Latest news with #Bucs'
Time of India
21 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Baker Mayfield's colorful new look and the heartwarming reason behind it will melt your heart
Forget touchdowns, this week, Baker Mayfield scored with kindness. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB just gave kids battling pediatric cancer a moment of joy by letting them go wild on his hair with color spray. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Yep, we're talking full creamsicle-red-and-orange glory. But it wasn't just for fun, this sweet moment was all about raising money and awareness for pediatric cancer, and Baker absolutely delivered. Kids battling cancer got to color Baker's hair and his reaction was everything The event was part of the Bucs' 'Cut and Color for the Cure' fundraiser, an annual initiative that supports the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation. It's been running for 11 years, and this year, players, coaches, and staff offered up their hair as a canvas, all for a cause that hits way deeper than football. And of course, Baker Mayfield stepped up to the plate (or salon chair?) with total heart. Mayfield didn't just show up. He sat down, smiled, and let pediatric cancer survivors spray-paint his hair with the team's iconic red and creamsicle orange colors. The kids laughed, the cameras clicked, and Baker rocked the look like a champ. Photos from the event are going viral for all the right reasons, him grinning ear to ear, surrounded by brave little warriors with spray cans in hand. The event raised nearly $80K this year alone As of now, the 'Cut and Color Funds the Cure' initiative has raised more than $760,000 total, with $80,000 collected just this year. And honestly? Seeing NFL stars give their time and their heads to something so meaningful hits different. Mayfield's involvement helped bring extra attention to the cause, and fans online are giving him major props for being more than just a quarterback. This isn't a one-off. Baker's been known for showing up for his community. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now From youth outreach to medical causes, he's consistently used his platform for good and this just adds another page to the book. One fan posted, 'I've always liked Baker, and I've never heard a bad thing about him. He just seems like a genuinely good, down to earth guy who wants to do good in the world.' And honestly? Facts. In a league full of headlines about contracts and controversies, this one feels like a breath of fresh air. Baker Mayfield proved that being a team player doesn't stop on the field and that sometimes, the most powerful thing you can do is hand a kid a can of hair dye. Also read -
USA Today
a day ago
- Business
- USA Today
Re-drafting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2021 NFL Draft class years later
Re-drafting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2021 NFL Draft class years later Hindsight is 20/20, but looking back, the Buccaneers' 2021 draft does not look so great from any angle. First-round pick Joe Tryon-Shoyinka was a bust, and only second-round pick Kyle Trask is still on the roster, likely to be a career backup quarterback. The Bucs' strategy of focusing on special teams and high-upside, low-floor prospects backfired in almost every possible way. Frankly, the 2021 draft class was weak overall, thanks to the NCAA eligibility adjustments made for the COVID-19 pandemic. Still, the Bucs could have avoided many of their roster woes by simply taking good players that would have made sense even without knowing the players they would become. This is the Bucs' ideal re-draft of the 2021 NFL Draft: Round 1: C/G Creed Humphrey Drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs at the end of the second round, Humphrey is now one of, if not the best, center in the NFL. Heading into the 2021 season, the Bucs were set at offensive line, but come 2022, the interior line would lose three starters, though likely only one the Bucs saw coming: right guard Alex Cappa, who left in free agency. Humphrey would not see the field for the Bucs in 2021, but he would still provide quality depth and a succession plan for Cappa. It would just so happen that he would be able to anchor the line through 2022 when it would lose Ali Marpet to retirement and Ryan Jensen to a career-ending knee injury. Round 2: DT Osa Odighizuwa Tampa Bay's defensive line depth was the only real need over the 2021 offseason. Ndamukong Suh and Jason Pierre-Paul were both over 30 and showing signs of decline. The Bucs drafted Joe Tryon-Shoyinka in the first round, but he never lived up to his physical potential. Dallas defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa ended up being one of the best pass-rushers to come out of the 2021 draft and would have been a more useful player in 2021 and beyond than Tampa Bay's actual second-round pick, quarterback Kyle Trask. Round 3: WR Amon-Ra St. Brown Wide receiver did not appear to be a major area of need during the 2021 draft, but it was the position that came up short down the stretch. There was no way to know Chris Godwin would tear his ACL halfway through the season, but Antonio Brown's on-field meltdown was a little more predictable. Amon-Ra St. Brown is now one of the league's best wide receivers, and would have been a viable pick even before knowing his meteoric rise in Detroit. Taking Humphrey in the first round would have made the Robert Hainsey pick redundant here, and if it isn't clear after the 2024 draft, the Bucs like to stay stocked at receiver. Round 4: RB Chuba Hubbard While the Bucs had great faith in Leonard Fournette to carry the Bucs' run game, the rest of the running backs on the roster were less than productive, relying on the likes of Ronald Jones and the aging husk of Le'Veon Bell. Chuba Hubbard is a reliable ball carrier who forces missed tackles like clockwork. He also would have been a decent insurance plan for Fournette's precipitous decline after signing a three-year extension in 2022. Round 5: LB K.J. Britt By the fifth round, draft talent really began to dry up. K.J. Britt was about as productive as any linebacker or special-teams player taken in this range. The Bucs lacked any depth at linebacker before taking Britt, who would end up starting by 2023. There isn't much reason for the Bucs to take any other player at this point. Round 7: OT Alaric Jackson Tampa Bay's original pick was cornerback Chris Wilcox, who was cut before training camp. Alaric Jackson went undrafted and probably should have gone even higher than round seven or even Day 3 of the draft. Donovan Smith had one more year on his contract, but taking a swing on a developmental pass blocker like Jackson would have made just as much sense as taking one on a defensive back who has never taken a snap in the NFL. Round 7: LB Grant Stuard Mr. Irrelevant provided almost as much return on value as any other pick in the Bucs' 2021 draft. While Stuard only played special teams for one season in Tampa Bay, his trade to Indianapolis yielded a 2022 sixth-round pick. The weak undrafted free agent class makes this pick as good as any the Bucs could have otherwise made here.
