Chase McLaughlin “Probably Needs To Be Ill More Often”
October 6th, 2025
Fought through illness.
Breaking news comes in different ways.
Joe had sleep deprivation traveling from Tampa to Seattle and trying to settle in here.
The way a certain directional airlines is set up these days, unless you want to get gouged, you pretty much have to show up at the airport well before the crack of dawn to catch a flight.
Anyway, long story short, Joe sort of slept in Saturday morning in Seattle. Awakening just before 9 a.m., Joe had 55 (!) unread texts. What the hell is going on?
It was a media group text chain started by the Bucs advising that record-setting kicker Chase McLaughlin was being placed on the injury list for yesterday’s game with an “illness.”
The Bucs didn’t know if he could play. Turned out he had a nasty flu.
But McLaughlin answered the bell. He had three field goals, including the game-winner from 39 yards out. So Bucs coach Todd Bowles gave McLaughlin props for sucking it up and making the long trip to Seattle.
“Yeah, he probably needs to be ill more often,” Bowles joked. “It wasn’t quite the Michael Jordan flu game, but we’ll give Chase McLaughlin his flu game up here in Seattle. He did a heck of a job.”
Joe can only imagine how not having McLaughlin would have changed the Bucs’ gameplan. Would the Bucs have been more aggressive and not settle for field goals early on? Would the Bucs have been successful getting into the end zone?
Would Bowles and Bucs offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard have instructed Rachaad White not to slide and instead try to score late in the game? White looked like he had a real chance for the end zone but slid on purpose to eat clock on the final drive.
Yesterday was very uncertain for McLaughlin in a lot of ways. But his field goals were very much certain. Thankfully.
October 6th, 2025 at 7:06 am
Chase’s tackling on kickoff returns probably prevented a couple TDs.
October 6th, 2025 at 7:18 am
Heh, just went and looked, he got credit for a tackle
October 6th, 2025 at 7:45 am
Wonder if Bowles will start to focus on his club’s special teams challenges this week?
October 6th, 2025 at 7:46 am
The win covers a lot of mistakes. They know what they need to do.
SF is no better than Seattle.
October 6th, 2025 at 8:00 am
Bucs defense needs some soul searching.
October 6th, 2025 at 8:05 am
White’s momentum was about to take him out of bounds. I don’t think he had a chance to score. He was very smart.
October 6th, 2025 at 8:08 am
Yep, if White would have drifted any closer to the sideline, he might have been pushed out to stop the clock. Very heads up play!
October 6th, 2025 at 8:09 am
“Would the Bucs have been more aggressive and not settle for field goals early on? “
We didn’t settle by choice, we settled because we couldn’t punch it in from where we were at and I remember someone asking why Chase was sick and on the plane with other players. I hope they watched the game and got their answer. I wish McLaughlin nothing but rest and comfort, slander against his name will not be tolerated henceforth.
October 6th, 2025 at 8:17 am
The flu is definitely going around in the Tampa area. Wife and I had it and it put me down for a week so glad he was able to fight through it and perform! GO BUCS!!
October 6th, 2025 at 8:19 am
That dude also made at least 2 speed bump tackles on returns. Thought he’d get his collarbone broken. Happy he was out there
October 6th, 2025 at 8:21 am
Our best tackler out there. Way to go.
October 6th, 2025 at 8:25 am
TODD BOWLES CONFIDENCE POLL PLEASE!!!!!!!
TOTALLY CONFIDENT!!!!!!
4-1!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
October 6th, 2025 at 8:35 am
“I don’t need him to play. I need him to kick.”
October 6th, 2025 at 8:54 am
I wonder if that’s why we punted instead of kicking the 58yrd fg? I was thinking why punt you can’t stop them…even getting a punt to the 1yrd line we couldnt stop them…I hope Bowles was informed of our kickers limits and that dictated his decision to punt…
Go Bucs!!!
October 6th, 2025 at 9:29 am
Looks like he’s making up for the misses in the first couple of games.
October 6th, 2025 at 9:58 am
Wife and I live 750 miles from Tampa and WE for the flu last week
October 6th, 2025 at 11:08 am
Chase did so well yesterday! He shows commitment to the team and fans too. Hope he can rest now and feel better. The flu is nothing to fool around with.
October 6th, 2025 at 11:49 am
Well, playing helped distract Chase for feeling lousy. Plus, he may have sweated some of the bug out. Glad he is a team player, and sucked it up. He was a critical part of this Seattle win. 4-1 with the walking wounded. Hard for this old fan to believe, but facts don’t lie. I’ll take it.
October 6th, 2025 at 12:00 pm
Isn’t it strange how some of the greatest game in sports history were played by dudes who were suffering from Flu or some other ilness?
Go Bucs!
October 6th, 2025 at 12:27 pm
Frankly, I was pretty upset when Bowles chose to punt from the Seattle 41 instead of trying a 59 yard field goal midway through the 4th quarter. The ensuing punt ultimately led to the 99 yard go-ahead score by the Seahawks. Thank goodness the Baker boys had one more come from behind win left in the tank
October 6th, 2025 at 9:05 pm
That was at least the 2nd or 3rd time Rachaad White has taken a knee when he could have gained more yards and possibly scored, giving up personal stats for the good of the team.
Total team first player.