Maybe The Play Of Training Camp
August 19th, 2026
Huge catch.
Today’s play of the day came from none other than a rookie who has yet to take a snap in a regular-season game.
And Joe could make a good argument this play wasn’t just the play of the day or the play of the week, it was the play of training camp.
Bucs rookie wide receiver Ted Hurst, for a split second, had Jalen McMillan’s fateful play in Pittsburgh flash in Joe’s mind. Baker Mayfield was looking for six. He waited, pumped twice, and sailed a pass that almost appeared to be a throwaway down the right hashmarks.
But out of nowhere came Hurst. He showed off his basketball skills on his 6-4 frame, skied higher than high and came down with the ball.
Think Dwight Clark, only it wasn’t in the back of the end zone.
Joe hates to compare Hurst to Mike Evans and other fans don’t like it, either. It’s not fair to Hurst. But that Hurst catch was just the type of play you often saw Evans sell out for.
When Joe told Hurst it was a damn impressive catch, he asked Joe, “Which one are you talking about, the one over the middle?”
But that’s Hurst. He’s such a hard-working, humble guy,
“It was just situational football,” Hurst said, pooh-poohing the play. “Just trying to make a play in the end zone. Just trying to seize my opportunities.”
After the play, Joe thought maybe Mayfield threw it high on purpose, knowing if Hurst had a shot, he might make the play.
Hurst’s only response was, “We were trying to score.”
What made the catch spectacular was that Hurst outfought Antoine Winfield for the ball. Winfield, of course, doesn’t have the size or the hops to outrebound Hurst. But because of the contact, Hurst flipped over very much like the cheap shot McMillan took in Pittsburgh by some piece of camp meat corner.
On that play, McMillan landed on his head and broke his neck.
Hurst landed parallel to the ground with a huge thump. Anyone watching gasped, not just because the play was incredible, not just because folks had McMillan flashbacks and hoped Hurst was OK, but that Hurst hung onto the ball!
And no, Hurst did not get hurt. He was perfectly fine and was joking with Joe about the play after practice.
Hurst knows Winfield is not dirty and wasn’t trying to undercut him. Winfield is a baller who plays physical, Hurst told Joe, and like him was just trying to make a play.
“He’s a great player,” Hurst said, laughing when Joe asked him about the hit. “He’s just trying to make a play on the ball. [There] was nothing to it.”
Hurst had a message for Bucs fans: Plays like he made today won’t be unusual: “That’s my game. Going up and attacking the ball.”
August 19th, 2026 at 11:06 am
Let’s see what happens when the fear factor comes into play
That said he is a very encouraging young player 🤞
August 19th, 2026 at 11:08 am
More rookie hype by the guys that have repeatedly warned us not to get caught up in the hype…
August 19th, 2026 at 11:10 am
How does Licht find these guys. And to think he traded DOWN for him and picked up Billy Schrauth in the process.
August 19th, 2026 at 11:17 am
I like what I’ve seen from Hurst, both in terms of his attitude/demeanor and his athletic traits on the field, which are evident.
August 19th, 2026 at 11:25 am
Can we get some defensive guys who believe in going up and attacking the ball! Thanks
August 19th, 2026 at 11:25 am
Great stuff Joe!!Hopefully Hurst continues to develop. It sure sounds like it
August 19th, 2026 at 11:27 am
So, Joe….what you’re saying is that he is no Arrelious Benn….
August 19th, 2026 at 11:29 am
Ooohhhrrrraaaaahhhh
August 19th, 2026 at 11:31 am
Hype is an overused words on this website. Some of you are diehard bucs fans, but miserable football fans
August 19th, 2026 at 11:36 am
Hype is when you hear about players who aren’t practicing, or producing being talked up. Right now Ted Hurst is living up to the hype. Fair, or not Joe the comparisons between him, and Evans will be made. He plays the same position, X receiver. Zac Robinson made heavy use of that position with London in Atl. He’s going to do it in Tampa with Ted. Woulda, coulda been Evans, but it’s not. We got Hurst, and I think he’ll prove he can live up to the hype.
August 19th, 2026 at 11:40 am
Ted Hurst will have more receiving yards than Mike Evans will have in the 2026 season. Not so bold of a prediction
August 19th, 2026 at 11:43 am
How is Artemis Gordon?
August 19th, 2026 at 11:52 am
Hodad and Bakerfan
I agree. It looks like Hurst is the real deal. Barring unforeseen injury bug, he looks like a winner. Great job by JL and staff.
August 19th, 2026 at 11:52 am
The Bucs can’t have too many play makers! Hopefully all of them show up during regular season games!
August 19th, 2026 at 11:57 am
Um, Joe detailed how Antoine Winfield did. He flipped Hurst over and damn near had a Jalen McMillan repeat. There’s only so much a 5-9 dude can do when he’s trying to get a rebound against a 6-4 guy with hops.
Hurst has a seven-inch advantage over Winfield.
August 19th, 2026 at 12:09 pm
happy to hear he continues to improve…sounds like he’s gaining the trust of Baker and possibly the coaches…
side note: EE2 has been very quite this training camp…i know he’s hobbled at the moment but he was quite before getting put on the shelf
GO BUCS!!!!
August 19th, 2026 at 12:25 pm
Thought the same after the second practice.
