Todd Bowles: No Update On Jalen McMillan
August 17th, 2025
Tests continue.
UPDATED: Joe is guessing no news is good news. For now.
In his morning-after presser today, Todd Bowles discussed last night’s 17-14 win over the Steelers in Pittsburgh and the big incident that happened in the game: the injury to No. 2/No. 3/No. 4 receiver Jalen McMillan.
The Washington product took an ugly tumble after skying to catch a Teddy Bridgewater pass. McMillan was hit as he was in midair and landed on his head. It was much uglier on replay than it appeared live (Joe thoought initially McMillan landed on his back and may have had the wind knocked out of him). McMillan held on for a first-down onn 3rd-and-long.
Last night Joe heard McMillan tell his teammates he sprained his neck.
The Bucs have not released official injury information — and are not obligated to until the immediate days before Week 1 against Atlanta.
This morning, Bowles said the medical staff is still running tests. In fact, Bowles admitted he has not yet been given any sort of best-case/worst-case update on McMillan.
“They haven’t given me any scenario yet,” Bowles said.
Last night Bowles said he knew McMillan hurt his back and was being evaluated for a concussion, but other than that, he wasn’t sure. Joe caught video of McMillan heading to the locker room wearing a neck brace.
Jalen McMillan in a neck brace. pic.twitter.com/mUjlwn9OHv
— JoeBucsFan (@JoeBucsFan) August 17, 2025
August 17th, 2025 at 9:50 am
He posted an Instagram that he was “Str8”. It sounded like he thought he was ok. He thanked God.
August 17th, 2025 at 9:54 am
I am old enough to remember when people thought the Bucs were dumb for drafting EE in the first round
August 17th, 2025 at 10:00 am
3 weeks to heal
I am sure he is sore and stiff this morning and didn’t get much sleep last night
August 17th, 2025 at 10:03 am
I feel like JMac took this exact type of hit/fall last year (Dallas game?) but didn’t come down with the ball.
Sucks for the injury
August 17th, 2025 at 10:13 am
EE great pick, but Jihaad Campbell looking amazing lately. sack first drive this week. lead news on eagles pages, etc. looks like either way we were gonna get a great player. EE might be one of a kind, looks that way to me, but Jihaad might be too.
August 17th, 2025 at 10:33 am
I think it looked worse than what it was, but it was still bad. Let the kid rest as he has looked good in limited time. Let’s see more of the “others”, we’ve got plenty of those still.
August 17th, 2025 at 10:48 am
Anyone saw the buccaneers website interviews, EE claims McMillan was around the locker-room joking more than anyone else. Sounds like at the very least he’ll be ready to go by week 1.
August 17th, 2025 at 10:50 am
Could have been bad
August 17th, 2025 at 11:28 am
Low IQ individuals are blaming Teddy for this as if Jmac is the first WR to go up for a catch and come down awkwardly. The pass was where it had to be to be caught and not picked off. Great play all around
August 17th, 2025 at 11:32 am
Honestly Joe if they thought he broke his neck or had a spinal cord injury then he would be at the hospital still. He will undoubtedly have an mri today or tomorrow and the brace will not come off till that is resulted to the Doctor. A fresh broken neck is painful and not likely to be easy to walk around although JPP had a transverse fracture and that type is less serious. Preseason is over for Jalen, he has a concussion certainly so keeping still with neck brace is beneficial.
August 17th, 2025 at 11:36 am
Porter is a scumbag for that hit. Purposely extended his arms and flipped him. A low life cheap shot steeler like his father. I’d say the same if a bucs player did that to an opponent. The league is worried about hip drops, that type of hit could leave you in a chair for life.
August 17th, 2025 at 11:58 am
Jeffrey Becker I was noticing the same about jihaad, wondering if Jason Lichts comments about Devin kind of influenced that decision
August 17th, 2025 at 12:11 pm
am I wrong about the rule hitting a defence less player is a penalty?
if feet are not on the ground defencive player can not let loose on a receiver in the air? or am I incorrect?
August 17th, 2025 at 12:26 pm
@QB whisperer
There’s nothing in the framework of the defenseless player rule for contact with receivers mid-air, yet. It was incidental, JMac made the catch by leaving his feet and I’m guessing it’d be hard to enforce that rule because of how specific the circumstances are.
Freak play at the end of the day.
August 17th, 2025 at 12:50 pm
Like others commenting, watching Jalen flip like he did looked horrifying. So glad he walked out with Mike and Grizz. That video of them calmed a lot of nerves. Thank you, Joe. Jalen is definitely sore today. We fans are worried about him and hopefully they will tell us a little bit more sooner.
August 17th, 2025 at 1:36 pm
Why the hell was JMac even playing in the game? And I was shocked to see Bucky in there for the first 2 series. Especially with Rashad getting hurt in the last game. Preseason is not for starters. It’s for the FedEx drivers and gas station attendants trying to make the team. The starters get enough work in practice and scrimmages. And right now JMac is our #3 receiver which I consider a starter. Glad his injury wasn’t worse but guessing his status for Atlanta is iffy at best.
August 17th, 2025 at 3:35 pm
I haven’t seen it said yet but my first impression watching the above video, other than relief that McMillan is walking under his own power, was that is pretty cool that Evans was escorting his teammate. Pretty cool.