The Tampa Bay Buccaneers started their 2025 season without two of their top receivers from 2024, as Chris Godwin is coming back from last year's ankle dislocation and Jalen McMillan is out for a while with a severe neck sprain. As it turned out, that was not a problem for Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield.
Mayfield, who led the NFL over the 2023-24 seasons with 69 touchdown passes, started his 2025 campaign with three more scoring tosses. On the receiving end of two of them, both from outside the red zone: rookie wideout Emeka Egbuka.
Egbuka seemed a bit like a luxury pick and a future play when the Buccaneers took him 19th overall in this year's draft despite already rostering Godwin, McMillan and future Hall of Famer Mike Evans. Luxury quickly turned into necessity and Egbuka was thrust into an extremely important role in his NFL debut, starting across from Evans, who predictably got extra attention from the Atlanta Falcons in Sunday's season opener. It could hardly have gone better.
As Mayfield said after the game: "He made some unbelievable plays."
Indeed. Egbuka gave the Bucs their first lead of the game in the second quarter when he hauled in a 30-yard touchdown pass thrown expertly between three defenders. More importantly, with 59 seconds left in the game, he snared a 25-yard touchdown pass that provided the winning points in a 23-20 decision. He is just the second Buccaneers rookie to score twice in his first regular season game, joining tight end Alex Smith in 2005.
Mayfield obviously will be thrilled when Godwin and McMillan return to his receiving arsenal, but the presence of Egbuka makes it easier to bridge the gap until they are ready. Though he's a rookie, Mayfield already has total confidence in Egbuka to be where he's supposed to be and make big plays. Apparently, that confidence didn't take long to materialize after the 2024 draft.
"Extremely quickly," said Mayfield. "I just think the way he carries himself, I've told you guys, it wasn't a front. You saw it live today, in person. He's the real deal. True professional. Doesn't play like a rookie. Doesn't act like a rookie. His head is never spinning. He made some unbelievable catches and plays today for us. Obviously, going to continue to lean on him. Hopefully, we can draw some more coverage towards him, and Mike gets the ball again."
Egbuka finished the game with a team-high 67 yards on four catches. Evans had five receptions to lead the team, picking up 51 yards. There are likely bigger days ahead for Evans as defenses realize they have to pay more attention to Egbuka.
"We were looking to go score and had a few opportunities there," said Mayfield of the Bucs' final game-winning drive. "Obviously, Emeka did a great job of finishing it, but really, Mike draws a lot of attention. He gets the safety to bite down on it, gets one-on-one coverage for Emeka, and he makes the easy play."
As NFL Communications pointed out on Sunday night, Egbuka is just the second player since the 1970 merger to record a game-winning touchdown reception in the final minute of regulation or overtime in his first career game, joining Ernest Wilford (with Jacksonville on Sept. 12, 2004). That's a really good way to start one's career. Mayfield thinks there's a lot more to come from his new teammate.
View the postgame celebration of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' regular season Week 1 win vs. the Atlanta Falcons
