Buccaneers' Todd Bowles Rules Out 2 Players vs. Steelers

These two Tampa Bay Buccaneers players won't be playing against the Pittsburgh Steelers — but they weren't expected to anyway.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles looks on before a preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are set to face off against the Pittsburgh Steelers in a game that could arguably make or break their season this early in the year. A win gets the Bucs to 2-4 and keeps them hanging on in the NFC South, but a loss drops them to 1-5 and puts them even further down the NFL ladder.

Tampa Bay will be mostly healthy when they face the Steelers, but there are two big players who won't be playing, according to head coach Todd Bowles. Thankfully for Tampa Bay, it's two players that the team wasn't expecting to rely on anyway this Sunday.

2 Buccaneers Players Ruled Out vs. Steelers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Antoine Winfield Jr. (31) warms up before a game against the New York Giants | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There are only two players out against the Steelers on Sunday, and it's two players that were assumed to be out anyway.

Bowles said Friday that quarterback Baker Mayfield and safety Antoine Winfield Jr. will be out on Sunday. Both players have been dealing with long-term injuries and were not expected to play on Sunday regardless.

Todd Bowles says that only Baker Mayfield and Antoine Winfield are OUT. Sean Tucker will be a game-time decision, he says. pic.twitter.com/BcipWIMqSm

— River Wells (@riverhwells) October 16, 2026

Mayfield dislocated his thumb against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 3 and has been out since. He's been pushing to play against the Steelers since the Bucs beat the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday Night Football, but he isn't quite ready to return to football action this weekend. Expect him to start ramping up to play next week when the Bucs face off against the Panthers.

Winfield fractured his ribs against the Green Bay Packers, and he was expected to be out for 2-4 weeks. This is the second week he'll be out, but he was working on the side with a trainer on Friday — that could be an encouraging sign for future games.

Running back Sean Tucker and Ayden Garnes were both working with trainers on Wednesday, but both have been participating on Thursday and Friday — Bowles said Tucker would be a game-time decision. Cornerback Benjamin Morrison and linebacker SirVocea Dennis both missed last week's game against the Cowboys, but both are expected to be available against the Steelers.

The Bucs will face the Steelers at 1 p.m. on Oct. 18 at Raymond James Stadium.

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