Bucky Irving’s Workload
October 1st, 2025
Bucs RB Bucky Irving.
Last week when Bucs offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard held his weekly press conference, Joe asked Grizzard about the number of carries that Bucky Irving was getting.
Bucky toted the rock 25 times against the Jets. Joe thought that was a lot so early in the season. Especially when you consider Bucky is not exactly a Derrick Henry-sized F-250 pickup from Bill Currie Ford.
Grizzard told Joe it was a week-to-week decision on how many carries to give Bucky. Grizzard didn’t seem the least bit fazed that a little guy like Bucky could be a bellcow back.
If Bucky couldn’t handle the workload, Grizzard reasoned, Bucky’s body would let the Bucs know.
Is Bucky’s body already letting the Bucs know?
Last night it was learned that Bucky is seeking additional opinions on his injured ankle on which he MRI exams this week. Guys who are only going to miss a couple of practices or maybe a game generally do not seek out further opinions. So this doesn’t sounds bad to Joe.
Last year in his first four games, Bucky carried the rock 9, 7, 9 and 10 times for a total of 35 carries. This year? Try 14, 17, 25 and 15 for a total of 71 carries. That’s damn near twice the workload.
Bucky never broke 10 carries in a game last year until his first start in Week 6 at the slimy Saints. He had 14 runs.
Bucky did have 25 carries in a game last year and that was the overtime win at Carolina. Only one other time did Bucky have 20 carries in a game — 20 against Carolina in Week 16
Joe doesn’t know if Bucky can carry roughly double the workload he did last year.
Perhaps Bucky’s body is trying to tell the Bucs something?
This year, just eyeballing games, it seems Grizzard is less driven to get Rachaad White touches for whatever reason.
October 1st, 2025 at 5:20 am
Grizz Was slamming Bucky up the “futile poop shoot” (up the well guarded gut) a bit much.
It was becoming Obvious that Bucky was wearing down and Needed a break. And the weaker you get, the more susceptible you are to injury..It was also pretty Obvious that up the gut Wasn’t Working. The eagles tackling was dead on All Game. Hopefully our defense picked up a few tips on just how you SHOULD tackle LIKE A PRO…
Not great play calling there and probably due to Grizz being a rookie OC..
With experience, you learn to “read the room”.
October 1st, 2025 at 5:23 am
They’re gonna treat Bucky like the niners do CMC get him as many touches as possible, and rightfully so he’s the best playmaker on this team.
October 1st, 2025 at 5:28 am
We are supposed to have a good RB trio. Give a few carries to White and Tucker.
Its a long season dont run Bucky to the ground.
October 1st, 2025 at 5:30 am
@Joe
Close, but Derrick Henry is a full size F 350 Super Cab Heavy Duty with Duallies.
October 1st, 2025 at 5:43 am
Use all of our Running backs. Stroke of Genius!
October 1st, 2025 at 5:46 am
I saw that press conference and heard you ask that question, Joe.
I fell out of my chair when Grizz gave you that answer.
Obviously, we want our best players on the field as much as possible.
But, with the talent in our RB room, Grizz really had me scratching my head.
At this point, all any of us can do is hope Bucky’s injury isn’t too serious and we’ll see him back on the field sooner rather than later.
Ideally sharing the workload with Rachaad, Sean and Josh.
October 1st, 2025 at 5:52 am
And they keep blowing off Tucker as well. Is he Bucky? No? Is he Rashaad? No. But he has his thing. He has looser ball security … maybe. But that can be coached out of him.
Coaches always do this. Cadillac Williams anyone ? He averaged 20 and he broke down in record time. When you have a deep room maybe you should manage that better.
October 1st, 2025 at 6:13 am
Why keep 4 f@$5ing running backs! To have great special teams?! Some of their decisions are selfish and/or retarded – Coen 3-1 – Bowles 3-1 the hindsight watch is on
October 1st, 2025 at 6:35 am
Just add Bucky to the long list of wounded Buccaneers. Wait till Sunday when Seattle beats us like rag dolls. Todd will come up to the mic and tell us the communication was bad and the execution was off. Let the annual losing streak begin.
October 1st, 2025 at 6:48 am
Not sure it’s Buckys body is telling us anything. Your body doesn’t have much say when someone decides to hip drop tackle you and your foot gets caught up in the carnage. He’s injured like Godwin was, not because the work of is to much but because of an illegal tackle.
October 1st, 2025 at 7:04 am
Check your math Joe, 71 carries vs 35 carries is double, not nearly double. Regardless, I’m sure glad we didn’t let Rachaad go, as many fans on this site were lobbying for.
October 1st, 2025 at 7:12 am
THROW the damn ball. It sets up the running game and protects the RBs from constant pounding.
October 1st, 2025 at 7:35 am
Start using the other backs more. White has actually been pretty decent running the ball this year. Not sure why we are running Bucky to the ground but we will need him for rest of the season and playoffs.
October 1st, 2025 at 7:43 am
More touches for White and Tucker. White dropped his weight in the offseason and he seems a little quicker this year and running better. It seems Tuck can only catch a pitch and run wide – according to Grizz? RB coach Skip Peete needs to get Tuck on the field – maybe he’s concerned about Tuck’s pass pro?
October 1st, 2025 at 7:45 am
I personally would like to see Sean Tucker every once and awhile and even the kind out of LSU that was running crazy in the preseason I think he is a special teamer now.
