Sterling Shepard Has Saved Bucs
September 27th, 2025
Two years ago, Baker Mayfield coaxed his old pal and former Sooners teammate Sterling Shepard off the couch to join the Bucs. Mayfield thought Shepard had juice left.
Drafted in the second round by the Giants in 2018, Shepard’s last couple of seasons in New Jersey were marred by injuries. It looked like maybe he was done with the NFL.
While Shepard got injured in Bucs training camp and initially didn’t make the 53-man squad, the Bucs kept him on the practice squad and he was soon elevated to the active roster.
As it turned out, Shepard has saved the Bucs. Because the team has been hammered by injuries at receiver the past two seasons, Shepard has played an important role. He’s also represented a piece of stability for Mayfield.
This year the same thing has happened: Receivers have been injured and Shepard has provided a reliable veteran presence for Mayfield to lean on.
How reliable has Shepard been this year? Through three games, Sterling has the second-highest first-down-per-target rate (60 percent) of all wide receivers with at least 15 targets.
With Mike Evans out for a couple of weeks, and Chris Godwin’s status unknown for the Eagles game on Sunday, Shepard will probably play an important role again.
“The ball, it finds him at the right time,” Bucs offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard said this week. “It’s all about the communication with him. It’s really cool to see from him and Baker [Mayfield] just because they’ve been doing it so long, going all the way back to Oklahoma, that they’re on the same page.
“They can just look at each other and know exactly what the other one’s thinking.”
Shepard may be past his prime. Once upon a time with the Giants he would get over 100 targets in a season. Those days are long gone.
Still, with the Bucs always banged up, Shepard provides Mayfield with security knowing he still has someone he can trust when he drops back to pass.
September 27th, 2025 at 12:11 am
Dude is one of my favorite players on the team. He’s all energy all the time. He’s a great teammate. He makes plays. He’s a Dog fighting out there for his team. Thank you to the NY Littles for letting a good one walk away. We will.gladly take him!. Go BUCS
September 27th, 2025 at 12:19 am
Through three games, Sterling has the second-highest first down per target rate (60 percent) of all wide receivers with at least 15 targets.
**********************************************************
Is this just for us, or is this a league wide stat?
Either way, happy to have him on the team. He’s definitely putting it all out there!
September 27th, 2025 at 12:28 am
He’s got that Baker energy, which helps everyone.
September 27th, 2025 at 1:01 am
Good point!
September 27th, 2025 at 1:23 am
Yeah he is an extension of Bakers moxy. He really plays tough and the big moments aren’t too big for him. I really great pickup and he’s been much better than I thought he’d be. Our receivers room is just crazy good.
September 27th, 2025 at 1:39 am
He is still the best route runner on the Bucs ,,,,, he is a stud and it’s only his jackassahtude and injuries that have kept him from being a #1/ 1B ………NFL teams don’t like unpredictable players that are not top 5 at position …….. great find by Baker but he is an angry emotional disaster waiting to happen and his agent must have zero control ………. an FYI, he looks to be as fast / quick and in as good as shape as he has been and his whole career…….. if you were to put ship one on one with quarterbacks along with double E and Chris Godwin, he would not finish third in the competition many times…… just give a borderline attitude and anger receiver, some props
September 27th, 2025 at 2:00 am
Not only that, but I have seen many clips of him, in game, praising and hyping up his teammates. Particularly Mike Evans and Egbuka. The guy comes off as genuine, likable and a great teammate. Not to mention he’s playing great. Very happy that he’s a Buc.
September 27th, 2025 at 4:08 am
Absolutely love the way that Shep plays the game. No question in my mind why Baker wanted him on the Bucs; he produces & he’s got a passion for the game that rivals Baker’s. Was looking at Shep’s stats thru our 3 games this season (super impressive BTW), and came across a few things I’d never read or heard before, such as …
o Sterling spent 4 years (2012-2015) at the University of Oklahoma, but actually only got to play with Baker in 2015. Shep was definitely Baker’s go-to receiver that year though (86 receptions in 13 games for 1286 yards & 11 TDs). THAT’S PRODUCTION.
o Sterling’s dad, Derrick Shepard, was also a WR, and was also a Sooner (played for them 1983-1986, and was on their 1985 National Championship team). He played for the Redskins (1987-1988), Saints (1989) & Cowboys (1989-1991) for 5 NFL years, coached at a couple of schools after that, and then became a WR coach at the University of Wyoming. He passed away at the age of 35 in 1999 (heart attack playing racquetball).
o Derrick was a punt returner on the 1987 Washington Redskins team that won the Super Bowl … a teammate of Todd Bowles. That Redskins’ defense BTW made 23 interceptions that regular season, plus another 7 INTs in their 3 playoff games. No wonder Todd likes interceptions so much (Todd had 4 INTs that year BTW). Thought that 23 must be a record, but it’s not even close … the 1961 Chargers had 49 INTs.
September 27th, 2025 at 4:35 am
Shep is doing great and is definitely reliable. He and Baker do have a long and great connection. So happy he was brought in.
Love the positive comments above about Shep!
September 27th, 2025 at 6:01 am
Shep is playing lights out this year, and he’s been real clutch when we’ve needed first downs.
He also seems to have gotten the jitters that plagued him last year with penalties under control.
Kudos to him for being willing to take a spot on the practice squad in 2023 and stick it out. A lot of other former #1 WRs wouldn’t have done that.
He’s a great addition to the team!
September 27th, 2025 at 6:09 am
Vanessa Anne – Well said and absolutely true.