USA Today
2 days ago
- Business
- USA Today
Bucs' Cade Otton not held in high regard by PFF in preseason rankings
Bucs' Cade Otton not held in high regard by PFF in preseason rankings The Bucs have struggled with the tight end position in recent years despite their best efforts to get a hit at it. Pro Football Focus looked at the position across the NFL and listed their top 32 tight ends, and the Bucs' very own Cade Otton did not earn a very favorable spot on the list. Otton, one of the many former Washington Huskies on the Tampa Bay roster, came in at the 20 spot. To explain his bottom-half ranking, John Kosko writes about the one thing holding him back from going higher in rankings. "Otton's Achilles' heel is drops. He has the third most (11) at the position across the past two years. His 63.1 PFF receiving grade in 2024 was a career high and also marks the first time he generated more than 1 yard per route run (1.31). If he can hang on to the ball (also three fumbles the past two years), Otton has the skills to rise on this list." Otton emerged as a favorite candidate for Baker Mayfield after Chris Godwin's injury in Week 8. He became the safety valve Godwin was for the Heisman Trophy winner, and as a result, expectations increased. Otton is the third-ranked tight end in the NFC South, according to the rankings behind Tayson Hill (15) and Kyle Pitts (19).
USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Bucs honor longtime member of organization as he rides off into the sunset
Bucs honor longtime member of organization as he rides off into the sunset There is a special bond between players on teams and the people who work within the building. Fans may overlook them, but the people who do the work behind the scenes often make the slight differences that add up for their favorite teams and players to be able to focus on the task in front of them. Last week, the Bucs lost one of those consistent pieces when Rob Julian retired. Not many people are expected to know who he is, which is why Fox Sports' Greg Auman assisted us in that area. Julian retired after 32 years with the organization as the director of of athletic fields and grounds. He was around for both of the Bucs' Super Bowl seasons, as well as some of their worst seasons in recent history. He was also around for several head coaching changes, general managers, but he was also around for the Glazer family. As you can see from the picture shared by Auman, Rob Julian had a special bond with players on the team and he will be missed.
TimesLIVE
29-05-2025
- Sport
- TimesLIVE
Pirates youngsters get Bafana call as Broos names new faces in squad
Another 20-year-old Buccaneer, midfielder Simphiwe Selepe, who impressed being introduced to the first team late in the recently-concluded season, is also included, as is Deano van Rooyen, who has been in form at right-back for Pirates. Bucs' 20-year old attacker Relebohile Mofokeng, defender Nkosinathi Sibisi and midfielder Thalente Mbatha are included among some more regular recent national performers. Among other new faces are Sekhukhune United keeper Renaldo Leaner and Samukelo Kabini, a 21-year-old left-back on the books of Molde FK in Norway. More interesting inclusions are of TS Galaxy defender Khulumani Ndamane, Polokwane City midfielder Ndamulelo Maphangule, Stellenbosch FC attacker Ashley Cupido, AmaZulu attacker Tshepang Moremi and Richards Bay forward Yanela Mbuthuma. There are no players from eight-time successive Betway Premiership champions Mamelodi Sundowns. The Brazilians conclude their first Caf Champions League final since winning the competition in 2016 with Sunday's second leg against Pyramids FC in Cairo (the first leg at Loftus ended 1-1) then will need some time off before start to prepare for the Club World Cup in the US in June and July.
