Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Bucky Irving stoically gets into position behind quarterback Baker Mayfield.

Pistol formation.

Sweat beads trickle down his face on this hot, sticky Florida day in October. In the orderly moment of silence before the snap of the ball, Irving's mind reprocesses the three-yard loss two plays before, reinvigorating his mission. Center Graham Barton zips the ball back to Mayfield, who hands it off to Irving on the downhill counter. Left guard Ben Bredeson pulls at the line of scrimmage and left tackle Tristan Wirfs, the second puller, works across the formation to block the playside linebacker.

Irving's responsibility on the play is 'A-gap to expand.' Patiently following his blockers, Irving stays on the inside hip of Wirfs and accelerates. He immediately notices the Atlanta safety waiting in the hole and makes a sharp cut to the right. First miss. With panoramic vision, Irving then identifies the cornerback in the open field and instincts kick in. He makes a lethal lateral jump-cut to bypass the hand-fighting corner, leaving him grasping at threads. Second miss. He barrels forward for a gain of 15 yards and a subsequent Bucs' first down, awakening the home crowd.

"BUCKY, BUCKY, BUCKY" chants ring out inside Raymond James Stadium, creating palpable excitement. That series, shaped by the conflicting duality of defeat then victory, encapsulates Irving's innate resolve. It is the fundamental reason football enthusiasts are infatuated with the young running back in Tampa Bay.

…

It is early afternoon in May 2025 when the missed-tackle machine strolls down the hallway at the AdventHealth Training Center. A cannon-fire earshot away from the hash marks where his prowess resurrected the Buccaneers' ground game in 2024, Irving strides with purpose. This day, for this second-year running back, provides a glimpse into his intentionality: His desire for greatness. Irving's tumultuous background fuels his competitive drive on the field. His voracious passion for the game and mental strength stretch beyond what is conventional. The very nature in which he plays the game is an anomaly.

Few players are able to leave a significant imprint during their inaugural campaign in the NFL. Fewer are able to transform a ground game that had been a league afterthought into a top-five unit. Even fewer are able to shatter franchise records and rank among the NFL's best, as Irving did. Fewer still have the humble demeanor that anchors them. Irving produced a prolific rookie campaign, yet he presents the antithesis of self-absorption, and is uncomfortable with lavish attention.

Irving shifts on the sofa as the weight of his rookie performance hits. A soft smile forms on his face as he crams a year's-worth of highlights and workouts into a few allotted seconds, punctuating his 2024 mental archive. Irving allows himself to briefly reminisce – only for a second – on previous achievements, then responds with utter clarity.

"I've got to do it again."

The words hang in the air as reality returns like a jolt of electricity. No boastfulness from Irving, just a gnawing desire to be remembered as one of the greats. That mindset is what motivates this 22-year-old from the South Side of Chicago. Instead of dwelling on personal milestones, he refuses complacency.

From the first moment he watched his cousins play football in the street at the age of four, he sensed his destiny and visualized it. Growing up in a house of 13, including aunts, uncles and cousins, Irving learned to survive through smack talking, which was usually settled outside in the dirt. After repeatedly begging to play football to the entire household, or frankly anyone in his vicinity, Irving was permitted to take part in a single drill. He experienced his introductory baptism by fire moment with his cousin, Tyrion, affectionately known as "Herkey." Herkey flattened five-year-old Bucky in an "Oklahoma" exercise in the front yard. The tactic, where two players (often one offensive and one defensive) run at each other head-on and collide to simulate a blocking scenario, is designed to test a player's toughness.

"I knew he was going to be special when he was able to play with us," said Bucky's uncle, Jeff Irving. "At first, I was letting him know that it is kind of dangerous. I held him back and I was kind of responsible for him, even though I was a kid myself. I was one of the older kids at the time and I let him know that if he got hurt, I could not stop it when the game was going. I let him sit out for a couple weeks and he kept begging and kept begging, so I said, 'Ok, come on. Come play. We are not going to take it light on you.' He never looked back and every year, he got better."

On the lawn, Irving's endurance was forged. After Irving took the hit in acceptable fashion, Jeff signed his nephew up for a local football team, the Hazel Crest Mustangs, where he played leading up to middle school. He made a name for himself at the pee wee level, dominating the circuit in Chicago for years. Football became a welcome distraction for Irving amidst the harsh realities of his neighborhood. Despite teachers that tried to dissuade his aspiration of one day playing in celebrated stadiums, Irving remained steadfast in his conviction and the chip on his shoulder grew tenfold.

