Todd Bowles Compares Buccaneers RB Bucky Irving to Hulk and Ant-Man

Bucs' head coach Todd Bowles made some creative comparisons for Bucky Irving.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (7) breaks away on a run for a touchdown in the second quarter of the NFL Week 1 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Things did not go as planned for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in their 2026 season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals, dropping the game 33-27.

The score and box score might have told you this one was close, but overall, the Buccaneers were thoroughly outplayed by the Bengals on both sides of the ball.

While much of what happened in Week 1 can leave a bad taste in one's mouth, there were some positive takeaways from the loss. One of those was that running back Bucky Irving looked like the pre-2025 injury Bucky Irving.

Todd Bowles Heaps Constructive Criticism on Bucky Irving

After getting to watch the film and digest the loss, head coach Todd Bowles admitted as such, but also left him with some constructive criticism regarding his fumble when fighting for extra yardage.

"Yeah, he did. I mean, he was very sharp running the football-wise. Obviously, you've got to protect [the ball] better and understand…You know, he has some of that with Baker [Mayfield]," Bowles said. "He understands his power is of the Hulk, but his size is probably of Ant-Man, so he's got to understand when and when not to take on certain things in certain situations as well — at least put two hands on the ball — and he understands that."

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (7) | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Irving outpaced Kenny Gainwell on the day and did more with his touches, to the tune of eight carries for 45 yards (5.6 yards per carry) and a touchdown, along with seven catches for 48 yards. The one blemish on his day was the fumble he had in the first quarter while fighting for extra yardage when a defender's helmet knocked the ball out.

It's great to see that Irving has returned to his pre-injury self, but he will need to make sure not to get too greedy at times and realize that a yard or two won't necessarily be the be-all and end-all when it comes to the results of the game. That matters specifically on your own side of the field early in the game.

Irving will look to take care of the ball better and build off his solid opening performance in Week 2 against the Browns in what should be a great opportunity for the team as a whole to bounce back from a pretty abysmal performance.

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