Bucky Irving Ready to Carry Buccaneers’ Run Game

· Yahoo Sports

It is now clear Bucky Irving will be the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ bell-cow running back in 2026. Although the Oregon product played in just 10 games, missing Weeks 5-12 with injuries, and had just one rushing touchdown in 2025, the Bucs cleared the path for Irving to become the primary back after declining to bring back running backs Rashaad White and Sean Tucker.

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While the Buccaneers could be looking to bring in an inexpensive complementary tailback through free agency, the bulk of the backfield work will fall on Irving’s shoulders if Tampa Bay hopes to make a return to the top of the NFC South standings and NFL playoffs.

Bucky’s Bounce Back

Prior to his injury, Irving averaged 17.7 rushing attempts per game, and despite missing eight games in the middle of the season, he jumped right back into the lineup and averaged 17.1 attempts per game in his final six games. Falling well below his production during his breakout rookie season, Irving finished the 2025 season with 588 rushing yards and one touchdown.

With a full offseason to recover and learn new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson’s offensive scheme, and a presumed increase in workload, Irving is poised to become the fifth running back in the team’s 49-year history to post two 1,000-yard seasons as a Buccaneer. 

Not only has he proven it once before by rushing for more than 1,100 yards during his rookie campaign in 2024, it’s not unheard of for a Tampa Bay running back to go a season or two, or even three, in between hitting the 1,000-yard mark. During his rookie season in 2012, the late Doug Martin nearly set the franchise single-season record with 1,454 yards, but played in just 17 games and rushed for fewer than 500 yards in each of the next two seasons. In 2015 Martin bounced back by eclipsing the 1,400-yard mark once again.

Warrick Dunn also completed this feat during his days in Tampa Bay. After just missing out on rushing for 1,000 yards in his rookie season in 1997, the former Florida State standout rushed for 1,026 yards the following season. Dunn followed up that season by rushing for just 618 yards, but in 1999 he had his best season as a Buccaneer with 1,133 yards.

James Wilder (1984-85) and Errict Rhett (1994-95) are the only other Bucs’ running backs to have more than one season with more than 1,000 yards rushing and remain the only Bucs running backs to ever rush for more than 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons. Wilder holds the single-season franchise record for rushing yards in a season with 1,544 in 1984.

1,400 or More?

As an offensive coordinator, Robinson has a track record of producing potent rushing attacks while featuring elite running backs. 

As the OC for the NFC South rival Atlanta Falcons, Robinson helped Bijan Robinson turn into one of the best backs in the NFL. After rushing for 976 yards as a rookie in 2023, the former Texas phenom rushed for more than 1,400 yards in back-to-back seasons in 2024 and 2025 in Robinson’s scheme.

With an experienced and intact offensive line returning and a full season, Irving might not only tally the franchise’s 14th 1,000-yard season in history, but could threaten Wilder’s more than 40-year-old single-season rushing yards record.

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