Irving endured the unfiltered opinions of others and in the process, fortified his resolve. When asked the stereotypical essay questions, "What do you want to be when you grow up? What is your plan?" by educators, Irving emphatically scribbled the only thing that seemed to set his soul ablaze: Make it to the NFL. Over and over, Irving was persuaded to change his answer, but he pursued his dream and continued writing the same response, in ink. In those early-defining moments, his commitment was forged. Plan B did not exist.

Beginning at the pee wee level, Irving closely monitored Jeff's training regimen for high school football and the little X's and O's junkie pioneered his own strict routine at the age of five. Without prompting, Irving got up at sunrise and ran up and down 'The Big Apple,' a giant hill near their house, in preparation for his own football scrimmages. With every pace on the hill, as breathing became labored and muscles throbbed, Irving powered forward and envisioned donning his own NFL threads. Every day after school, Irving went to practice two hours early to watch the older kids play and studied every nuance. After each session, Irving stayed after to watch his relatives flash on the grass, including his brother, Jordan Raybon. Irving observed every play call unfold with the exuberance of a first-time spectator.

"That hill was not easy to run up and down and for someone not to force you or tell you to go do it, that is something different," said Jeff. "I never had to beg him to go to practice. He was already there hours before at pee wee and all levels. He wants to do it all and control the game. He never wanted to come off the field and he would play defense if he had to. In high school, he played nose tackle. That is hard to do but he did it. Who plays nose tackle in varsity football in high school at that size? Who does that and gets sacks and beats guys off the ball? Who does that? He did. You have to really be built different to do that. You had to drag him off the field. He was like that then, and it is the same now."

Irving's tunnel vision catapulted him forward. After his freshman year at Morgan Park, Irving transferred to Hillcrest High School in Country Club Hills. That year, he won the starting running back job and averaged 156.5 rushing yards per game, spurring Hillcrest to a 12-1 record and a 2018 conference title. Known for his ability to make defenders miss at the point of contact, Irving dazzled. He ran for 3,264 yards during his three-year career at Hillcrest and was named first-team all-state and the South Suburban Conference Player of the Year after posting 1,733 yards and 22 touchdowns as a junior, along with 21 receptions for 405 yards and four touchdowns.

Irving was also a standout player on the hardwood, controlling the pace of the game with ball distribution. He lettered in basketball at Hillcrest as the team's starting point guard and led the team in scoring as a junior, guiding the Hawks to first place in the conference. In addition to his football accolades, Irving earned Conference Player of the Year honors in basketball as a junior. On the court, he showed the same competitive disposition as he did on the grass.

In a 2020 showdown against Homewood-Flossmoor, Irving spurred the club to victory at the buzzer. Down by one with the clock winding down, Irving drove to the basket like a man possessed. He leapt through the air for a layup off the glass as time expired to give the Hawks a 56-55 win. The truly defining moment came just before the game-sealing shot. With 10 seconds remaining, Irving missed a three-pointer. For most, that play would have shattered confidence, but not for the five-foot-10, multi-faceted star. Instead, that moment revealed his mental fortitude. Homewood-Flossmoor missed a one-on-one and Irving capitalized, succeeding in the pressure-packed moment. The bouts of adversity that Irving had grown accustomed to, both at home and in athletic endeavors, not only fueled him but served as empowerment.

Although Hillcrest did not receive the notoriety of other high school football powerhouses in the country, which garner increased visibility for players and a larger presence with recruiters, Irving made his mark underneath the floodlights on Friday nights. His electrifying play powered the Hawks' quest for the 2019 conference title, a game shy of the state finals. Irving shook defenders out of their cleats with his cutting skills and shifty feet. His fables on the field in Country Club Hills were legendary and college programs took notice.

"He was always the person that would take it one day at a time and even if a door was not open, he would find a way," described Jeff. "Even the high school Bucky went to, it was hard to get recognition from schools in the area. No matter what, he was going to stay up all night studying the playbook. He was always locked in. Bucky was going to find a way. He loves that pressure. He likes going through hard things and he never takes a short cut. He has not done it so far. He would play for free – he loves the game that much."

