Latest news with #BuckyIrving
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Buccaneers' Bucky Irving Can Make History in 2025
Buccaneers' Bucky Irving Can Make History in 2025 originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and general manager Jason Licht added a huge piece of their re-tooled running game in 2024 in the fourth round of that year's draft. Advertisement Former Minnesota and Oregon running back Mar'Keise "Bucky" Irving was selected by Licht with the No. 125 overall pick and immediately made an impact on the Tampa Bay rushing attack. The Bucs were coming off a league-worst 3.4 yards per carry in 2023, and the addition of then-new offensive coordinator Liam Coen and Irving, Tampa Bay flipped the script in 2024 with a yards-per-carry average of 5.3. The Buccaneers averaged 149.2 yards per game, good enough for fourth in the league. What's more, Irving, who started his rookie season playing behind the veteran Rachaad White, took over the RB1 job about midway through the season, and totaled 1,122 yards on the season. That means with a similar performance in 2025, Irving could become just the third Tampa Bay running back ever to post back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. James Wilder posted 1,544 yards for the Bucs in 1984 while also leading the league with 407 rushing attempts and a Pro Bowl nod, then registered 1,300 the following season. Advertisement Rhett ran for 1,011 yards his rookie season of 1994 while finishing second in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting, then followed that up with 1,207 yards in 1995. Irving became the first Tampa Bay ball carrier to run for 1,000 yards since Doug Martin posted 1,402 in 2015. Now, with another stellar performance in 2025, he can make history. Related: 'Elite' Buccaneers WR Continues Career Trend Despite Age Related: Buccaneers' Safety's Contract Ranked Most 'Player-Friendly' Deal This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 29, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Buccaneers Get Huge Confidence Boost In Latest Offensive Rankings
Buccaneers Get Huge Confidence Boost In Latest Offensive Rankings originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers under Liam Coen had one of the best offenses in football last season. Behind a stellar run game led by Bucky Irving, along with Baker Mayfield and his 4,500 passing yards and 41 touchdowns, the Buccaneers were potent. Advertisement And they're going to be better in 2025 with the addition of Emeka Egbuka and a healthy Chris Godwin. So much so that for Pro Football Network, when ranking the top offenses ahead of the 2025 season, Tampa Bay has gotten its flowers, coming in at No. 3, with only the Baltimore Ravens (2) and Detroit Lions (1) ahead of them. "Baker Mayfield posted his best Offense+ grade (92.2) ever to earn the Tampa Bay Buccaneers a third-place finish for the season, something that speaks to the depth of the talent in this league," Pro Football Network writes. "Life comes at you fast in the NFL, and there are no signs of last year's success being a fluke. In fact, one could argue that, given Bucky Irving's sparkling advanced profile as a rookie, the Bucs have more room for improvement than the other handful of teams in this top tier." Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) tries to avoid a tackle by Denver Broncos linebacker Nik Bonitto (15) in the fourth quarter at Raymond James Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images That is quite the tick of approval. Advertisement Granted, this list is subjective, but there is every reason to suggest that the Buccaneers will at least have a top-10 offense in football, even with a new coordinator in Josh Grizzard. There are so many weapons in the passing game, the rushing attack is great, and the starting five of the offensive line all return. So expect the Buccaneers to at least be as good as last season if Grizzard can get his ideas across early enough. But the third-best offense in football? We'll let the cake bake on that. Related: Buccaneers Just Miss Top 10 NFL Power Rankings Placement Related: Buccaneers' Baker Mayfield Was Better Last Season In One Key Passing Stat This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 29, 2025, where it first appeared.
