Buccaneers offensive player breaks leg in Jets game ending 2025 season

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have lost another member of their offense for the remainder of the season.

Aug 9, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles looks on after a preseason game against the Tennessee Titans at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are dealing with a plethora of injuries just three games into the 2025 regular season.

Over the last two weeks, the Buccaneers have lost a pair of starters for the remainder of the season after defensive lineman Calijah Kancy and offensive lineman Cody Mauch went down.

The issues have only been exacerbated with offensive lineman Luke Goedeke on IR and wide receiver Mike Evans expected to miss multiple weeks due to an injury.

READ MORE: Baker Mayfield continues resiliency for Buccaneers

That doesn't even take into account a pair of starters who have yet to debut this season. There is hope that left tackle Tristan Wirfs and wide receiver Chris Godwin will finally be able to take the field on Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles.

That's a decision that will come later in the week, per head coach Todd Bowles.

Regardless, the Buccaneers will be short-handed on offense after losing another player to a season-ending injury in the 29-27 victory against the New York Jets.

Buccaneers' TE Ko Kieft Breaks Leg, Out For Season

Aug 1, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Ko Kieft (41) looks on before training camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Tampa Bay placed fourth-year tight end Ko Kieft on Injured Reserve on Tuesday.

A day later, Bowles confirmed that Kieft broke his leg and won't be able to return this year.

It's an underrated loss for the Buccaneers as Kieft was a big part of the blocking attack. Bowles believes the offense will have to change some things up in the running game moving forward.

Ko Kieft was injured a few plays before the blocked field goal.

His reaction says it all.

While not a receiving threat, he's a critical piece on special teams and in the running game. pic.twitter.com/5B0rUvsfAs

— Evan Closky (@ECloskyWTSP) September 23, 2025

"Ko's on IR, he broke his leg," Bowles said on Wednesday. "He was probably our toughest player, one of our toughest three players on the team, because he was our tone-setter offensively."

"He did a lot of things in the room from a blocking standpoint and we have to try to run the ball different ways so that was a huge loss for us," Bowles added.

Since being drafted by the Buccaneers in 2022, Kieft has appeared in 53 games. He's caught eight passes for 82 yards and two touchdowns.

At this time, Tampa Bay has three tight ends remaining on the active roster; Cade Otton, Payne Durham, and Devin Culp.

The Buccaneers also have Caden Prieskorn and Tanner Taula on the practice squad.

Tampa Bay returns to Raymond James Stadium to face off with the defending Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, September 28 at 1:00 p.m. ET. The game will be televised on FOX.

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READ MORE: Buccaneers' $90 million tackle avoids major injury in win over Texans

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