Buccaneers’ Irving Shatters Records & Makes All-Star Rookie Team
Tampa Bay’s breakout rookie Bucky Irving powered through defenses for 1,122 yards this season, breaking team records while averaging an impressive 5.4 yards per carry. The elusive back forced 91 missed tackles, his 35.8% missed tackle rate led the NFL. Among running backs with significant snaps, only three players in the league averaged more yards per attempt. What makes Irving’s stats more remarkable? He started just three games. Yet he broke tackles like a seasoned pro, performing alongside the NFL’s elite backs.
Pro Football Writers named him to their All-Rookie team. He joins select company, just 11 Tampa draft picks since 2014 have earned this honor during GM Jason Licht’s tenure.In Week 17 against Carolina, the compact 5-foot-9, 194-pound Irving reached the milestone 1,000-yard mark. No Buccaneer had achieved this feat since Doug Martin’s standout season in 2015.
With Irving leading the way, Tampa’s rushing attack jumped from last place to fourth-best in the NFL, racking up 2,536 yards. Their 5.3 yards per carry ranked third in the league. This powerful ground game helped Tampa Bay secure their fourth straight division title. They’ve now reached the playoffs five consecutive times, a current streak unmatched in the NFC.
But uncertainty looms as offensive coordinator Liam Coen may head to Jacksonville. He designed the offense that unleashed Irving this year. Young talent on the offensive line created running lanes all season. Smart draft picks and free agent signings transformed the blocking unit into a dominant force.
Irving’s rise to stardom continues Tampa’s strong draft history. Previous standouts like Mike Evans earned rookie honors before becoming NFL stars.
