By Bucs Report – Special to Sports Talk Florida
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ season concluded at Raymond James Stadium with a 23-20 wildcard loss to the Washington Commanders. Rookie running back Bucky Irving’s impressive debut campaign ended on a bittersweet note, but his significant on-field contributions to the NFC South division champions are undeniable.
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“We thought maybe he would be a second-day pick, but he falls to the third day. I think even talking to him, when Jason [Licht] called him, he had a little bit of a chip on his shoulder, thinking he should have gone earlier. We kind of like that. He’s just another right kind of character guy that we’ve been targeting. He fits that mold.” stated Buccaneers director of player personnel Mike Biehl after they drafted him.
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According to the Buccaneers’ Communications department, Bucky Irving broke Warrick Dunn’s franchise playoff record for most single-game rushing yards by a rookie. Irving’s impressive performance included 77 yards on 17 carries and a receiving touchdown on two receptions, surpassing Dunn’s 1997 record of 72 yards against the Detroit Lions. By season’s end, Irving had not only emerged as the Buccaneers’ most dynamic player but had also established himself as one of the NFL’s top running backs.
The Buccaneers’ 2024 regular season rushing attack was highly effective, averaging 5.25 yards per carry, the third-best mark in the NFL. Notably, this represents a significant 1.81-yard increase from the previous season’s 3.44 average, the largest year-over-year improvement in the Super Bowl era. Key factors contributing to this success include the enhanced performance of the offensive line and offensive coordinator Liam Coen’s strategic play-calling, which often created favorable matchups. However, the primary driver behind this impressive statistic is the outstanding play of rookie running back Bucky Irving.
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Irving capped off his impressive rookie season as the top rookie performer in rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, and all-purpose yards. His stats included 207 carries for 1,122 yards (5.4 yards per carry), eight rushing touchdowns, and 47 receptions for 392 yards, totaling 1,514 yards from scrimmage. Notably, Irving ranked tenth in total rushing yards across the entire league, despite having only the 19th most attempts. This highlights his exceptional efficiency, which is further supported by advanced statistics.
Irving’s impact extends beyond his statistics. Despite unremarkable measurables, his game footage against top-tier competition at Oregon revealed exceptional skills. Irving’s vision, acceleration, balance, and receiving ability were consistently on display. He shares a similar trajectory with players like Brian Branch and Creed Humphrey, who were overlooked in the draft but are now proving themselves as elite talents, leaving teams to wonder how they slipped through the cracks.
Irving is arguably the steal of the draft and should be a significant part of the Pewter Pirates offense in the years to come.
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