Shilo Sanders gets ejected during Buccaneers-Bills game, Todd Bowles not happy

Tampa Bay Buccaneers' undrafted free agent rookie, Shilo Sanders, was ejected at the midway point of the second quarter during the team's third and final preseason game vs. the Buffalo Bills at Raymond James Stadium on Saturday night.

With the Bills leading 7-3 and threatening deep into Tampa territory, Shilo was lined up in coverage on Buffalo tight end, Zach Davidson. After some typical handfighting took place during the route between the two players, Shilo took exception and punched Davidson in the helmet.

Here is the play that got Shilo Sanders ejected. pic.twitter.com/7LRplnywzo
— Evan Closky (@ECloskyWTSP) August 24, 2025

Sanders received an unnecessary roughness penalty for the extra curricular activity and was ejected from the football game.

It was a surprising development for a couple of reasons. First of all, Sanders hasn't really demonstrated any signs of being a player who 'loses his cool' in the past. Secondly, and most important, this was his final (and best) opportunity to make an impression on his coaches.

Without question, Sanders' goal is to make an NFL team. Even if it would have been unlikely for Sanders to be named to the Buccaneers final 53-man roster, he is still actively competing for a spot on the practice squad. With only 3 preseason games to prove himself, this final game was a golden opportunity for Shilo to separate himself from other DB's fighting for a roster spot.

This type of erratic behavior is not how you make a positive impression on someone like Todd Bowles, who was visibly frustrated on the sidelines following Sanders' ejection.

Shilo Sanders has been ejected from the game after throwing a punch after a skirmish pic.twitter.com/68mQJDMibg
— JC Allen (@JCAllenNFL) August 24, 2025

It's also worth mentioning that Sanders had struggled throughout the first portion of this game up until his ejection. On numerous occasions, Sanders either lost his footing, or just completely whiffed on making a tackle.

Despite going undrafted in the 2025 NFL Draft, Sanders was a common talking point in the Tampa Bay since he first agreed to sign with the Bucs shortly after the draft concluded a few months ago. As the son of Deion Sanders, and the brother of Shadeur, notoriety certainly runs in the family. And although Shilo isn't nearly as accomplished on the field as his brother or his dad, his personality and charisma had made a positive impression on the fanbase over the past few months.

We'll soon find out whether or not Shilo Sanders will have a spot on the Buccaneers roster, whether that be the final 53 or the practice squad. If he doesn't? His antics during the team's final preseason game on Saturday very well could have had something to do with it.

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