Calijah Kancey Injury Update: Buccaneers Get Bad News on Defensive Lineman

Tampa Bay may lose a solid defensive contributor.

Calijah Kancey registered 7.5 sacks last season. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The Buccaneers pulled out a last-second 20–19 win over the Texans on Monday night—but they may have lost a key defensive contributor in the process.

Tampa Bay defensive lineman Calijah Kancey tore a pectoral muscle during the Buccaneers' victory, according to a Tuesday morning report from Adam Schefter of ESPN. Per Schefter, Kancey will undergo surgery on Friday that will end his season.

Kancey, 24, recorded 11.5 sacks in 26 games over the course of his first two seasons—four as a rookie in 2023 and 7.5 in 2024. He owns 55 career total tackles and has hit the quarterback 29 times.

Drafted 19th in 2023, Kancey was the ACC's Defensive Player of the Year in 2022 with Pittsburgh. He additionally starred on the Panthers' 2021 team, which won the ACC and played in the Peach Bowl.

Tampa Bay, now 2-0, will host the Jets on Sunday before a showdown with the Super Bowl champion Eagles in Week 4.

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