New York Times
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Bucky Irving, Tom Moore and a unique NFL player-coach relationship
TAMPA — It's outer-space silent at 5:30 a.m., except for a few birds chirping at the suggestion of dawn. Tom Moore, who would be on the Mount Rushmore of NFL assistant coaches if there were one, has been sitting at his desk at One Buc Place for more than two hours. He is going over a stack of plays higher than a seven-layer cake when in walks Bucky Irving, the day's first ray of light. Advertisement 'I just come to check on my dog, make sure you doing all right,' Irving says. 'Just doing my therapy,' Moore says, pointing to his work. Moore and Irving are people of routines, and this routine plays out every morning the Bucs gather. When Moore was a boy, his father, Howard, taught him to leave early enough to change a flat tire and still arrive on time. For decades, the Bucs' senior offensive assistant has been getting to work at 3:15. Irving, a second-year running back whose phone is always set to DND, is in bed by 9:30. He doesn't need an alarm to be up at 4:50. His first stop at work is Moore's office. Sixty-four years separate them, but seeing them together you'd never know it. Moore, born before a U.S. flag was raised on the beachheads of Normandy, is 86. Irving, who came into the world after the Twin Towers fell, is 22. Irving inquires about Moore's wife, Emily, and their dogs. Moore tells him about Patsy, a rescue named after Patsy Cline; when people wonder what kind of dog she is, Moore says she is a 'Carolina Brown,' as fitting a description as any. They thought Patsy was shy, so they gave her a companion, a Sheltie named Reba (as in McIntyre). Moore tells stories about players he's coached. He says that before every game, Barry Sanders ate one green apple. Irving, who has been compared to Sanders by NBC analyst Rodney Harrison and others, says he eats a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch. They look at one another and smile — not like coach and player, maybe more like grandfather and grandson. Bucs coach Todd Bowles says he understands their connection because he saw the animated movie 'Up.' 'Their relationship is kind of like the old man and the little Boy Scout kid in that movie,' Bowles says. 'Somehow, they formed this unlikely bond. I mean, it's coach-player, but they're damn best friends too, and I love it.' Irving and Moore might seem like an odd couple, but if you knew them, you'd understand. On the back right side of Irving's neck is a tattoo of three crosses. One represents his father, Marcellius Washington, who was killed — shot, and stabbed three times — when Irving was 2. Another signifies his grandmother Darlene Irving, who died at 59 when Bucky was a junior in high school. The third is for his half-brother Jordan Raybon, who was shot and killed when he was 16, when Irving was a freshman at the University of Minnesota. Advertisement Irving wonders how it would have been different if his father had lived. He has asked his mother, Latisha Irving, what his father was like, and what he would have thought about him. But he doesn't think of what he's been through as injustice. He thinks of it as incentive. 'The things I had to see growing up made me pray to God every day that I could go in a different direction and not get caught up in the things that were going on around me,' he says. 'I feel everything happened for a reason and God gave me some challenging things to go through so I could get where I am now. I know they are watching over me and really proud.' When he was 5, Irving started playing organized football for the Hazel Crest Mustangs in suburban Chicago and led them to their first championship in about two decades, Latisha says. Bucky was usually the smallest kid in his grade, but he played at a level with kids who were older than him. At Hillcrest High, he played wide receiver, quarterback, defensive back and kicker in addition to running back. In two seasons, he had 3,264 rushing yards and 587 receiving yards. After one year at Minnesota, Irving left in search of an offense that was a better fit. He found it at Oregon, where he had 2,238 rushing yards, 712 receiving yards and 21 touchdowns in two seasons. NFL scouts were skeptical though, partly because he is 5-feet-9, 192 pounds, and partly because his combine performance — 4.55 40-yard-dash, 29.5 vertical jump, 9-7 broad jump — wasn't as impressive as his tape. 'I'm not really a guy that's into running around in T-shirts and drawers out there,' Irving says. 'I'm a guy that plays real football.' Five running backs were chosen ahead of him in the 2024 draft, and he wasn't picked until the fourth round. 'You know, we're kind of small people, but we've got big hearts,' says his mother, who is 4-11. 'Sometimes people underestimate you, and that was really stressful to him because it meant so much to him. But I just prayed that he end up where he wanted to be, and he loves it in Tampa.' Advertisement That became evident during his rookie season when Irving averaged 5.4 yards per attempt, the third highest in NFL history among rookies with at least 200 carries. Of his 1,514 combined yards, 609 came after forcing missed tackles, second most in the NFL last season, according to Next Gen Stats. His 4.03 average in yards after contact per rush led the league, according to The 33rd Team. 'He's blessed,' says Moore, who defers to running backs coach Skip Peete when it comes to Irving's technique and fundamentals. 