A former Buccaneers champion is buying into Tampa Bay in a big way for 2026.
Booger McFarland, speaking on ESPN during a live show, said he believes the Buccaneers are the team to beat in the NFC South after Tampa Bay lost the division race to the Carolina Panthers last season. He didn’t stop there, either. McFarland went as far as to suggest the Bucs could win the South “quite easily” if one key part of the roster holds together.
"I think the Bucs are the best team in the South," McFarland said. "100%, they're gonna miss Mike Evans and some of that big-play, big-moment ability, but this is a young football team. Bucky Irving, I think, its gonna be back healthy.
To me, it's the best, if not, it's top three, from an offensive line standpoint, in all of football. They have to get back to bludgeoning people.
If they do that? I think the Bucs win the South, and maybe quite easily."
McFarland’s confidence comes with a clear condition: the offensive line has to stay on the field. He pointed to that group as the difference-maker, saying Tampa Bay needs its front to be intact so the quarterback can get back to the level he showed earlier in his time with the team.
"They gotta stay healthy... especially the offensive line. If the offensive line stays healthy, that allows the quarterback to go back to playing the way that he was early on in his tenure there."
That line is healthy heading into training camp, and the Bucs are set to report on July 28 as they begin the work of preparing for another shot at the division. Tampa Bay’s NFC South rivals - the Panthers, Saints and Falcons - have all made moves to improve, but McFarland still sees the Buccaneers as the strongest team in the group.
In Other News...
Raymond James Lands A Massive College Football Showcase For Tampa
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The 2026 edition is expected to land in Atlanta before the series shifts to Raymond James Stadium in 2027, bringing a major showcase to the Buccaneers building. For a game that has long been one of the sports biggest destination events, the stop in Tampa offers a fresh stage while Jacksonville gets its stadium work done. [Read more 🡒]
Buccaneers Just Got An Unexpected Opening In The NFC South
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For a division race that often comes down to who survives the grind, that matters. Tampa Bay is trying to build on last season and take back control of the South, and the opening weeks now look like a chance to separate before the standings even start to take shape. Whether that edge lasts is another question, but it is the kind of early break a contender notices. [Read more 🡒]
Buccaneers May Have One More Move To Fix Their Biggest Weak Spot
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One name now floating into that conversation is a Miami linebacker who fits the kind of role Tampa Bay could still use, particularly if the room remains crowded in South Florida. No deal has been confirmed, but the logic is easy to see from the Buccaneers' side: an experienced defender with coverage ability could give them depth, insurance and a little more certainty if the younger pieces need time to settle in. [Read more 🡒]