Tetairoa McMillan Wins Offensive Rookie of the Year as Emeka Egbuka’s Hot Start Cools Off
For the first half of the season, Emeka Egbuka looked like he was on a rocket ride straight to the NFL Honors stage. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ rookie wideout burst onto the scene with the kind of production that turns heads and fills highlight reels.
But in the NFL, it’s not just about how you start - it’s about how you finish. And while Egbuka sprinted out of the gate, it was Carolina Panthers receiver Tetairoa McMillan who crossed the finish line with the Offensive Rookie of the Year trophy in hand.
McMillan capped off a strong rookie campaign with 70 catches, 1,014 yards, and seven touchdowns - numbers that speak for themselves. He was consistent, reliable, and a difference-maker for Carolina down the stretch, and that steady output helped him edge out a talented rookie class to claim the award at the 15th Annual NFL Honors in San Francisco.
Egbuka, meanwhile, was the early frontrunner. Through his first nine games, the former Ohio State star looked every bit like the next big thing in Tampa.
He hauled in 40 receptions for 677 yards and six touchdowns, averaging a robust 16.9 yards per catch. He was targeted 8.4 times per game and had three 100-yard performances during that stretch.
His breakout moment came in Week 5, when he torched the Seahawks for 163 yards and a touchdown on just seven catches - a perfect 7-for-7 day that had fans and analysts buzzing.
But then came the second half of the season - and the production fell off a cliff. In Week 10, during a narrow 28-23 loss to the Patriots, Egbuka posted his final 100-yard game of the year.
It was also the last time he found the end zone. From that point on, both he and the Buccaneers hit a wall.
Tampa Bay lost six of its final seven games, and Egbuka’s numbers reflected the team’s struggles.
Over his final eight games, Egbuka’s targets dipped to 6.3 per game. He caught just 23 passes for 261 yards, with no touchdowns.
His yards per catch dropped to 11.3, and his overall efficiency took a hit. He finished the season with 63 receptions for 938 yards and six scores - solid numbers, but not enough to hold off McMillan’s full-season consistency.
The Buccaneers still believe they have something special in the 2024 first-round pick (No. 19 overall). And they’re hoping that a new voice in the headset can help unlock his full potential. New offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, who joined the team from the Falcons, made it clear in his introductory press conference that he’s a big believer in Egbuka’s skill set.
“He’s an unbelievable player,” Robinson said. “What really stands out is his route versatility and what he can do after the catch.”
Egbuka’s early-season flashes showed exactly that - a receiver who can run the full route tree and turn short gains into big plays. The challenge now is sustaining that level of play over a full season.
He wasn’t the only rookie in the mix for the award. Giants quarterback Jaxon Dart, Saints signal-caller Tyler Shough, and Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson were all finalists alongside McMillan and Egbuka. But in the end, it was McMillan who rose above the rest.
For Tampa Bay, there’s a silver lining. The franchise has a history of producing Offensive Rookie of the Year winners - Warrick Dunn in 1997 and Cadillac Williams in 2005 - and Egbuka has already shown he has the tools to join that company. The next step is turning flashes into full-season firepower.