The Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost to the Carolina Panthers, 23-20, in Week 16, marking the team's third straight defeat by four or fewer points. Sunday's loss was the seventh game of the Buccaneers' 2025 season that was decided by three or fewer points, tied with the 1979 NFC Central division-winning team for the most the franchise has ever had in one season.

The game was sealed when rookie safety Lathan Ransom picked off a Baker Mayfield pass at the Carolina 35-yard line with 42 seconds left, a play that was the product of miscommunication between the quarterback and wide receiver Mike Evans. The Buccaneers were attempting, at the least, to maneuver into position for kicker Chase McLaughlin to have a shot at sending the game into overtime.

McLaughlin had already made two field goals on the afternoon, from 23 and 50 yards, running his current streak to 16 successful attempts in a row. The 50-yard shot, which tied the game at 20-20 early in the fourth quarter, was his 11th field goal in 11 tries this season from 50 yards and beyond. With that successful kick, McLaughlin set a new NFL record with 11 consecutive successful field goal attempts from 50 yards and beyond in a single season.

McLaughlin is now 43 of 50 in his career on attempts from 50 or more yards, including 26 of 29 since he joined the Buccaneers in 2023. He is the most accurate kicker in NFL history from 50-plus yards, among players with at least 25 attempts in that range.

Highest Field Goal Success Rate, 50-Plus Yards, NFL History

(minimum 25 attempts)

McLaughlin's 26 successful field goals of 50-plus yards for the Buccaneers are by far the most for any kicker in team history, and he is the only Buccaneers with at least five such attempts to make 70% or more of them.

Most Successful 50-Plus Yard Field Goals in Buccaneers History

1. Chase McLaughlin, 2023-25: 26

2t. Connor Barth, 2009-13, 2005: 15

2t. Martin Gramatica, 1999-2004: 15

4. Michael Husted, 1993-98: 10

5. Donald Igwebuike, 1985-89: 9

McLaughlin accounted for eight of the Buccaneers' 20 points against the Panthers; the other 12 were scored by Evans on a one-yard reception in the first quarter and running back Sean Tucker on a one-yard run in the third quarter. Evans' touchdown was his second of the season and the 107th of his career and he is now just four behind Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez for the ninth-most touchdown receptions in league annals.

Most Career Touchdown Receptions, NFL History

Evans' touchdown catch on Sunday was the 15th he has scored in games against the Panthers, the most in his career against any opponent. He finished the game with five receptions for 31 yards, and his reception (123) and yardage (1,726) totals against Carolina are also his most against any team.

Chris Godwin matched Evans with five receptions on Sunday, giving him 604 in his career for a total of 7,520 yards. Godwin joined Evans as the only players in Buccaneers history to exceed 600 catches and 7,500 receiving yards.

Wide receiver Emeka Egbuka turned in the longest play from scrimmage for either team in Sunday's game with a 40-yard catch in the fourth quarter, his only reception of the game. That improved his season total to a team-leading 910 receiving yards, giving him two more games to become the third rookie in franchise history to record 1,000 receiving yards.

Most Receiving Yards in a Season by a Rookie, Buccaneer History

1. Michael Clayton, 2004: 1,193

2. Mike Evans, 2014: 1,051

3. Mike Williams, 2010: 964

4. Emeka Egbuka, 2025: 910

5. Lawrence Dawsey, 1991: 818

Egbuka also remained in a neck-and-neck race with Carolina's Tetairoa McMillan, who had six catches for 73 yards and a touchdown against the Buccaneers, for the season lead in receiving yards among rookies.

Most Receiving Yards, Rookies, 2025

1. Tetairoa McMillan, Panthers: 924

2. Emeka Egbuka, Buccaneers: 910

3. Tyler Warren, Colts: 718

4. Harold Fannin, Browns: 701

5. Oronde Gadsden II, Chargers: 609

Tucker's touchdown was his team-leading eighth of the season and his seventh scored on the ground. His score came on one of just four carries on the day, giving him 88 touches this season. Tucker has the most touchdowns in 2025 among any NFL running back with fewer than 100 touches.

Most Touchdowns Scored, NFL Running Backs, 2025, 100 or Fewer Touches

Wide receiver Kameron Johnson provided a spark on special teams with kickoff returns of 39 and 44 yards on Sunday, the two longest kickoff returns of the season for Tampa Bay. The favorable field position created by those returns led to a pair of scoring drives and 10 total points. Johnson is the first Buccaneers with two kickoff returns of 35-plus yards in the same game since Eric Page in Week 12 of the 2013 season. His average of 33.7 yards on three returns was the highest in a single game by a Tampa Bay player since Micheal Spurlock posted an average of 36.0 in Week 17 of the 2011 campaign.

Linebacker Lavonte David led Tampa Bay's defense with 10 tackles, giving him 1,705 in his career, as he joined Hall of Famer Derrick Brooks as the only players in franchise history to surpass 1,700 career tackles. David leads the Buccaneers in 2025 with 105 tackles, giving him the 12th 100-tackle season of his 14-year career. Since 2000, David has produced the third most 100-tackle seasons in the NFL, and he is the only player with at least a dozen 100-tackle campaigns for the same team.

Most 100 Tackle Seasons Since 2000, NFL

1t. Bobby Wagner, Seahawks/Rams/Commanders: 14

1t. London Fletcher, Rams/Bills/Commanders: 14

3. Lavonte David, Buccaneers: 12

4. Demario Davis, Jets/Browns/Saints: 11

5. four others tied w/: 4

One of David's tackles against Carolina was a nine-yard sack of quarterback Bryce Young in the fourth quarter. That improved David's career total to 42.5 sacks, which remains the sixth most in franchise history and the most by any player who was not an edge rusher or a defensive lineman.

Most Sacks, Buccaneers History