August 19th, 2026 at 12:56 pm
Warren Brooks Lynch Says:
August 19th, 2026 at 11:31 am
Hype is an overused words on this website. Some of you are diehard bucs fans, but miserable football fans
Hodad Says:
August 19th, 2026 at 11:36 am
Hype is when you hear about players who aren’t practicing, or producing being talked up. Right now Ted Hurst is living up to the hype. Fair, or not Joe the comparisons between him, and Evans will be made. He plays the same position, X receiver. Zac Robinson made heavy use of that position with London in Atl. He’s going to do it in Tampa with Ted. Woulda, coulda been Evans, but it’s not. We got Hurst, and I think he’ll prove he can live up to the hype.
___________________
Unsurprisingly, I would tend to disagree with both of you. I remember when Cadillac Williams was the Next Coming of Bo Jackson (according to the hype mill) and had a great 5 games, then got hurt and was never the same again.
Caddy was living up to the hype, too, until he didn’t. Let’s not put too much faith in the rookies, is all I’m saying. We still really don’t know what we’ve got.
Ask Carnell.
August 19th, 2026 at 12:56 pm
We have an abundance of riches at that position. Sounds like this kid is for real. I never wanted Mike to leave but what good would JMac and Ted be on the bench?
I wanna see these guys get the ball.
It’s a reason that I don’t like 12 personnel on this team as well. I understand that’s a useful formation for disguising and blocking but get these guys 4 wide. E2, Godwin, JMac, Hurst… all super dangerous. JMac is a baller and right now it seems like he should barely see the field.
Not to mention Tez withering on the bench although small WRs like that aren’t great for Baker.
August 19th, 2026 at 1:02 pm
I honestly think Hurst might be an overall improvement on Evans.
If he catches the ball more consistently than Evans and stays healthy more consistently than Evans, those are definitely 2 areas of improvement that Hurst can possibly provide over Evans.
Yes, I’m saying that Hurst might be even better than Evans. We’ll see.
August 19th, 2026 at 1:04 pm
“Hurst has a seven-inch advantage over Winfield.”
It’s more than that when you include arm length/reach on top of standing height.
August 19th, 2026 at 1:06 pm
He does well with the tough catches. It’s the wide open easy ones that he sometimes drops – like Sharp does too.
August 19th, 2026 at 1:18 pm
“Unsurprisingly, I would tend to disagree with both of you. I remember when Cadillac Williams was the Next Coming of Bo Jackson (according to the hype mill) and had a great 5 games, then got hurt and was never the same again.”
Terrible example, especially considering Carnell got hurt partly because the idiot in charge at the time overused him, but let’s not act like Caddy didn’t rookie of the year and as good in his first few years as a pro as he was at Auburn. See, when you watch these guys in college then watch them transtion to the pro game “hype” doesn’t come to mind, that’s only for guys who have no idea of the talent theses players bring to the table.
Now, you make it sound like it’s plausible to hear our players are doing in their efforts to prepare for the regular season and cast it off as hype because it’s being told to you 2nd hand. Where, someone who knows of said player is just validated knowing that the kid from whatever College/University is bring what he brought to the table. Hype is for when football players, aren’t playing football. WHen they’re doing what they’re doing on the field, it’s just their talent manifesting into good reports.
Casuals write if off as “hype” because there’s no basis of expectation for that casual, and if you’re wondering yes that can includes you too.
August 19th, 2026 at 1:45 pm
I thought Hurst looked really good Friday!
If Balezak had been a little more accurate it could have been a monster game for him.
He looks good getting releases against man to man, he’s fast, gets open, knows how to boxout defenders (b-ball background 👍🏼), has good hands (dare I say – better than Mike’s), great catch radius, etc. etc
What’s not to like from Ted….. LFG Bucs 😎
August 19th, 2026 at 2:12 pm
Ted is going to be great hopefully baker doesn’t get him hurt with bad passes like he does with all the other receivers low high or leading them right into a dangerous hit from the defense
August 19th, 2026 at 2:25 pm
Let Joe get this straight: Caddy was “overhyped” (by the big bad media, Joe presumes) because he only won a Rookie of the Year award and blew out both knees???
August 19th, 2026 at 3:33 pm
The negativity in this here site is just unbelievable.
I mean, how sad of a life must you have to log on and comment something negative when a rookie WR makes a great grab in camp?
Sad sad sad
August 19th, 2026 at 3:47 pm
The negativity in this here place in unbelievable.
I mean, how sad is your life if you log on and post something negative about a rookie WR making a great catch in camp?
Sad sad
August 19th, 2026 at 3:53 pm
50yearbucfan. Amazes me, it really does, that you can be a football fan for 50 years (or more) and not have the slightest clue about football. Ignorance is bliss- so you’ve got that going for you.
August 19th, 2026 at 4:42 pm
Of course he threw it high on purpose.
August 19th, 2026 at 5:53 pm
Capebuc Says
“How does Licht find these guys. And to think he traded DOWN for him and picked up Billy Schrauth in the process.”
The haters hate on him…but the man has become very good at spotting talent in later rounds.
August 19th, 2026 at 6:21 pm
Steve Smith was a big fan of his way back. Hate to admit an ex-Panther is right, but there it is.