Buccaneers Rookie Sensation Sets Franchise Record In First Playoff Game

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had their season come to an end on Sunday night with a disappointing 23-20 loss to the Washington Commanders in the NFL Playoffs. Despite the defeat, one Buccaneer displayed why he has the potential to develop into something special.

Rookie sensation Bucky Irving made his playoff debut against the Commanders after taking over as the starter in the backfield. The talented running back put together a solid performance, rushing 17 times for 77 yards while catching two passes for six yards and a touchdown. Irving averaged 4.5 yards per carry, the highest of any rusher on either team.

With his showing, Irving ended up setting a franchise record. He surpassed former star Warrick Dunn for the most single-game rushing yards by a rookie in Buccaneers playoff history. Dunn set the previous mark with 72 yards in a 20-10 victory against the Detroit Lions on December 28, 1997.

That's certainly an accomplishment considering what Dunn means to the franchise. Dunn was drafted by the Buccaneers in the first round of the 1997 NFL Draft. He was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and earned two Pro Bowl selections during his time with Tampa Bay. Dunn is known for his efforts on the field and around the community.

Bucky Irving has surpassed Warrick Dunn (72 on 12/28/97 vs.Detroit) for the most single-game rushing yards by a rookie in franchise playoff history.
— Buccaneers Communications (@BuccaneersComms) January 13, 2025

Irving split time with third-year running back Rachaad White for much of the regular season. In 17 appearances, with three starts, he rushed 207 times for 1,122 yards with eight touchdowns and caught 47 passes for 392 yards. Irving had three games of 100+ rushing yards, including a season-high 25 attempts for 152 yards and a touchdown in a 26-23 overtime victory against the Carolina Panthers on December 1.

The 22-year-old led all rookies in rushing yards, rushing yards after contact (556), and missed tackles forced (57). It's expected that he'll be named NFL's All-Rookie Team for his success this season.

The Buccaneers selected Irving in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. He had an illustrious college career at Oregon, rushing for 1,000+ rushing yards in back-to-back seasons and earning second-team All-PAC 12 honors in 2023. Erving scored 21 total touchdowns in two years with the Ducks.

Tampa Bay has Irving under contract for three more seasons.

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