th, 2025 at 3:47 pm
Hey Joe, Fun game even if it’s is just preseason. I’m on the Sean Tucker band wagon , have been since his rookie season. You are probably right about White looking for less competition else where after the season. If so, Tucker seems like a more than capable player to pick up the load at RB.
August 10th, 2025 at 3:53 pm
Chow Time fer Tucker
August 10th, 2025 at 4:02 pm
I don’t know… he averaged 3.8 yards per carry, plus had one catch for 0 yards.
He had one run for 23 yards, then 12 runs for 27 yards, and people are acting like he should be starting.
He’s good in his role as a 3rd string RB, and as a guy to carry the load in the preseason.
August 10th, 2025 at 4:45 pm
You can’t make a call on Tucker based on 1 pre-season game
August 10th, 2025 at 4:59 pm
Hopefully White is back soon. Bucs need all three, especially either Wirfs out!
August 10th, 2025 at 5:22 pm
every running back including saquan and bucky have short gains before they bust one open, nobody gets 9 yards every time… it balances out, tucker is a game breaker. this offense is loaded nice problem to have
August 10th, 2025 at 5:30 pm
Last year as the season progressed I kept saying that we needed to get Bucky & Tucker more touches. Bucky ‘s touches went up but we didn’t utilize Tuck at all. Let’s Not be close minded and think it’s not a tough dilemma for a offensive coordinator, do you go with a 2 RB formation more often?, only 2 WR will be on if keeping 1 TE to block? So J-Mac & Ebuka would not be on the field wif Godwin is healthy in that formation.
August 10th, 2025 at 5:30 pm
Last year as the season progressed I kept saying that we needed to get Bucky & Tucker more touches. Bucky ‘s touches went up but we didn’t utilize Tuck at all. Let’s Not be close minded and think it’s not a tough dilemma for a offensive coordinator, do you go with a 2 RB formation more often?, only 2 WR will be on if keeping 1 TE to block? So J-Mac & Ebuka would not be on the field wif Godwin is healthy in that formation.
August 10th, 2025 at 5:43 pm
Sean won me over last year in the NO game.
I thought he was criminally under-utilized after that.
I didn’t see the game, I only saw the highlights.
It looked to me like our other two back up RBs did pretty well.
We’d be crazy to let Rachaad get away at the end of the season.
He brings a slightly different skill set than Sean and Bucky.
We really do have a three headed monster in our RB room.
Let’s hope Grizz takes the advice of the head coach and unleashes it this year.
August 10th, 2025 at 5:45 pm
“I didn’t see the game, I only saw the highlights”, meaning last night’s game.
August 10th, 2025 at 5:57 pm
Average 70-75 Offensive plays per game, Evans 7-10, Godwin 7-10, Ebuka 3-5, J-Mac 3-5, Otton 3-5, Irving 18-22, White 8-12, & Tucker 5 +
Tucker looks very hard to tackle, with his low center of gravity and thick strong build he could be another X-Factor for us. Not taking away from the other guys because they all have earned my respect, love & admiration but Tucker should get some of the touches that Shepard got, or Duram got, or even White and he ran the ball better than he ever had last year!
Please listen to Coach Bowles and don’t make him have to say it again publicly
Just find a way to get Tucker involved in the game plan and have 5-7 plays designed to take advantage of his strengths and get ready to enjoy making millions in a few years you Offensive Genius
August 10th, 2025 at 6:33 pm
the bucs will have no problem letting white go.
August 10th, 2025 at 6:36 pm
Tell me about his blitz pick-up… has he improved?
August 10th, 2025 at 6:51 pm
Bowles scares me , I don’t know if he really watches or he just makes statements………. Tucker isn’t smooth, he’s pretty jerky, jerky and doesn’t have great balance …… He gets caught allot with his pads real high and his feet not on the ground ……. He’s has some explosion when his feet are down ……. I thought Wright was by far the better runner last night .
August 10th, 2025 at 7:15 pm
They need to resign Tucker an make it the Buck an Tuck show
August 10th, 2025 at 7:38 pm
White is a far better overall RB – better blocker, receiver, and playmaker.
Bucky is our most exciting back but White earns a lot of tough yards and occasionally makes big plays. Overall he’s a very productive player.
Tucker has talent but it seems one dimensional.