Irving was named the No. 23 running back in the 2021 recruiting class and the No. 4 recruit in Illinois after his condensed senior campaign due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Offers began to roll in from a plethora of Big Ten schools and MAC programs. Irving reached a crossroads in May of 2019. The day that should have generated tears of joy quickly spiraled into numbing devastation that consumed him. Minnesota offered Irving a scholarship on May 9, the same day that his beloved grandma, Darlene Irving, passed away. Unbeknownst to Irving in the moment, he had entered the crucible of his life, one that would test his resilience.

Darlene, who exuded love and wore dignity daily, lived a life so meaningful that death seemed unfathomable. She served as Irving's unwavering supporter, wrapping him in tight embraces until he believed every single aspiration would come to fruition, just as she did. From her famous neckbones and cornbread soup to her genuine nature of helping others as a nurse, Darlene functioned as Irving's backbone. As her Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) worsened, she felt compelled to articulate a vision to Irving. Today, that conversation is forever cherished and bookmarked in Irving's mental library.

"One day, I will not be here," Darlene said. "If you keep working hard, you will make it to the NFL."

Back in the Buccaneers' facility, as Irving tries to quantify the influence of his late grandmother, he starts to laugh. Then, as her memory fully floods his mind, the chuckling softens as tears accumulate.

"She played a big part in my life because we all used to live in one house, and she always provided for us and made sure we had everything we needed. I used to watch her go to work. My dad passed away when I was two and I never got a chance to meet him, but I got to see the role my grandma played. I used to think she was my mom at times because of the way she treated us and every person she met. She always wanted to make people happy and when she passed, it was hard.

"She had always been there for us and we never needed for anything. We always went to grandma, and of course she was going to tell us, 'Yes.' I got offered the same day by Minnesota and with all of the offers from schools coming in, I did not want to go. I was still at the hospital when I received the offer that day and I decided to go that route because a coach from Minnesota came out to see me on that hard day when I was dealing with grief so I thought that was the right fit. They took the time to come out on that day. I know that my grandma is always with me – I have her tatted on the back of my leg, the day she was born and her name.

The next couple of years proved to be the most formative of Irving's life. He continued to process his grief and became fixated on making his grandmother proud. Irving committed to the Golden Gophers almost exactly a year later. He felt it was serendipitous and set his sights on Darlene's last verbal manifestation. As part of the Gophers' backfield committee as a freshman, Irving finished second on the team in rushing with 699 yards and 133 carries to go along with four touchdowns. He led the team with 966 all-purpose yards, posting 194 yards on kickoff returns in 2021.

Just as things seemed to calm, tragedy struck again on an otherwise unremarkable spring day. Following practice on March 17, 2022, as Irving sat in a massage chair, his phone lit up with 'Mom' flashing on the caller ID.

He answered and could only make out frightened yells on the other end from his mother, LaTisha Irving. After what seemed like an eternity of deciphering, Irving heard the words, "They killed your brother." Jordan 'JoJo' Raybon, Irving's younger brother, was shot to death in the 16800 block of Bulger, Hazel Crest. After the news registered, Irving went home and tried to make sense of losing his 15-year-old sidekick. The world as he knew it, shattered into a million pieces. No more Madden marathons. No more football matchups in the street. No more daily conversations on the phone to make up for the fact that JoJo lived two blocks over. No more competitive jabs that ended in convulsions of laughter. But as days passed and the mind quieted, it became apparent to Irving that love transcends even death.

The twin legacies of his grandmother and brother, embedded in Irving's soul, permeate everything he does. He lives for multiple people, aiming to recapture their spirits in daily tasks. The loss that Irving endured would have broken many individuals, but instead of residing in bitterness, Irving chose to build a legacy that would make his brother and grandma proud.

"Going back to Minnesota when I did after my brother died and I lost my grandma, those things kind of happened back-to-back," stressed Irving. "Being able to go through that and get through that and having the people around me that were there for me, I would say that is the greatest turning point of my life because some guys would shut down after that and some use it as motivation. I chose to use it as motivation."

Every forced missed tackle that creates a beam on the face of an onlooker is the same merriment that Irving experienced as a child in the arms of his grandmother, or tackling his brother in a one-on-one skirmish. He strives to capture and recreate that same joy on the field. That is why if he has a series or play that does not meet his personal standard, he comes out with a vengeance the next. If there is an error, Irving studies it over and over to prevent making the same mistake twice.

In April of 2022, a month after the death of JoJo, Irving decided to enter the transfer portal. In May, he announced his transfer to Oregon. He wanted to showcase greater variety in a scheme that aligned with his play style, and Irving also needed an environment conducive to his journey of grief.