'He has great vision, the ability to make people miss and can go the distance.' Irving's production last season was especially impressive considering he started only three games and had fewer carries than 18 running backs. This year, his opportunities are likely to increase substantially. Bowles says he expects greatness, as the game has slowed down for Irving and he's improved his footwork and pass protection. 'He got to where he needed to be, but his footwork wasn't always the cleanest last season,' Bowles says. 'He's cleaned that up.' Irving lights up a room as easily as a scoreboard. His mother, a chef who is changing the name of her catering company to Bucky Soulfood & Catering, says her son always had a warm, welcoming spirit. 'I always try to bring others up, ask how they doing or joke around a little bit,' says Bucky, whose idea of a hobby is taking walks. 'You never know if somebody's having a hard day.' Bucs receiver Chris Godwin has been taken by Irving's smile. Bowles, Peete and others sometimes see that smile when he pops into their offices after he sees Moore. 'He's the most outgoing, gregarious person,' Moore says. 'He just loves life.' When Irving was at Minnesota, coach P.J. Fleck gave him a figurine of Mr. Incredible, the Pixar superhero with superhuman strength and stamina, because he wanted Irving to play like Mr. Incredible might. Irving fulfilled his coach's wish and still carries the figurine with him to every game, an old soul with an action figure in his backpack. Irving is beginning a journey that Moore has survived better than almost anyone. Moore was a backup quarterback and kicker at the University of Iowa so long ago that, Bowles teases, he shared a backfield with Moses. In the early 1960s Moore served in the Army, including a period as an officer in Korea, where he was the head coach of the First Calvary Division football team. It was the only time he was a head coach. He's won four Super Bowl rings as an assistant, coming 42 years apart — two with the Terry Bradshaw-led Steelers, one with Peyton Manning's Colts and one with the Tom Brady Bucs. Advertisement In 1975, Moore unknowingly increased his chances of survival in the coaching world by aligning himself with a quarterback from Parkside High in Jackson, Mich. Moore, then the offensive coordinator at the University of Minnesota, successfully recruited him then tamed his wild streak. He later convinced the Steelers to sign him as an undrafted free agent and converted defensive back, then helped him get into coaching and eventually worked alongside him and, later, for him. Of all the relationships Moore has had with players, that one with Tony Dungy is the most similar to the one he has with Irving, he says. When Moore arrived at work in the small hours, Dungy would sometimes be waiting outside in the cold for him to let him in so they could visit. 'He loved football like Bucky,' Moore says. Says Irving: 'Every day he gives me advice to keep my head on straight, not to get comfortable and stay humble.' On the grease board in Moore's office are six words that Moore believes lead to many downfalls. He and Irving talk about them regularly. 1. GREED. Moore has advised Irving to not confuse contentment with compensation. He told him when he started working for the Steelers, he was one of six assistant coaches on staff, each of whom was paid the same yearly salary: $28,000. All of them were more focused on the next Super Bowl than on the next pay raise. 2. JEALOUSY. Moore has coached players who see others' statistics and become disenchanted. He warns Irving not to be like them. Eighteen NFL running backs had more carries than Irving last season, but he says he was not frustrated. 'I've never been the type of guy to go to a coach and ask for more carries,' he says. 'I want everybody in the room to have success and as long as we get the win, I'm happy.' 3. BOREDOM. To Moore, champions don't become champions without rehearsing the same mundane steps repeatedly and without wearing out the rewind button on a remote control. Being invulnerable to boredom, Moore says, enabled Brady to win a Super Bowl with Moore when he was 43. 'I don't think Bucky will get bored,' Moore says. 'No. 3 won't get him.' Says Irving, 'For real.' 4. DEATH BY INCHES. Many start to get comfortable and cut corners, Moore says. Moore remembers the 13 years he coached Manning, saying the quarterback prepared for the last game they were together just as he had for the first. Even though Manning knew shortcuts, he didn't take them. 'It's easy to say, 'I know it all, I'll watch three hours of tape instead of five,'' Moore says. 'Peyton didn't, and that's why he was great.' Advertisement 5. B—-ING. The 2021 Bucs had a lot to complain about, but they weren't complainers. That's a reason, Moore has told Irving, he believes they won the Super Bowl during the COVID-19 pandemic. 'We had every situation possible you could complain about,' he says. 'We had half the guys dressing in the indoor facility and an outdoor shower for them. It was like a MASH operation. We had a trip from hell when we got to the airport at 1:30 and didn't get to Charlotte until 11 at night. But I never heard one player or coach b—- the entire season.' 6. AGENDAS. Moore has seen many assistant coaches become preoccupied with a promotion, or with becoming a head coach. He could have been one of them, having interviewed and been a runner-up for head-coaching jobs with the University of Minnesota and the Detroit Lions. The closest he came to having an agenda was wanting to coach pro football in 1974. He told Irving about leaving the University of Minnesota to join the New York Stars of the World Football League. But the Stars struggled financially and didn't pay Moore for six months. A $5,000 loan from fellow coach George Perles and an offer to return to the University of Minnesota saved him, and he learned a lesson. Since then, he's been pleased with his role, whatever it has been. With the Bucs, he takes a macro look at the offense, sharing ideas on pass concepts, the red zone and third-down situations. And he does much more, including contributing to the defense. 