September 27th, 2025 at 6:21 am
@heyjude
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
September 27th, 2025 at 6:50 am
I wanted the dude gone after last years drops and penalties but he’s really become clutch and I’m glad he stuck around! Love the fire as long as he keeps it under control!
September 27th, 2025 at 6:53 am
Shepard, like a character actor in movies, is one of those guys who comes out of nowhere to make a big play, thereby stealing a scene.
You almost forget they’re there, on the team or in the movie, then boom. They suddenly appear to make something big happen the you’re thankful for their presence.
September 27th, 2025 at 6:56 am
“the” = “and” in the last sentence.
We all make errors, but I loathe them.
September 27th, 2025 at 6:58 am
shep and bake are simply on the same page…
maybe shep will have a big year if CG is slow to come around post injury…
shep might be just what the doctor ordered
September 27th, 2025 at 7:15 am
Hope Godwin plays, but we need another receiver to step up. Who’s it going to be?
September 27th, 2025 at 7:16 am
we need this guy with all the receivers hurt… he blocks well too…. if Ryan Miller had kept up his block on that long scramble baker could have scored a td he only had one man to beat
September 27th, 2025 at 7:20 am
Defense Rules, most Okies know about Shep and his father and uncles. Class with a capital C. Thanks for the info. Go Bucs!
September 27th, 2025 at 7:23 am
Turns out, Baker was not just promoting his buddy for the sake of their friendship. Shep has Shepped-up for Baker and the Bucs. Reminds me of an Antonio Brown lite with his energy, but not as over the top crazy as Brown.
September 27th, 2025 at 7:28 am
I hate counting chickens before they hatch, but if we light enough candles and do enough good deeds can we see what this WR corps will look like in the 2nd half of the season when they are all healthy?
JMac is coming.
September 27th, 2025 at 7:34 am
Ain’t never gonna be any Meshawns on this team
September 27th, 2025 at 7:35 am
I’ve sort of been thinking this all along but the last game just nailed it for me.
Totally agree with the Joess and all the others here.
To win a SB IMHO a LOT of things have to fall into place. The stars have to perform like stars. AW JR has returned. Last season I felt he was the biggest loss. His return this season and performance is back to top safety in the league level.
Health and depth. So far the Bucs have avoided losses caused by injury. That may change this week if TW can’t go. But it’s only one game.
Dirk Koetter’s famous “glue” players need to be on the team and performing. Can you say Cade Otton? Shep of course. There are a couple of others.
In fact I’m curious. Who do you believe is the unheralded guy who adds more than he gets credit for?
September 27th, 2025 at 7:37 am
Oops forgot my most important SB ingredient. LUCK!!!
So far the Bucs have done well in that department. Not as in having it, but surviving the bad bounces and bad calls which seem to have been numerous this year. That’s great perhaps the Bucs are now due some good luck instead of Buc luck
September 27th, 2025 at 7:57 am
MJ how about that TE block on the edge that lasted about 15 yards? awesome blocking on that play all the way around by the target corps
September 27th, 2025 at 8:47 am
He’s doing great,, Hopefully come December he will be 5th on the depth chart ,,, until then he is 2 or 3
September 27th, 2025 at 8:52 am
some other guys quietly saving us — Heck leads NFL in OT block win rate. Brederson is 3rd in IOL pass block win rate. Mike Jordan 18th. Elijah Roberts tied with Jalen Carter for 3rd in DT pass rush win rate. Hasson fifth in edge run stop win rate. other names prominent on lists include former Bucs Hainsey, Skule. incredible contributions from the Sheps of our world.
September 27th, 2025 at 9:04 am
He Is A DAWG!
September 27th, 2025 at 9:54 am
He kept the season afloat last year when we were decimated with WRs injuries, sort of like now! And had a huge catch on final Jets drive to make fg easier…silent hero
September 27th, 2025 at 10:06 am
He makes vital, critical plays. Yes last year he suffered from being over amped sometimes and it hurt the team a few times, but he also made critical playe last year. His refusing to be tackled WR screen to get us into FG range after Todd’s foot came down with gout was ferocious.
He’s playing young. He looks like he did in his early Giant years.
And to think there are maroons that wanted him gone.
September 27th, 2025 at 11:03 am
Another thing beyond Shep’s dependability is this past game he had a decent amount of YAC.
I’ll take that all day!
September 27th, 2025 at 11:11 am
Aqualung and to think there are maroons that want Todd gone. And can’t post anything without mentioning Todd.
September 27th, 2025 at 12:15 pm
@DR, thanks for all the bio on Shep. Since I don’t follow college, it was all new and very interesting to me. I love the way he has been playing, and he is also one of my favorite speakers on the team.
September 27th, 2025 at 1:31 pm
i get this feeling Shepard may be our most secret weapon. Look for him to light’em up on Sunday.
September 28th, 2025 at 4:49 am
Shepard has not played in a game yet that was more important than this one. It is doubtful that Godwin will be in full form if he starts. Evans is out. O line is question mark filled. Depending on He, Buka. Otton and others to pick up the slack.
Go Bucs!
September 28th, 2025 at 9:34 am
Just from reading this and following Bucs, I can tell you Feisty Bake got on the horn with Shep, and they discussed me-first attitude. Baker flatly told him THAT would not fly on this team. Shep listened and followed up. He’s been clutch, no doubt about it. Plus, no diva rumblings. I wish I could get a feel for this one. I can’t. May the best team win WITHOUT THE ZEBS BUTTING IN! Go Bucs!!