Adam Schefter: Bucs Target Cardinals Game For Bucky Irving Return
November 23rd, 2025
Bucs RB Bucky Irving.
Last week, Todd Bowles hinted the Bucs were looking to try to get running back Bucky Irving back on the field a week from today when the Bucs host the Cardinals.
Per uber NFL insider Adam Schefter, Bucky was really close to playing tonight. But Bucs types figured it would be in Bucky’s best interests to wait one more game.
Buccaneers RB Bucky Irving, who has not played since Week 4 vs. the Eagles due to shoulder and foot injuries, is expected to make his return next Sunday vs. the Arizona Cardinals, per sources. Irving looked strong at practice this week and might have been able to play vs. the Rams, but the team decided to hold him out, give him one more week and have him return next Sunday.
Joe doesn’t know if holding Bucky out tonight was in any way connected to the issue that the creator, curator and overall guru of Pro Football Talk, the great Mike Florio wrote about Bucky. Florio seemed to think Bucky might be out past the Cardinals’ game.
If Bucky was able to go tonight, it seems a disservice to the team not to have him suit up. But without knowing fully what is going on behind the scenes, Joe will trust the Bucs.
November 23rd, 2025 at 4:22 am
yeah maybe you sprinkle him into the rams game for a few touches…
like tucker gets when all 3 are healthy…
let tuck and rachaad carry the load, with a sprinkle of bucky
—
also i heard a stat today that was kind of alarming…i forget who said it…but they said, the bucs are 19-21 or 19-22 over the last 3 or 4 years outside of their weak division…
that’s a really bad stat to digest…and something to really think about
November 23rd, 2025 at 4:39 am
IF TRUE (rumors), Bucky failed to disclose an injured shoulder, I believe him sitting is part of punishment. Of course there could have been fines, but not disclosing injury to 1k RB by that RB had to have pissed off Jason and crew. We don’t know what the contracts say about injury disclosure.
November 23rd, 2025 at 4:53 am
Adam and Mike are both wrong seemingly as often as they’re right. For whatever reason, I find Florio more distasteful. His take on Bucky this week reeks of insider innuendo and teasing. Pandering at its finest. No thank you.
November 23rd, 2025 at 4:53 am
Adam – Agree. If Bucky comes back, yes drizzle him in with Tuck and White. They are doing great. A winning trifecta.
We have Godwin back too, let the opposing team not know what will happen next. Once we have Mike and Jalen back, it’s gonna be phenomenal.
November 23rd, 2025 at 5:49 am
Tucker should be starting regardless. Sprinkle Bucky in and use White in the slot or on 3rd down.
November 23rd, 2025 at 5:58 am
Bee – Definitely Tucker, no matter what.
November 23rd, 2025 at 6:14 am
Here’s the unflushable turd: McVay > Bowles
He just is.
And BTW, unless I missed it, why hasn’t there been any discussion about the 4th and 2 punt decision resting on that new dude Bowles hired this year to make those type decisions?
Just askin’.
Might want to ask for a refund.
November 23rd, 2025 at 6:16 am
@ Bee, Agree for sure, Tucker is the more explosive runner and seems to have got better at pass protection. White reminds me of a poor man’s Leveon Bell. Sometimes he dances around a little too much.
November 23rd, 2025 at 6:24 am
I’m trying to understand why, with all the receivers we have out, we aren’t making use of RW’s best talent–receiving. 3 targets last week, 32 thru 10 games
November 23rd, 2025 at 6:35 am
Big test tonight for Todd’s defense. Todd hasn’t shown an ability to beat the big boys in prime time. His defense has been embarassed the last two weeks. This is a prove it you fixed the mistakes your defense has been making game. No more we can’t have busts, got to get that corrected. If you can’t have a good defense with a supposed good defensive coach, it’s time to move on. A lot for Bowles to prove.
November 23rd, 2025 at 6:36 am
Drama and secrets with this team.
November 23rd, 2025 at 6:48 am
Get Gruden on the phone.
November 23rd, 2025 at 7:07 am
@Todd: 4th and two?
Hell, lets go back to 3rd and two. Make the decision (Grizz) to run the ball behind Wirfs twice. Not pass then punt. A drunk dude sitting on his Barcalounger (me) understood that was the smart play.
November 23rd, 2025 at 7:10 am
Perhaps Bucs want to see more of Tucker this week had more to do with parking the Buckmobile for one more week.
