The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won't need to sew any new "Cs" on their jerseys this season. All six players who were chosen as captains by voting among their teammates this week were also captains for the 2024 squad. Representing the offense are wide receiver Mike Evans, quarterback Baker Mayfield and tackle Tristan Wirfs; on defense it is once again linebacker Lavonte David, defensive lineman Vita Vea and safety Antoine Winfield Jr.
In fact, it's clear the Buccaneers have some very distinct leaders because all six of those men have now been captains for at least three years in a row. Leading the way is David, who will have don the "C" for the 12th year in a row as he becomes just the third player in franchise history to play 14-plus seasons for the Buccaneers. Evans is next, heading into his ninth straight season as a Buccaneer captain.
Vea's captaincy streak now stretches to four consecutive campaigns, while Mayfield, Winfield and Wirfs first got the "C" jerseys in 2023. Mayfield had previously been a team captain for one season with the Cleveland Browns and one season with the Carolina Panthers.
Head Coach Todd Bowles announced the selections, which were based on a player vote conducted on Monday, to the players during the full-team meeting on Wednesday morning. The Buccaneers will open their regular season on Sunday with a game against the division-rival Falcons in Atlanta.
