Buccaneers Offensive Duo Named As NFL's Elite
Buccaneers Offensive Duo Named As NFL's Elite originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' offense last season was largely pushed along by a run game that was one of the best in football.
Advertisement
Averaging a crisp 146.5 yards per game with rookie Bucky Irving and Rachaad Wite leading the charge behind a solid offensive line. So it is only natural to think that the Buccaneers will again have a top run game thanks to Irving and White, and it appears that Bleacher Report's Moe Moton thinks so too.
When ranking the top running back duos in football, White and Irving come in at No. 2, with only Detroit Lions duo Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery above them.
"We saw how well Bucky Irving and Rachaad White work together last season. They combined for 2,520 scrimmage yards and 17 touchdowns," Moton writes. "They are a unique duo because they're a proven interchangeable pair on all three downs. They can run between the tackles on early downs, and their catch and receiving yard totals from last year are similar.
"Tampa Bay has maintained some continuity within the offensive coaching ranks, which will bode well for Irving and White's chemistry."
Dec 29, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (7) carries the ball against the Carolina Panthers during the first quarter at Raymond James Stadium.© Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
With the natural progression of Irving, plus White is in the final year of his rookie deal and will be looking to put himself in the shop window of teams next offseason, it is easy to project the run game to be top-tier again.
Advertisement
After a 2024 campaign in which both fed off each other well en route to having one of the league's best run games, expect the same again with all five offensive line starters returning.
And if things go well, who knows, maybe this duo takes top spot in the near future.
Related: Analyst Predicts Potential Big Year For Buccaneers' New Pass Rusher
Related: Buccaneers Have Opportunity for $84M 2-Time Pro Bowl Cornerback Jaire Alexander
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 10, 2025, where it first appeared.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
10 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Fans Are Worried After Reported Seattle Storm News
Fans Are Worried After Reported Seattle Storm News originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Currently holding a 4–4 record, the Seattle Storm has experienced both impressive victories and disappointing losses so far during their 2025 season. Their star point guard, Skylar Diggins, leads the team with an average of 16.8 points and 6.4 assists per game, while Nneka Ogwumike contributes around nine rebounds per game. Their recent 83–77 victory over the Dallas Wings snapped a three-game losing streak on Tuesday. Advertisement But off the court, the Storm have faced challenges. It was announced on Wednesday morning by sports journalist Khristina Williams that there is currently an investigation being launched into the Storm's coaching staff by the WNBA and league security. Williams provided no additional information about the case, which caused confusion and suspicions from fans. "why kind of investigation?" a fan asked on X. "that's very broad." An X user wrote, "Will like to read the details on this." "For what?" another wrote. "This post is so vague." Advertisement "Excuse me?????," an X user posted. "AND league security?!?" someone commented. "Dang." "Jewel tried to tell everybody," one fan wrote. Jewell Loyd, who now plays for the Las Vegas Aces but originally played for the Storm for 10 seasons, filed a complaint against Noelle Quinn and the coaching staff back in November 2024. An investigation was conducted, but it concluded without finding any violations. Lloyd requested a trade hours after the conclusion was announced. Las Vegas Aces guard Jewell Loyd (24) shoots a foul shot against the Washington Mystics in the second quarter of the game at Michelob Ultra Arena. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images The news of the investigation was released hours after Chinese basketball player Li Yueru requested a trade. Many are wondering if her requesting a trade has anything to do with the investigation. Advertisement "Can we get an update?" a user asked Williams, who has not posted on X for the past hour. "Does this have to do with the recent trade request????" "Li said 'I don't want no part in this. Get me outta hereeee,'" a WNBA fan account joked. Another joked, "WNBA don't overreact to a trade request challenge: impossible." "Where there's constant smoke 💨…." someone speculated. Atlanta Dream center Brittney Griner (42) and Seattle Storm center Li Yueru (28).John Froschauer-Imagn Images Seattle or the WNBA has yet to comment on the ongoing investigation, and additional details have not been released. The Storm is set to play against the Phoenix Mercury on Saturday. Advertisement Related: Indiana Fever Responds to WNBA Investigation Involving Angel Reese This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 4, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