'When Tom has something to say, you listen because he doesn't speak all the time,' Bowles says. 'When he sees that I'm agitated, he calms me down.' As long as Moore can share his passion, the light within continues to shine. 'Bucky…. My Great Grandson.' That's what Irving wrote on the grease board in Moore's office. Beneath it is his phone number. Moore has two children, two grandchildren, three step-grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Irving has had a stepfather since he was 12. His high school coach, Morgan Weaver, also treated him like a son, taking him to visit colleges and sharing life lessons. Advertisement But the bond between Moore and Irving, in a league often devoid of sentimentality, is unlike any other. 'I just look at him like the grandfather I always wanted to have, who knows about football and can coach you in football,' Irving says. When players like Irving trust Moore the way he does, it makes his life's work seem worthwhile. 'I love the kid,' he says. Before games, Moore stands beneath a goalpost to watch warmups. As Irving talked with Moore in the end zone before one game, a photographer took their picture — Irving with his arm around Moore, one of them with so many yards ahead of him, the other with so many yards behind. Irving made two copies of the photo. One is in his locker. The other, framed, sits on Moore's cabinet behind his desk. It's the only photo in his office. (Illustration: Demetrius Robinson / The Athletic; Photos: Kim Klement Neitzel / Imagn Images; Cliff Welch / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images; Julio Aguilar / Getty Images; Mike Ehrmann / Getty Images)
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
2025 fantasy predictions: Who is this year's Bucky Irving? (Young breakout RB)
Our summer 'Flip the Script' series continues as Yahoo Fantasy analyst Scott Pianowski joins Matt Harmon to figure out who will be this year's Bucky Irving and pinpoint the best bets to break out at running back in the 2025 fantasy season. The duo revisit Bucky Irving's surprise 2024 campaign and break down the traits that helped him deliver league-winning value. Advertisement Harmon and Pianowski spotlight eleven young RBs ranked outside the top 40 who have the talent and situation to crash the top 10 next year. After a deep dive on each candidate, they make their final pick for who will wear the Bucky Irving crown in 2025. Don't miss this episode if you're looking to stay ahead in your draft prep and find the next hidden gem at running back. (2:45) - Flip the script: Who is this year's Bucky Irving? (8:50) - Breaking out: Looking at Bucky Irving's 2024 season (15:20) - 2025 fantasy outlook for Bucky Irving (21:55) - Qualifications to be this year's Bucky Irving Advertisement (24:00) - Candidate: Jaguars RB Bhayshul Tuten (30:10) - Candidate: Cowboys RB Jaydon Blue (37:18) - Candidates: Rams RB Jarquez Hunter + Saints RB Devin Neal (41:00) - Candidates: Jaguars RB Tank Bigsby, Dolphins RB Jaylen Wright, Bears RB Roschon Johnson (49:05) - Candidates: Cardinals RB Trey Benson, Panthers RB Rico Dowdle, 49ers RB Isaac Gurrendo, Bills RB Ray Davis (56:00) - Winner Our summer 'Flip the Script' series continues as Yahoo Fantasy analyst Scott Pianowski joins Matt Harmon to figure out who will be this year's Bucky Irving and pinpoint the best bets to break out at running back in the 2025 fantasy season. The duo revisit Bucky Irving's surprise 2024 campaign and break down the traits that helped him deliver league-winning value. (Jonathan Bassey) 🖥️ Watch this full episode on YouTube Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at or at Yahoo Sports Podcasts
USA Today
24-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
2025 Tampa Bay Buccaneers projections: How many TDs will Bucky Irving score in 2025?
After an impressive rookie campaign, Bucky Irving enters his second NFL season with momentum and a clear path to even more scoring opportunities in Tampa's offense. The former Oregon standout quickly became one of the league's most efficient rookie backs in 2024, showing explosiveness, balance, and versatility in both the run and pass his first NFL season, Irving racked up 1,122 rushing yards on just under 210 carries, good for a strong 5.4 yards per carry, which was amongst the league's best. He also found the end zone eight times on the ground. Though he didn't score as a receiver, Irving added 47 catches for 392 yards, functioning as a steady outlet in the Buccaneers' short passing game. His vision, quickness, and ability to create in space quickly earned him the title of starter and PFWA All-Rookie Team honors. Looking ahead to Year 2, there are several reasons to expect Irving's touchdown total to rise: With offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard taking over, Tampa's scheme is expected to lean even more toward spread formations and motion, which is a perfect fit for Irving's open-field skill set. Red-Zone Usage Irving was regularly used in the 20s in 2024. Still, his ability to make defenders miss and accelerate through tight lanes makes him a natural candidate for increased red-zone snaps, especially in misdirection and two-back packages. Receiving TD Upside Despite not receiving scores in 2024, Irving's 47 receptions show the usage is already there. With more designed targets near the goal line, at least one or two receiving touchdowns seem likely.
