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Buccaneers WR Emeka Egbuka catches first NFL TD in impressive fashion vs. Steelers

The Buccaneers' promising rookie receiver is already showing his value.
Collin Haalboom|
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (9) works out prior to the game against the Tennessee Titans.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (9) works out prior to the game against the Tennessee Titans. | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

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Tampa Bay BuccaneersPittsburgh Steelers

On Saturday evening, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers kicked off their second preseason game of the 2025 campaign in Pittsburgh, where they faced off against the Steelers following joint practices between the two teams earlier in the week.

It was an eventful first quarter at Acrisure Stadium, with the Buccaneers scoring early on a beautiful pass from Teddy Bridgewater to Bucky Irving.

READ MORE: Buccaneers' starting WR leaves Steelers game with back injury

Just a short while later, Bridgewater connected with standout rookie wide receiver Emeka Egbuka for his first NFL TD and the team's second in the first quarter alone.

It was a redzone connection between the veteran signal caller and the young receiver, with Egbuka creating separation from the defensive back by running a beautifully executed flat corner route before diving toward the corner of the endzone to haul it in with one hand.

Egbuka has been the talk of the offseason for the Buccaneers with his polished route running, exceptional hands and relentless work ethic, earning unanimous praise from teammates and coaches alike. Each of those attributes were on full display when he nabbed his first TD catch as an NFL player vs. the Steelers on Saturday night.

With plenty of uncertainty surrounding Chris Godwin's availability early in the season, Egbuka is in line to receive plenty of work early in his career. Egbuka's versatility should serve him well, as he's tailor-made to play in the slot with the size and experience to line up on the outside when needed.

Earlier in the game, second-year receiver Jalen McMillan landed awkwardly on his head and neck while making an acrobatic catch over the middle of the field. He was ruled out for the remainder of the game shortly thereafter with a back injury while also being evaluated for a concussion.

Should McMillan be forced to miss any time, with Godwin already expected to be out to start the season, Emeka Egbuka could be stepping into a massive role for the Bucs come Week 1 when the team travels to Atlanta to take on the Falcons.

Thankfully, the early returns on the former Ohio State product would indicate he is more than ready for whatever type of workload the Buccaneers are going to throw at him.

READ MORE: Promising Buccaneers UDFA suffers season-ending knee injury

Stick with BucsGameday for more coverage of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers throughout the 2025 season.

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Collin Haalboom
COLLIN HAALBOOM

Prior to joining BucsGameday and Sports Illustrated, Collin's written content was provided through Bucs Banter, and NFL Draft Lounge. He is also the creator and host of the Bucs Banter Podcast. He is a graduate of the Communication Studies program at McMaster University, where he was also a varsity basketball player, and later an advanced scout. He lives with his wife and two children in Hamilton, ON. You can follow Collin on YouTube and Twitter.

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