If you just looked at the final box score of the Wild Card round, you’d probably think the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2024 season was a bit of a letdown. A 23-20 loss to the Washington Commanders at home isn't exactly how anyone in Tampa wanted the party to end. Especially when a banked-in field goal is the thing that sends you packing. But honestly? If you’re only looking at that one game, you’re missing the most interesting transformation this team has had in a decade.
The Bucs didn't just survive life after Tom Brady in 2024; they actually found a weird, gritty, and high-octane identity that nobody—literally nobody—saw coming.
The Baker Mayfield Bet Paid Off (Big Time)
Remember when people said Baker Mayfield was just a "bridge" quarterback? Yeah, he shattered that narrative into about a million pieces this year. Mayfield didn't just play well; he played like an MVP candidate for a huge chunk of the season. He finished the regular season with 4,500 passing yards and 41 touchdowns.
Think about that.
He became only the fourth quarterback in NFL history to hit those numbers while also completing over 70% of his passes. You’ve got names like Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers on that list. It’s elite company. Mayfield broke the franchise record for completion percentage (71.4%) and passer rating (106.8). But stats aside, it was the way he played. He was scrappy. He was diving for first downs and throwing off-platform dimes to Mike Evans like they’d been playing together for twenty years.
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By the time the season wrapped, it was clear: Baker isn't a placeholder. He’s the guy.
The Run Game Resurrection
For two years, the Buccaneers' rushing "attack" was basically a joke. They were dead last in the league. It was painful to watch. Then 2024 happens, and suddenly they're a top-five unit on the ground. How? Basically, two words: Bucky Irving.
The fourth-round rookie out of Oregon was a total spark plug. He didn't just run; he pinballed. Irving finished with 1,122 rushing yards and averaged a staggering 5.4 yards per carry. Between him and Rachaad White, the Bucs turned their biggest weakness into a weapon that kept defensive coordinators awake at night. New offensive coordinator Liam Coen brought in this "counter gap" scheme that just worked. It gave the offensive line, led by All-Pro tackle Tristan Wirfs and rookie center Graham Barton, a chance to actually bully people.
They went from 32nd in the league to 4th in rushing. That kind of jump almost never happens in one season.
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Why the Middle of the Season Was Such a Mess
It wasn't all sunshine and pirate ships. There was a stretch where things looked genuinely bleak. After a hot 3-1 start, the Bucs hit a wall. Part of it was the schedule—facing the Ravens, Chiefs, and 49ers in a row is brutal for anyone—but the injuries were the real killer.
Losing Chris Godwin in Week 7 was a massive blow. He was having a career-best year before that leg injury sidelined him. Then Mike Evans missed a chunk of time with a hamstring issue. When your two best receivers are out, the offense is going to stumble. They dropped four straight going into the Week 11 bye.
The Post-Bye Sprint
Most teams would have folded. Instead, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2024 campaign saw a late-season surge that felt a lot like their 2020 Super Bowl run. They came out of the bye and won six of their last seven games.
They clinched their fourth straight NFC South title—a franchise record—by beating the Saints 27-19 in the final week. It was a gritty, ugly, beautiful stretch of football that proved Todd Bowles had kept the locker room together when it would have been easy to quit.
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The Defense: Old Reliable and New Blood
Lavonte David is 34 years old. In "football years," that’s basically ancient. But the man still led the team with 122 tackles. He’s the heartbeat of that unit, and seeing him still fly sideline-to-sideline is a treat.
But the real story on defense was the young guys stepping up:
- Calijah Kancey led the team with 7.5 sacks, proving he’s a legitimate nightmare for interior linemen.
- Zyon McCollum and rookie Tykee Smith stabilized a secondary that was supposed to be a liability.
- Vita Vea remained a human brick wall, eating up double teams so the linebackers could roam free.
That Wild Card Heartbreak
So, what happened against Washington? Honestly, it was a "game of inches" cliché brought to life. Jayden Daniels played a nearly perfect game for a rookie, and the Bucs struggled to get off the field on third downs. Tampa Bay managed to tie it up 20-20 with five minutes left, but the Commanders marched down and hit a field goal as time expired.
It was a quiet end to a very loud season.
Actionable Insights for Bucs Fans
Looking back at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2024 season, the future actually looks brighter than the present felt after that playoff loss. If you’re following this team, here is what actually matters moving forward:
- The Offensive Identity is Set: Even with Liam Coen heading to Jacksonville to be a head coach, the blueprint of a balanced, 70% completion-rate offense is the way forward. The search for a new OC will be the biggest storyline of the 2026 offseason.
- Rookie Impact is Real: This wasn't just about Bucky Irving. Graham Barton looks like a 10-year starter at center, and Jalen McMillan showed he can be a WR2 in this league. The roster is getting younger and cheaper in the right places.
- The Division is Theirs to Lose: Four straight NFC South titles isn't a fluke. Until someone in Atlanta or New Orleans proves they can handle the Bucs' consistency, Tampa is the team to beat in the South.
The 2024 season proved the Bucs aren't just "the team Tom Brady used to play for." They’re a legitimate NFC powerhouse that knows how to draft, how to run the ball, and most importantly, how to win when everyone expects them to fail.