November 23rd, 2025 at 7:11 am
Hodad … ‘Big test tonight for Todd’s defense. Todd hasn’t shown an ability to beat the big boys in prime time. His defense has been embarassed the last two weeks. This is a prove it you fixed the mistakes your defense has been making game.’
You’re making a bigger deal out of this game than I am Hodad. I don’t believe that Todd can ‘fix’ this defense in 1 game. Or even in the remaining 6 games after this. We’ve got the players that we’ve got, and that’s not gonna change. Plus, Todd is Todd. He might ‘tweak things’ but it’ll always be ‘we just have to do the little things better’ with Todd.
Our pass rush is an obvious weakness. Stafford’s an excellent QB IMO, and with good protection he’ll chew us up in the passing game. Our ILBs have really struggled this season, in both the Passing game (LVD 78.0% Completions Allowed & SVD 87.5%) as well as in Missed Tackles (SVD leads the team with 11 for 14.7%, while LVD has 10 for 12.5%).
Our Secondary is a whole different matter. McCollum isn’t the answer, even though he’s got great size (6’2″ & 199 lbs) and speed (4.33 sec). He’s allowed 60.0% completions & 4 TDs (most on the team). Curiously he’s only got 4 PDs this year; last season he had 17 PDs in 1056 def snaps, so he’s waaay down.
Morrison still lacks confidence it looks like. He’s got good size also (6′ & 190 lbs) and also has excellent speed (4.39 sec 40-yd dash). His Completion Percentage Allowed (60.9%) is almost identical to McCollum’s. On the good side he hasn’t been charged with allowing any TDs yet, but only has 3 PDs in the 7 games he’s played in.
It’s a shame that Jamel Dean got hurt (yet again), but I think Parrish will open some eyes playing outside. Also hopeful that Izien finds his way back onto the field tonight as a Nickel. He’s shown the ability in the past to make some rather dramatic big plays.
November 23rd, 2025 at 7:15 am
I’d doesn’t matter who’s in the backfield. You’re not going to get a much better performance than Tucker gave last week. Yet, the Bucs still lost because this coach has more faith in his bottom half of the league defense than his offense. Don’t worry though the over corrections will come tonight, expect Bowles to go for it on 4th and 32 from his own 7 yard line in the first quarter.
November 23rd, 2025 at 7:30 am
The 3rd and 4th and 2 remind me of Seattle not going Beast mode in the Super Bowl against the Patriots.
To do it in back to back plays shows how Grizz and Bowles didn’t realized how necessary it was at the moment.
I think Bowles told the Game Mgr. assistant thanks but no thanks we are punting!
SMH
November 23rd, 2025 at 7:57 am
The only way I’m passing on 3rd and 2 is if we’re going for it on 4th
November 23rd, 2025 at 8:00 am
What no Rod? If you draft a college kid you will suck for a long time. Even if you trade for a QB it can blow up in your face. See, dw. At this point Baker is the best option so you work with what you have. What seems to be working the best around the league is the reclamation projects. Bake started b the trend. Then Darno and now the Indy 500 guy. Rookies care struggling such as,Cam . Running QBs don’t last such as the Commando guy. Mah and Action Jack are declining. Bright spots,are may and Bo but rookies care still a scrap shoot.
November 23rd, 2025 at 8:07 am
On draft night I was in the stadium on the 10 yard line at Ray Jay watching the picks roll in. Recording the scene, I literally dropped my phone when we selected EE. With so many needs on D and a stocked O, my first reaction was shock, then immediately that Godwin’s injury was worse than we’d heard. We need premier D talent and we just don’t have it. Bang on Todd all you want, but that’s just not gonna change overnight.
November 23rd, 2025 at 8:15 am
And for those that want to change scheme, let’s play that out. Say we bring in a D coordinator that brings a new scheme with him. How successful will he be with Tier II talent. We’d still have to turnover that side of the roster.
November 23rd, 2025 at 8:27 am
Yeah that’s what it is – Bucs are parking by far their best running back who is a true difference maker, because they want to see what Sean Tucker has for another week. I’m blown away by some of these opinions I see from people whether on Instagram, fb or on here. Like, I don’t know how you’re a fully functioning adult coming from a place that is so outrageously dumb.
November 23rd, 2025 at 8:35 am
I’m okay with Bucky sitting another week. The Bucs will lose either way because McVay and Stafford absolutely own Bowles. We could score 50 tonight with Bucky in there and it still won’t matter. Take the Rams and the points.