11 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Caitlin Clark's Former Teammate in Tears After WNBA Game
Caitlin Clark's Former Teammate in Tears After WNBA Game originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Seattle Storm defeated the Minnesota Lynx at the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle with a final score of 94-84. The Lynx were undefeated so far during the 2025 WNBA season until Wednesday evening. Advertisement Storm forward Nneka Ogwumike led the way with 21 points and 10 rebounds, while guard Erica Wheeler added 20 points and nine assists. Gabby Williams filled the stat sheet with 12 points, eight boards, seven assists and four steals. Despite a strong night from Lynx's star player Napheesa Collier, who finished with 25 points and nine rebounds, Minnesota couldn't overcome second-half turnovers and defensive lapses. A late push from the Storm's veterans sealed the win and snapped the Lynx's 9–0 start. Phoenix Mercury forward Satou Sabally drives around Seattle Storm forward Ezi Magbegor and guard Erica Scuteri-Imagn Images Wheeler had a phenomenal performance on Wednesday night, a reminder of the veteran poise she once brought to the court alongside Caitlin Clark with the Indiana Fever. She initially played for Indiana from 2016-2019, and then returned for another two seasons in 2023 and 2024. Advertisement After the game, Wheeler became emotional during her postgame interview that was broadcast in the arena, tearing up as she reflected on the team's effort and what the win meant to her. Before the guard spoke, cameras caught her using her jersey to wipe her tears away before speaking into the microphone. "You guys are amazing," Wheeler said to the crowd. "What, today is Wednesday? You guys got off work to come see us? That's hard. That's dedication. That's love. And that's what I've been feeling since I've been here. That's why I'm emotional." According to ESPN, the Rutgers alum has been a steady contributor for the Storm so far this season, averaging 9.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 0.6 steals over 21.9 minutes in nine games, shooting 49.3% from the field and 42.1% from three, with an 87.5% free‑throw rate. Advertisement Wheeler also gave a huge shoutout to her team and the coaches after the Storm's win. "It's not about me. It's about the team," Wheeler said. "It's about us sticking together, coaches believing in us and this (explicit) feels good." The Storm will be playing against the Golden State Valkyries on Saturday at 8:30 P.M. ET. Related: Fans Are Worried After Reported Seattle Storm News This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 12, 2025, where it first appeared.


USA Today
14 minutes ago
- USA Today
Seahawks DT Byron Murphy II tabbed for breakout season
Seahawks DT Byron Murphy II tabbed for breakout season The Seattle Seahawks are expecting a developmental step forward from sophomore defensive tackle Byron Murphy II this year. Murphy looked effective when healthy, but an injury derailed a sizable portion of his rookie campaign. The No. 16 overall selection in the 2024 NFL draft is now entering a big second season. Pro Football Focus recently compiled a 2025 NFL All-Breakout Team. They selected one player at each position. Murphy was their choice at defensive tackle. "Many thought that Mike Macdonald had found his white whale out west when the Seahawks drafted Murphy 16th overall in 2024," Bradley Locker wrote. "After one year, that hasn't looked like the case, but it isn't time to panic yet. In Year 1, the former Texas star earned just a 57.8 overall PFF grade with a 64.5 PFF pass-rushing grade. Murphy also played only 457 snaps in 14 games, ceding time to Leonard Williams and Jarran Reed — each of whom returns to the team in 2025." A deeper dive into the analytics reveals Murphy was more effective than meets the eye. "There are still a bevy of reasons to get excited about Murphy, including his 70.0 PFF pass-rushing grade on true pass sets, 10% pass-rush win rate and 76th percentile run stop rate," Locker continued. "Macdonald helped Nnamdi Madubuike break out in earnest during the 2023 season, which was Macdonald's second in Baltimore. Perhaps Murphy will follow a similar arc and become a true disruptor along Seattle's interior in his second season." Murphy flashed pass-rushing upside in spurts as a rookie. A healthy, more mature sophomore version should be an effective defender in 2025. Mike Macdonald and his defensive staff will attempt to continue developing Murphy this season.