Irving became a two-year starter at Oregon, surpassing 1,000 rushing yards in both of his campaigns in Eugene. In Will Stein's zone-read-based attack, Irving led all FBS backs in catches (56) in 2023 and received second-team All-Pac-12 honors that year after posting career highs in carries (186), yards (1,180), rushing touchdowns (11), receptions and receiving yards (413). He ignited the Ducks' offense and amassed 156 carries for 1,058 yards and five rushing touchdowns in 2022, earning honorable mention All-Pac-12 recognition. Irving's contact balance and ability to get skinny in the hole and stop-and-start on a dime, caused problems for defenses in the Pac-12. His instincts on the field and understanding of leverage and angles cannot be taught.

While at Minnesota, Irving adapted his film study procedure. He learned how to properly analyze film from Mohamed Ibrahim, who taught him to fixate on how linebackers and safeties fit runs, along with specific keys to examine in defensive structures. Irving carried that same philosophy to Oregon, along with his detailed training strategy, beginning at 5 a.m.

For Irving, every decision was deliberate: Practice with the intensity of a playoff game and prepare like it is the state championship. At a young age, Irving had the maturity to understand that outcomes cannot be controlled. But he could control his discipline, attitude and intangibles. For the betterment of the team and his leadership, Irving mentored receiver Tez Johnson.

"When I first got to Oregon, Bucky brought me along on the process and told me that I had to get into a routine," Johnson detailed. "The team meeting would be at 7:30 and I was rolling up at 7:25. But Bucky set me down and told me that I needed to get into a routine and told me that he got up at 5. He said, 'Either you want to be the best in the country, or you want to be average as grits.' That was the first time he told me something real at Oregon. He would get up at 5 and then when he got in the building, he was doing the hot tub, the cold tub and he would sit and listen to his music before going straight to the meeting room. He got all his plays down and everything he knew he had to have for the upcoming game.

"He would then watch film and go sit in the team meeting room. Mind you, the team meeting is at 7:30 and he is in there at 6:30, just waiting. Most guys were just waking up at 7, when Bucky had already been there for two hours. He was always ahead. When he brought me along for that journey, I realized that he wanted the best for me, and he trusted me with certain things. When he showed me that, things started progressing with our friendship. In my inner circle, it was Bo [Nix], Bucky, Tez. His routine is phenomenal, and no one was going to be there before him."

Irving based everything around creating a culture to nurture ambition. His view of greatness is based upon how often he can replicate perfection of his craft on a daily basis. Irving embraced every aspect of his responsibilities on the field to bolster the offense.

"The biggest thing that stood out to me was his character and his work ethic," noted former Buccaneers' National Scout Antwon Murray. "They talked about him being one of the first guys in and one of the last guys out and how competitive he was. I remember them talking about his fun-loving personality and his coach raved about his dedication to the film room and preparation. He told me how good Bucky was in pass pro and how he made himself better in that regard to understand what was coming, cross and step up into the A-gap. That is what made me interested.

"He practiced hard and he was nailing guys. Then on tape, he was explosive, quick, good on third down, ran hard and he caught the ball well. Everything came out on tape and he got a lot of tough yardage and was a safety blanket at Oregon. Everything that we talk about wanting in that running back room and wanting in a kid, Bucky was that. We talk a lot about getting guys that have been through adversity, and he had been through it all and continued to progress to get to where he is now."

After two years with the Ducks, Irving elected to skip his senior season to enter the 2024 NFL Draft. Although he was hailed for his vision, undisputed love for football and heroics after contact, his size became the narrative during the pre-draft process. He was regarded as a polarizing prospect that had the potential to be a scat back and fit into a zone scheme. By many teams, Irving was labeled as 'too small' for their athletic threshold and despite his dynamic playmaking skills evidenced on Oregon tape and at his Pro Day, Irving's draft testing at the Combine including a sub-30" vertical, 4.55 40-yard dash and a 2.11 Relative Athletic Score caused him to slide on draft boards.

However, the Buccaneers saw something else.

The Bucs' brass looked at what Irving is made of outside the white lines and concluded that when defeat occurs in whatever facet, he will be the one to get up.

