Bucs rookie Emeka Egbuka gets nod for major NFL honor despite late season drop off
The talented Tampa Bay rookie did enough to earn a nod for an award he still deserves consideration for.
It was a tale of two season for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2025. The first half was remarkable, as the Bucs stormed to a 6-2 mark. The second half was equally forgettable, as a 2-7 finish saw them miss the playoffs for the first time since the 2019 season.
And much like the Bucs’ season, rookie wide receiver Emeka Egbuka’s season followed along a similar path. A brilliant start made him seem like a shoo-in for the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award. A disappearing act in the second half made that seemingly inevitable result suddenly become doubtful by the end of the year.
However, despite the second-half flop, Egbuka was indeed named a finalist for the honor on Thursday by the NFL. He’s joined by fellow finalists New York Giants QB Jaxson Dart, New England Patriots RB TreVeyon Henderson, Carolina Panthers WR Tetairoa McMillan, and New Orleans Saints QB Tyler Shough.
Bucs WR Emeka Egbuka a finalist for NFL Rookie of the Year Award
Egbuka currently trails McMillan, who leads the pack with the best odds among the sportsbooks, according to VegasInsider.com.
Egbuka started off the season in emphatic fashion for Tampa Bay. He caught two touchdowns in his first game against Atlanta, including the game winner in the final minutes of the Bucs’ 23-20 win. He had at least a touchdown or 85 yards receiving in his first five games of the season.
His breakout game came against the Seattle Seahawks, which was a homecoming for Egbuka, as he hails from the area. He totaled seven catches for 163 yards and a touchdown in the Bucs’ 38-35 win.
However, following his Week 10 115-yard performance against New England, Egbuka never found the end zone the rest of the season, and he topped 42 receiving yards just once the rest of the way. A truly astounding drop off after a dynamic start to his career.
There’s no doubt the talent is there, and with 63 catches for 938 yards and 6 touchdowns, his spot among the finalists is deserving.
The challenge now is for new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson to figure out how to get the ball back in his hands and make the entire 2026 season look like the first half of 2025 — both for the Bucs and Egbuka.
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