Booger McFarland Claims Bucs’ “Right Tackle” Is Not Returning
October 12th, 2025
Last week Adam Schefter mentioned on his podcast the Bucs have lost two starting offensive linemen for the season. Tonight on ESPN+, former Bucs defensive tackle Booger McFarland filled in a blank.
Schefter said the Bucs had lost two starting offensive linemen for the season with injuries, he did not mention names. Tonight, neither did Booger. However, Booger did mention a position.
While co-hosting the ESPN Sunday night NFL highlights show on ESPN+, Booger was talking about how strong the Bucs are. He did not mention right tackle Luke Goedeke or right guard Cody Mauch by name.
“And if and when [the Bucs] get healthy — I know the right tackle is not coming back, he’s on IR — but they expect everybody else back,” Booger said.
Cody Mauch tore up his knee and is not returning. There’s no official Bucs statement on Goedeke, who is also on injured reserve.
Could Booger have accidentally confused right guard with right tackle?
(Hat tip: @mattsinn)
October 12th, 2025 at 9:37 pm
W T H is the Bucs Training Staff doing in the rehab & health department?????
Why is there SO MANY injuries????
Cmon Bucs Organization…….you gotta do better!!!!
October 12th, 2025 at 9:39 pm
Geez Joe,
So much for “Freedom of speech”……
……..can’t even make a comment about the health and welfare for the players either???
Really??????
No clue what you’re talking about, but there is no freedom of speech here. Never has been. This isn’t a public street. –Joe
October 12th, 2025 at 9:40 pm
Curly Bill said it best.
“Well bye”
October 12th, 2025 at 9:40 pm
Not sure what you are referring to.
October 12th, 2025 at 9:40 pm
Do we know anything yet about the extent of Ekbua’s hamstring?
October 12th, 2025 at 9:41 pm
One Buc needs better trainers & rehabilitation programs……
I cannot remember a time when the Bucs had this many players out of the lineup….
October 12th, 2025 at 9:41 pm
No. Unlikely before tests are run on Monday.
October 12th, 2025 at 9:44 pm
Anthem, perhaps the 49ers need better trainers and rehabilitation programs? And the Bengals? And the (fill in the blank)? Contact sport. Injuries are part of the game unfortunately. Has absolutely zero to do with their trainers and rehabilitation programs. Zero.
October 12th, 2025 at 9:46 pm
Booger (🙄) could definitely be confused. But with all the chatter, if it weren’t true, you’d think they would be happy to dispel the notion. However it’s strange to me that they are ready to rule a (highly paid) guy out in week 4-5 for the rest of the season when JBF reported he was walking around in sandals(!) without a limp. Aren’t we supposed to be a super bowl contender this year? Guys can’t sack up a little bit?
October 12th, 2025 at 9:49 pm
goedeke was injured leading up to the game and by playing in that game lost him for good this year, misjudged wirfs injury , let godwin comeback with no pitch count and claim fibula injury is not connected , and 2 best wrs out with hamstring injuries.
October 12th, 2025 at 9:50 pm
Steven007 Says:
October 12th, 2025 at 9:44 pm
Anthem, perhaps the 49ers need better trainers and rehabilitation programs? And the Bengals? And the (fill in the blank)? Contact sport. Injuries are part of the game unfortunately. Has absolutely zero to do with their trainers and rehabilitation programs. Zero.
_________________
Yes, injuries happen. But when you fully stretch out all the joints consistently, to the point you can bend them almost unnaturally, injuries to those muscles and joints become very infrequent. I’ve seen team with strong S&C coaches manage to avoid most major injuries season after season. We have had so many the last 4 years that it’s clear are guys are not the best conditioned.
October 12th, 2025 at 9:50 pm
Gonna be close to a week since Schefter comment. Any journalists in the building trying to get a straight answer on Luke? This is ridiculous.
That’s not a shot at you Joe but this is a pretty important question. Ask Baker, ask Tez, ask everyone until something slips or we get a real answer.
October 12th, 2025 at 9:51 pm
@anthem way to say you don’t know what freedom of speech means without saying you don’t know what freedom of speech means. Unfortunately clowns like you get to vote.
