“I’m On This Team For One Reason”
February 7th, 2026
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BY IRA KAUFMAN
Fast start, slow fade.
Buc fans have to be quite pleased with the overall rookie season turned in by Emeka Egbuka, who led Tampa Bay receivers in every key metric last season. Jason Licht couldn’t have asked for much more from the 19th overall pick, who developed an instant rapport with Baker Mayfield in training camp.
Although Egbuka finished just shy of 1,000 yards, his rookie year was wildly inconsistent. He grabbed the early lead for Offensive Rookie of the Year honors with a glorious September, but Egbuka’s numbers began a steady drop as autumn leaves began to fall.
He averaged five catches and 89 receiving yards through five games, opening with a flourish by catching the winning TD with only 59 seconds remaining in the season opener at Atlanta.
The numbers kept piling up for this smooth route runner out of Ohio State, where Egbuka set career receiving records for a program known as a wideout factory for the pros.
But just as everyone was raving about Egbuka’s skill set, his production cratered. A hamstring injury didn’t help, but he still managed to be on the field for 78 percent of Tampa Bay’s offensive snaps.
As the Bucs stumbled to a 4-8 finish, Egbuka’s average plunged to 3.2 catches and 41 receiving yards per game. Only once in those final 12 games did Egbuka manage more than 64 receiving yards and he reached the end zone just once after posting five TD catches in the first five weeks.
Despite a prolonged slump, Egbuka’s target numbers remained steady. Mayfield never lost faith, but Egbuka’s soft hands betrayed him in the final three months and he finished with nine drops — the fifth-highest total in the league.
In a critical 24-20 home loss to New Orleans, a wide-open Egbuka failed to haul in Mayfield’s potential game-tying TD pass in the fourth quarter.
“I’m on this team for one reason,” Egbuka said after the setback. “That’s to catch the ball. I didn’t.”
The Bucs are counting on Egbuka to shrug off his struggles and recapture the form that had opposing coaches raving about his poise and talent. Perhaps Egbuka set the bar too high with that record-setting start.
Panthers rookie receiver Tetairoa McMillan saw Egbuka up close twice in 2025 as the Bucs and Panthers split their series.
“I’m a big fan of the player that he’s become and the person that he is,” McMillan said of Egbuka. “He deserves everything that has come his way. I’m looking forward to seeing what the future holds for him.”
So are the Bucs, who expect another big season from a 23-year-old uber talent yearning for another September Song.
February 7th, 2026 at 2:04 pm
EE will be a good player, but I get hitting the rookie wall. Probably led to the hamstring injury and then just wiped the guy out.
I still would have drafted defense with that pick. The talent hole is so deep and wide. Just the idea that James Pierce was on the board, we passed on him, ATL traded back up for him and he ends up being a great Edge stinks. Why we went WR is still a mystery. Luxury pick. And with a D with almost no talent someone needs to pole at Jason about it.
Oh, but wait, Joe has christened him our “Ring of Honor GM”. No way we can question him I guess.
February 7th, 2026 at 2:30 pm
Emeka is a borderline very good player, but what I like most about him is his humility and his public profession of believing in Jesus Christ. More people with a “platform” should be speaking more publicly of doing the right thing and having good values – before football. This country needs more positive role-models, and I applaud him.
That’s just IMO.
February 7th, 2026 at 3:18 pm
Need a few years to compare players out of this draft. Pearce had a good year, EE did too. Let’s look back in 2 years
February 7th, 2026 at 3:21 pm
That brilliant finish is who the player is, thanks to the inspirational and motivational head coaching the team receives. Expect a 2026 like the second half of 2025.
February 7th, 2026 at 3:23 pm
Mike Evans spoiled the Bucs for every rookie receiver the Bucs draft. Oops.
February 7th, 2026 at 3:26 pm
Ira,
Grand PooBah of the Ira Kaufman podcast,HOF kingmaker, beet salad connoisseur, brother (can you spare a dime?),
To quote Tetairoa McMillan is a bit disquieting. Didn’t he just win offensive rookie of the year? His comment and its position in you column would tend to position him- in the long run – as always just one step ahead of EE. Their situations were different and yes, McMillan was voted OROY.
But, it’s how the story is told and it feels, at this early point I grant you, to be similar to the tying of Lavante David to Luke Kuechly. Don’t you think?
I’m no writer, but as a Buc fan I don’t want to see EE getting hit by friendly fire, so to speak.
Sorry, a bit muddled thought but seeing a Stinkin Panther quoted isn’t so fun.
February 7th, 2026 at 3:41 pm
Another Licht Loser.
Wasted draft pick
February 7th, 2026 at 3:43 pm
Needed OLB, ILB with that pick
Got WR4
What a waste
February 7th, 2026 at 4:22 pm
@D-ROK:
All gods are man-made, including Jesus Christ.
Worshipping gods is a sign of a weak mind, not a strong one.