August 10th, 2025 at 7:40 pm
would you take a first round pick for Tucker right now? dude’s a baller.
August 10th, 2025 at 8:29 pm
From what Joe has seen in practice, no.
August 10th, 2025 at 8:49 pm
You guys do realize that most of us here have eyes, right?
August 10th, 2025 at 9:13 pm
Warren Brooks Lynch, you nailed it. Tucker is a beast and it’d take a blind man not to see that.
August 10th, 2025 at 9:14 pm
White will be a 49’er…book it Dano
August 10th, 2025 at 9:14 pm
Soo if Tucker is #2 back now cause to the injury to white then we can’t feed him thru the last few preseason games. Might need to go get some more camp meet. Gunna need all 3 backs healthy in case white or Bucky get banged up which both missed a game last season.
August 10th, 2025 at 9:24 pm
It is a shame we don’t have a real head coach who realizes, he can actually make decisions like this.
August 10th, 2025 at 9:43 pm
Gotta get some more camp meat. But, Todd has to ask for it. He seems oblivious to injury risk, witness Chris Godwin in the Ravens collapse game, and last night’ s Rachaad White fiasco, Egbuka on a punt, and Tucker in with 5 minutes to go. Put any stooge in there. It doesn’t matter.
Mr Jack of all trades doesn’t have an answer for versatility at RB like he does on the OL, the defense with all the pass rushers dropping and the coverage guys rushing, with poor effect? Train an O-lineman to line up back there and throw bubble screens to your 26 wideouts vying for playing time.
My head hurts.
Done with this guy.
Last year’s reg season, 12-5 was the floor. Todd went sub-basement. This year should be at least a 13 win team. We’ll be lucky to win 10.
August 10th, 2025 at 10:28 pm
The nice thing about Tucker is his breakaway speed. If he gets downfield blocking and it’s as good as Bucky’s- he’s gone! The guy has 4.3 speed so nobody will be able to chase him down if he has a couple yards head start.
Bucky is more elusive and breaks more tackles. If he had Tucker’s speed he’d be the #1 RB in the NFL. It’s close even with his own speed.
If we commit to great blocking all around the hole, Tucker will bust some HUGE runs for us. LFG Bucs!
August 10th, 2025 at 11:04 pm
Again…..the head coach is the boss. If Todd wants Tucker to get more touches, so let it be written, so let it be done. When it’s not, no one will be surprised because we don’t have a real head coach. We have a once decent coordinator under BA who now isn’t a very good coordinator because he’s also not a very good head coach. And the two of them apparently can’t communicate.
August 11th, 2025 at 1:21 am
Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles is making it clear
August 11th, 2025 at 7:23 am
I am another fan all in on Tucker too.
Lt. Dan Says: “I love a good steal, a sale, a Bogo, getting more for my money. Sean Tucker is all of that to me.” Absolutely, Lt. Dan!
August 11th, 2025 at 7:24 am
We get it Aqualung, you do not approve of the Buccaneer 2025 Head coaches decisions, or his abilities, or his actual play during his own time as a NFL player. Or his Super Bowl rings… as a Player. And as a Coach. Can you find anything of HC Bowles does you do like?
4 NFC South Division Championship Baker/Brady banners? Naw, back to back to back to back Playoff games? Naw…
You sure you’re not a Falcon, Saints, Panthers fan?
August 11th, 2025 at 11:05 pm
But Rusty, Aqualung is correct. The HEAD COACH can have anyone in the game he wants.
White is valuable but, Bucky & Tucker showed that they were the Bucs’ best running backs last year, within 5 carries. The head coach now suddenly has an Epiphany.
August 11th, 2025 at 11:28 pm
Legit question… is Tucker paying people to post positive comments about him? Because the majority of comments in here can only be described as ‘retarded’.
On a night that Tucker averaged 3.8 yards per carry, which was boosted by a 7 yard run at the end of the night vs future Winn Dixie bag boys, people are claiming this game was proof that he’s an NFL starter, and he shouldn’t be traded away for even a 1st round draft pick.
So what’s the scam here? Who is getting checks, and where can I cash in on this scheme? I’m by far the most impactful and successful poster on the internet, so I bring a lot to the table and I’m willing to say anything if the cash is right. Someone point me in the right direction.