November 23rd, 2025 at 8:46 am
DR, two things the Bucs have in their favor: the trio of EE2, Chris G, and Tez, and the Defensive Secondary. No one including this site expects them to win. That’s another plus. However, they will have to outwit the refs as well as the Rams. I’m an OG fan, and think they can. I’ve listened to them do it over the years. Go Bucs!!
November 23rd, 2025 at 9:00 am
This team is in no position to bench star players for conduct..fines yes…and after we lose tonight, this team better pull their heads out of their asses, and go on a win streak, because what seemed like easy outs are getting tougher by the day!
November 23rd, 2025 at 9:20 am
@Gofortheface30, love your takes.
November 23rd, 2025 at 9:25 am
see…now i would suit bucky up tonight and have him active…
keep the rams on their toes…
just sprinkle him in…maybe another nice long throw or two down the field…why not…something where his shoulders don’t automatically take a head on collision…
a screen pass, a sweep to the outside…use him carefully – even as a decoy potentially…
just don’t sent the little fella up the gut like alstott…
even next week, no need to bang him around hellaciously between the tackles…ease the young man back in…
the fresher bucky is come playoff time, the better for the entire offense
November 23rd, 2025 at 9:36 am
DR: “I don’t believe that Todd can ‘fix’ this defense in 1 game. Or even in the remaining 6 games after this. We’ve got the players that we’ve got, and that’s not gonna change. Plus, Todd is Todd.”
Todd is Todd. The problem IS Todd. It is NOT the “We’ve got the players that we’ve got”
The only way to fix at least some of it is to adjust to what your players do BEST. To NOT have our OLBs covering WRs and RBs. To NOT have VV dropping into coverage. What happened to scheming to a player’s strengths??? I just don’t get it. Does Todd have Yaya and Nelli practice covering ME and Ebuka in practice so they learn how to do that??
I give up on Todd, finally. He needs to “coach them up better” bc “he is a genius DC” and that sounds better then to admit his scheme is F-ing ridiculous. Yes, having our OLBs in coverage catches the Offense off guard, so that 8 yard run/pass turns into a 30 yard TD with a trailing Anthony Nelson or Yaya. Brilliant.
And if Todd is so F-ing brilliant, why can’t he develop a wicked DE? JL has certainly invested a lot in providing him personal to get JUST ONE good pass rusher.
Sorry for the rant, this is one of the most disappointing seasons bc of coaching.
November 23rd, 2025 at 10:13 am
I like Bucky a lot, but I’m really sick of hearing about when this guy is coming back. Wtf actually happened this dude to require this much time off the field? Bucky is very good at making people miss, good vision, and very shifty, but I’m rolling with tucker. He’s not as shifty and all but he’s more of a threat to take it to the house. His long speed is a lot greater, can catch passes and more, just hasn’t had a real opportunity until last week.
November 23rd, 2025 at 10:34 am
On November 23rd, 2020 the Buccaneers lost to the Rams to fall to 6-5. It was the last loss of a three game losing streak.
Not saying we’re getting a boat parade next year, but I thought it was a fun fact.
P.S. We also had a DL injured early in the year show up for the playoffs.
November 23rd, 2025 at 10:57 am
“Won’t play anytime soon”
Mike florio
November 23rd, 2025 at 11:46 am
You got this Bucky!
We all have “stuff”.. no shame. Wishing Bucky the best and the best for him as a person
November 23rd, 2025 at 12:20 pm
We’ve seen RBs seperate and/or dislocate shoulders and return in 1-4 weeks. What the actual F is going on with this team in its injuries. I swear to God someone on the training staff has Munchhausen by proxy. How does the guy miss nine weeks because of a shoulder injury? Godwin missing another eight weeks after missing a year because of our hurt fibula… I mean what F is going on
November 23rd, 2025 at 12:32 pm
It’ll be interesting to see how Bucky is re-established in this offense. Doesn’t need to play the majority of the snaps. Grizzard gets another crack at having the RB room back with our top 3 guys and this time around, I hope he’s intent on mixing everything up between them.
Don’t think we beat the Rams without committing to and sticking with the run, whether we’re in the hole or we happen to get at least a possession ahead on the scoreboard. Verse and that Rams front can’t play monkey wrench to our pass game if they’ve been chasing our RBs around the tackle box.
November 23rd, 2025 at 2:05 pm
Anyone who believes Todd rises to the occasion is smoking way too early. Todd spent the better part of the week working on excuses.
November 23rd, 2025 at 6:19 pm
“Joe will trust the Bucs.”
Right… because the organization has really been on top of it when it comes to player health and injuries
🙄🙄🙄