Emeka Egbuka is off to the most productive start ever for a Tampa Bay Buccaneer wide receiver, and on Thursday he made franchise history in another way. Egbuka has been named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month for the month of September, the first Buccaneers receiver ever to win that award.
Selected with the 19th overall pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, Egbuka stepped immediately into a starting role for the Buccaneers and emerged as the leading receiver for a team that produced a 3-1 record in September despite multiple injuries to its receiver room. Egbuka finished that four-game stretch with 18 receptions for 282 yards and four touchdowns, recording the most receiving yards and touchdowns ever for a Tampa Bay rookie in his first four games.
Additionally, Egbuka led all NFL rookies in receiving yards, receiving touchdowns and yards per reception (15.7), and tied for the rookie lead in touchdowns scored. He also led all rookie receivers in yards from scrimmage (291) and yards after catch (115), while tying for the most receptions (18) and ranking second in receiving first downs (11). According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Egbuka leads NFL rookies and is second among all pass-catchers in passer rating when targeted, at 128.0, trailing only Detroit's Amon-Ra St. Brown
Egbuka is just the fourth player since the 2000 season to reach 15-plus receptions, 250-plus receiving yards and four-plus touchdown catches in his first four games, joining Cincinnati's Ja'Marr Chase in 2021, Atlanta's Calvin Ridley in 2018 and Detroit's Roy Williams in 2004. Chase, Ridley and Williams were all selected as Offensive Rookies of the Month in September of their respective seasons.
Egbuka is the first Buccaneer in a decade to win an NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month. The last one to do so was quarterback Jameis Winston in November of the 2015 season. He is the ninth player in franchise annals to receive the award; the first eight were all either quarterbacks or running backs. The last Tampa Bay player to win a Rookie of the Month award in any category was defensive lineman Calijah Kancey, who earned the defensive honors in November of 2023.