"I was looking over his report last night and I had, 'He is quicker than fast,' because I think he ran a 4.55-second 40, maybe, and he is a guy that can be caught from behind," said Bucs' National Scout Andy Speyer. "We knew that but he is quicker than fast; he can make that first defender miss and is able to make guys miss in space and the quickness is really good. Not everyone has that ability. You cannot teach toughness and I think a lot of what he has had to go though in his life and deal with adversity, yes he can be guarded and protective of himself, but I think it shows on the field. He has that toughness that you cannot coach and the determination to be successful. What he dealt with growing up, not everyone has that ability to get through that. I think that toughness shows as an inside runner."

On Saturday, April 27, 2024, the Buccaneers made a move that would change the trajectory of their offense. With the 125th overall pick in the fourth round, General Manager Jason Licht called Irving and uttered the life-altering words, "You are about to be a Buc." Licht trusted his gut and dialed the phone. That decision revived the Buccaneers' ground game in 2024.

"I think Jason deserves the credit," noted Murray. "Jason has an amazing eye, and I think he sees talent and fit and value so much different. Jason just has a way to see all of that information and to place value on it. He is not afraid to pull the trigger. I think he did a great job of getting Bucky at the right spot and trusting and believing what he saw.

Only four running backs were drafted within the first three rounds of the 2024 Draft. Over the last 10 years as the league has become more pass-centric with defenses countering with nickel personnel and smaller, speedier threats on the back end, the running back position has been devalued, in contrast to the bygone days of smash-mouth football where bruisers pushed the pile forward. Most were selected on Day Three and Irving knows each player taken before him by name. Those five backs are engraved in Irving's subconscious.

Jonathon Brooks, Round 2 (pick 46)

Trey Benson, Round 3 (pick 66)

Blake Corum, Round 3 (pick 83)

MarShawn Lloyd, Round 3 (pick 88)

Jaylen Wright, Round 4 (pick 120)

"I kept that anger and used it as motivation," noted Irving. "I was pissed. I was waiting for three days, so just being there and seeing everybody get drafted, it lit a fire in me. Because I basically talked to all of those teams and then seeing how they viewed me, anytime I get a chance to go against any of those teams, I punish them for not calling my name on draft night."

Irving has been counted out his entire life so why would draft night have gone any differently? Instead of complaining or posting a rant on social media, Irving put his head down and went to work. He had weathered countless storms before that would have been the end of the story for many people. Every drill, every weight, every meeting session, Irving had 31 teams plastered in his skull and one guiding directive: payback. He operated with calculated obsession, prepared for his moment in the pros.

"Coming into the league, he was a fourth-round pick and that work ethic shows up," described Speyer.

I am not saying that he is going to be the greatest running back of all time but he has some of those characteristics that help elevate his game."

As a rookie, Irving etched his name in Bucs' lore. He never placed parameters on his imagination and instead nullified preconceived barriers regarding his size. Inspiration cannot come from simply accomplishing what people believe to be possible. It comes from defying the ordinary mold, redefining what is achievable. That is exactly what Irving did during his rookie campaign. With hunger, he set out to chase perfection, maximizing every opportunity.

Irving concluded the 2024 season as the highest-graded rookie according to Pro Football Focus, becoming the only running back with a 90-plus grade in both rushing and receiving. Tampa Bay's 5.3 rushing yards per attempt last season set a new franchise record, as did its 2,536 total rushing yards. Irving's 37.1% missed tackle percentage led the NFL, and his 76 missed tackles forced ranked first among rookies.

He was selected to the 2024 PFWA All-Rookie Team and led the rookie class in scrimmage yards (1,514), rushing yards (1,122) and rushing touchdowns (eight). Irving's franchise record 5.4 yards per rush attempt average is the third-highest mark in NFL annals among rookies with 200-plus rush attempts in a season, trailing only Adrian Peterson (5.6 in 2007) and Clinton Portis (5.5 in 2002). His 1,514 yards from scrimmage is the second-most by a rookie in Bucs' history, trailing only Doug Martin (1,926 in 2012).

The first-year phenom gained an additional 609 yards after forcing missed tackles in 2024, second-most in the league behind only Derrick Henry (753) per Next Gen Stats. Irving averaged 5.5 yards per carry on rushes outside the tackles (fifth-most among running backs, minimum of 50 such carries) and 5.3 yards per carry on rushes inside the tackles (second-most among running backs) this season. Yards after contact, what had been the San Francisco 49ers' specialty, became Tampa Bay's trademark in 2024 largely due to Irving's aptitude.