Also along the same lines is the offensive tackle we played a lot in the preseason the Nigerian kid who is really talented #70 out of the question to replace Heck who is not good to put it nicely.
Just a thought but I will leave it up to the experts I mean our O-Line coach is top notch so there must be a reason.
October 1st, 2025 at 8:02 am
I remember this time last year everyone was complaining Bucky was not getting enough carries.
October 1st, 2025 at 8:04 am
You’ve got to be kidding me. Those carry numbers are normal for an elite starting back. Next.
October 1st, 2025 at 8:05 am
I remember when Cadillac Williams came to us, that star went out very fast
October 1st, 2025 at 8:09 am
So if we are worried about Bucky’s snaps, why do we worry about Vita Vea having less?
October 1st, 2025 at 8:10 am
Joe probably bet big money on Rachad White or something.
October 1st, 2025 at 8:44 am
And that’s not including his receptions. We have talent at RB let’s start using ALL OF IT!!
October 1st, 2025 at 9:04 am
“Bucky did have 25 carries in a game last year and that was the overtime win at Carolina. Only one other time did Bucky have 20 carries in a game and that was 20 on the button, again, against Carolina in Week 16“
That’s a clip of Bucky walking to the lockerroom with an obvious limp and heating pads on after this game, we won, but yea he got beat the hell up. Grizzard was on the team then
October 1st, 2025 at 9:14 am
I been screaming this all year! He’s not suitable to be our #1 back he’s a great player but r white body and pass blocking is superior. Bucky can change the game when he’s used as a change of pace back! He will still get the production because he’s talented af !
October 1st, 2025 at 10:14 am
This does not appear to be our year. Too many injuries.
October 1st, 2025 at 10:15 am
Look at Bucky and then look at Vea. Then get back to Joe.
October 1st, 2025 at 10:28 am
Tucker didn’t play because he can’t block, & we needed blockers
October 1st, 2025 at 10:45 am
“Look at Bucky and then look at Vea. Then get back to Joe.“
😂😂😂😂
October 1st, 2025 at 10:59 am
Fox sports reporting Bucky seen in walking boot with crutches 😱😱😱
October 1st, 2025 at 11:08 am
Didnt matter if he had two carries when you ankle gets bent like his did it’s going to be an injury.
October 1st, 2025 at 11:36 am
Rachaad white will be this week’s angry runner again, this time against the Seahawks again but not in Munich this go round….and not running Dave Canales offense should be a 2 td day for him easy
October 1st, 2025 at 1:29 pm
Sit BI7 in Seattle. Play RW1 and ST44! Rest that ankle!! All will be good.
October 1st, 2025 at 1:38 pm
We legit bring back Wirfs and Godwin just to lose Bucky and Evans. What use is predicting or even betting on games when there are so many moving pieces non stop all the time. Literally will never know how good this team is when we’re consistently missing multiple key players. And yes, missing McMillan for over half the season was a MAJOR factor to wherever we go from here
October 1st, 2025 at 1:52 pm
White can more than handle 10 to 14 touches a game
October 1st, 2025 at 2:59 pm
Tucker has shown he can catch as well as run. Bet Bucky has a broken foot. Hopefully, that little setback will rattles Grizzard’s brain for Sunday.
October 1st, 2025 at 5:49 pm
When you compare Bucky Irving to Walter Payton and Barry Sanders. These three backs are very close in height and weight. Because Payton and Sanders were so gifted, each of them carried the ball 20-25 times per game over the course of their careers.
Right now Bucky’s carry per game average is a little over 13. But, we all know how good he is, and we should not be too surprised if his average number of carries per game rises to the level of the sweetness and Barry Sanders !!
Go Bucs !!
October 1st, 2025 at 9:40 pm
NOT SOLD ON GIZ .WAY TO MANY CARRIES WHEN YOU HAVE TUCKER AND WHITE IN THE WINGS ! THEN THETE ARE THE TIGHT ENDS ,AND YHEN AGAIN WERE WAS PASSING AND ROLL OUTS OR BOOTLEGS IN THE FIRST HALF . I DONT GET THIS GUY .DID HE NOT WATCH FILM ON LAST YEARS OFFENCE ???!!WHAT IS GOING ON .IS IS THAT FAR OVER HI A HEAD ?
October 1st, 2025 at 9:47 pm
NOT SOLD ON GIZ .WAY TO MANY CARRIES WHEN YOU HAVE TUCKER AND WHITE IN THE WINGS ! THEN THERE ARE THE TIGHT ENDS ,AND THEN AGAIN WERE WAS PASSING AND ROLL OUTS OR BOOTLEGS IN THE FIRST HALF . I DONT GET THIS GUY .DID HE NOT WATCH FILM ON LAST YEARS OFFENCE ???!!WHAT IS GOING ON ? .IS IT THAT FAR OVER HIS HEAD ? I THOUGHT I WAS WATCHING BYRON LEFTWITCH OFFENCE IN THE FIRST HALF . THAT WONT CUT IT ! THAT OR BOWLES HAD HIS THUMB ON THE SCALE ! WOULD NOT PUT IT PAST HIM .LOOKED WAY TO FAMILIAR !
October 2nd, 2025 at 5:54 am
Get Bucky the ball in space, then he dictates the contact for the tackle which is minimal due to his elusiveness. Not a between the tackles dive and counter runner. His position: “Bucky Back”.