October 12th, 2025 at 9:52 pm
Steven007 Says:
October 12th, 2025 at 9:44 pm
Anthem, perhaps the 49ers need better trainers and rehabilitation programs? And the Bengals? And the (fill in the blank)? Contact sport. Injuries are part of the game unfortunately. Has absolutely zero to do with their trainers and rehabilitation programs. Zero.
__________________________________________<<<
You're 100% wrong here
The NFL game is softer compared to the players of the 70s, 80s, and 90s…
Those players practiced just as hard as they played
Alot of NFL vets will tell you alot of these injuries in Today's NFL is due to the less conditioning of the players prior to the season start…..
October 12th, 2025 at 10:12 pm
I think Bogger meant RG. If Luke were going on IR, they would put him on IR, no?
October 12th, 2025 at 10:24 pm
Agree with you 74. I think Booger was referring to Mauch. I expect Goedeke back soon, as early as next week or after the bye at the latest. Sure hope Mike can return next week to stabilize our WR corps. Guessing you won’t see Embuka, Bucky or Godwin until after the bye. JMac is still in a neck brace so he probably won’t be back until the playoffs if that. Ugh
October 12th, 2025 at 10:39 pm
Alot of NFL vets will tell you alot of these injuries in Today’s NFL is due to the less conditioning of the players prior to the season start…..
^^^This is hilarious. No player says this. Go watch a 70s-90s game and look at what those players looked like compared to today. The share amount of partying during the season. They took the entire off season off. Today’s guys might take a week or 2 off. Some players might think that practicing in pads more often might led to better tackling early in the season.
Goedeke will be back in November latest. Booger just misspoke.
October 12th, 2025 at 10:44 pm
If Geodeke was out for the season the Bucs would’ve announced it already.
October 12th, 2025 at 10:53 pm
Bucs have repeatedly said they don’t expect Goedeke’s injury to be season ending.
October 12th, 2025 at 11:15 pm
Sounds like Booger mean RG, hopefully that’s the case.
October 12th, 2025 at 11:51 pm
Anthem, the NFL is a billion dollar industry. The franchises have among the best of the best when it comes to strength and conditioning. Ultimately, there has to be some personal responsibility as well. The trainers are with them for a specific period of time. After that it’s on the players. Add to that the physical nature of the game and there you have it. The athletes in the NFL today are the strongest and fastest they’ve ever been. It’s simple physics.
October 12th, 2025 at 11:52 pm
Luke would have had a surgery if it was season ending. They are winning so they also don’t have any reason to rush him back.
October 13th, 2025 at 12:00 am
Let’s wait until we hear it from the Bucs.
October 13th, 2025 at 12:37 am
Bucs said they were reaching out to Schefter to get feedback if he misspoke or not. That was last Wednesday.
Generally, if Joe types something wrong about a player, he hears from the Bucs. Now we have Booger saying “right tackle” is out for the season. Nothing from the Bucs. At all.
October 13th, 2025 at 12:39 am
I’ve been saying it all along. They seriously need to look into their strength & conditioning coaches, etc. because yeah there’s no way you should have this many players out.
October 13th, 2025 at 12:41 am
Any players coming out next year in the draft or as FAs that are dealing with injuries we might as well just give them a Bucs jersey because we seem to like the injured players.
October 13th, 2025 at 1:04 am
@ TheBucsAnthem – I agree that we have an incompetent training staff, and that they are below average at best. BUT, a whole lot of what you are seeing across the league on an annual basis, has to do with having MUCG stricter “injury-reports” nowadays, AND we are a lot smarter about injuries, diagnosis, treatment, & Etc. Plus, players are more aware and concerned with prolonging their careers for as long as possible. LOTS of $$$ on the line. And, owners want to PROTECT their investments, & etc. Also, I would add these modern day ‘synthetic’ turf fields are HORRIBLE. The numbers are in from High School to College and beyond… ‘Lower’ Body Injuries Have SKYROCKETED. And, teams are stating to go away from them now, especially in college. The BILLS with have ‘natural’ grass playing surface installed in their new stadium with a heating system. Teams used to hide injuries, and more players played hurt back in the 70’s and 80’s.