Generally, backs that fall under a similar weight class as Irving are utilized primarily on the edge. However, Irving's ability to command lateral movements and get vertical, makes him a sneaky threat between the tackles. He has the short-area quickness to bypass penetrating defensive tackles that many do not possess. With powerful leg drive, Irving stays upright and easily maneuvers through arm tackles, squeezing through the hole. As a result of his fortification in the film room, he finds lanes that do not exist for many backs in the league. The improvisational skills of Irving are remarkable and his propensity to reverse the field is reminiscent of arguably the best to ever do it at the position, Barry Sanders. Defenses have to account for Irving when he steps onto the field, the mark of a cornerstone fixture. In 2025, Irving and his former Oregon teammate were reunited when the Buccaneers drafted Johnson in the seventh round.

"I watch him because he plays like he is having fun," stated best friend, Tez Johnson.

He deserves everything that comes his way. I love the way he plays. He is shifty and powerful, and he can be gone in the blink of an eye. He is one of those running backs that you really have to look out for. One hundred times or not, I am going to say that Bucky is the best running back in the league. I stand on that. Everything that he has been through as a kid and still to this day, he has prevailed. He is always going to find a way to make the best out of it and smile through it. I am pretty sure one day Bucky will get a gold jacket. I cannot wait."

Every time he goes into the huddle, Irving is dissecting defensive personnel. What defenders are coming in? Any substitutions? Are they going heavy set? Are they in their nickel package? Then, based on who is coming in and what the play call is, he already has a plan in motion and understands the defense's tendencies – whether they are penetrators, two-gappers that sit and hold the line, or whether the linebackers overflow. Irving understands if he needs to press the gap a little more to allow for over-pursuit. His mind shuffles through a variety of scenarios based on the down-and-distance but preparation leads to separation from average. Irving has a good feel for the weak points of the opposition and exploits it.

Last season, many of his highlight-reel plays came off of gap runs. In that scheme, the runner has to make quick decisions and react to the flow of the play. In 2024, Irving thrived on counter traps, a scheme he ran at a high frequency in Eugene. He is adept at staying in-phase with the puller and accelerating off the puller's block once he makes contact. Then, Irving is able to showcase his second-level mastery. Those runs became his bread-and-butter, creating a variety of ways to get him in space. Irving possesses the patience to not out-run his blockers and once the guard wraps around to the MIKE linebacker, Irving is off.

"Bucky has a great feel for those counters and what impressed me the most when he got here was his ability to see the whole field as a runner and as a pass-receiver," described Running Backs Coach Skip Peete. "He could see the angles that defenders were trying to come and tackle him. He has a plan on how he is going to attack them and I do not think everybody in this league has a plan. Some people focus on the footwork and going through the right hole but when things get muddy, how do they respond? Bucky has a plan to get out of those situations.

He has this ability to take a glancing blow instead of a big, direct shot, and that is also something that not everybody can do. You can do it in drill work with bags but the speed in the drill is not like in the game. It is more natural instinct and he utilizes it well."

During his rookie year, Irving's play energized a crowd starved for a robust ground game. For Irving, it was not always a play of 15 or 20-plus yards that left onlookers speechless, sometimes it was a gain of two yards where he managed to juke eight defenders to traverse the gridiron behind the line of scrimmage, leaving defenders tackling air. Like an artist, every hardship overcome with perseverance is conveyed in Irving's work between the hash marks.

Every time his cleats sink into the grass, he whispers a simple prayer to the heavens, "Watch over me." He does not play to accumulate accolades, instead, to memorialize those that are not in the stands – his grandmother, brother and father. Like his devotion to family, he pushes harder for the giddy little boy in the bleachers donning a No. 7 jersey with 'Irving' engraved like a badge of honor. Irving's demeanor is different, curating moves rarely seen in the backfield.

Back in the studio, Irving clenches a podcast mic hanging from its stand as he attempts to reflect on his achievements in 2024. But while many athletes in the modern age crave publicity and the spotlight, Irving avoids it. He presents an unassuming demeanor and is defined by humility. Buried underneath headlines and heralded titles is one of the most modest stars in sports. For Irving, the game is not about generating esteemed praise or personal awards, it is about breaking the opposition's will to bring the Buccaneers to victory.

After a long pause, Irving speaks with authority.

"I've got to do it again. We are not living in the past. Last year is over. What is Bucky going to do in 2025?"

As he deliberately stands, a devilish grin spreads across his face. Irving already knows the answer.