The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' 2025 season started with promise and ended with frustration-a classic case of a team that had everything in front of them and just couldn’t close the deal. After jumping out to a 6-2 start, Tampa Bay looked like a legitimate playoff contender. But what followed was a stunning collapse: a 2-7 finish that left the Bucs on the outside looking in when the postseason rolled around.
Veteran linebacker Lavonte David didn’t mince words when reflecting on the season. Speaking on the Caps Off podcast, the longtime defensive leader called the finish “embarrassing,” and it’s hard to argue with him.
“We had ample amount of opportunities to be able to clinch our division,” David said. “We lost to the Dolphins.
We lost to the Saints. We lost to Carolina at their home.
If we would have won one of those games, we would have made the playoffs, which is crazy and insane to think about.”
David’s frustration is rooted in the fact that, despite the late-season slide, Tampa Bay still had control of its playoff destiny deep into December. “We controlled our own destiny and we kind of like sh*t the bed,” he added bluntly.
And yet, David was one of the few constants in a turbulent season. Even while battling a knee injury, he suited up for all 17 games and delivered a vintage performance: 114 tackles (61 solo), 3.5 sacks, an interception, two forced fumbles, and two recoveries. At 36, he continues to play with the same tenacity and intelligence that’s defined his career.
So what exactly went wrong for Tampa Bay?
Injuries played a major role in the Buccaneers’ second-half collapse. Star wideout Mike Evans missed nine games with a broken clavicle and lingering hamstring issues, ending his incredible streak of 11 straight 1,000-yard seasons. Without Evans stretching the field, the offense lacked its usual explosiveness.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield, who looked sharp early in the year, also battled through oblique and shoulder injuries. His play dipped significantly down the stretch, and the offense struggled to sustain drives or capitalize on red zone opportunities.
Defensively, the Bucs couldn’t hold leads late in games. Four of their seven losses after the bye came in contests where they led in the second half.
That’s a tough pill to swallow for a unit that prides itself on physicality and closing ability. They finished 20th in scoring defense-far from the standard they’ve set in recent years.
Still, even after all the missteps, Tampa Bay entered Week 18 with a shot at the playoffs. They gutted out a 16-14 win over Carolina to finish 8-9.
But the celebration was short-lived. A three-way tie atop the NFC South-with the Falcons and Panthers also finishing 8-9-came down to the tiebreaker, and Carolina came out on top.
That stung. Beating the eventual Super Bowl champion Seahawks and the playoff-bound Texans earlier in the season only added to the sense of what could have been.
The front office responded with changes-not at the top, as head coach Todd Bowles was retained-but on the sidelines. Offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard and special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey were let go.
In their place, the team brought in Zac Robinson, formerly with the Falcons, to take over the offense in 2026. It’s a move that signals a desire for a fresh approach, particularly with Mayfield’s future in Tampa Bay still uncertain.
The Buccaneers were a team that had the pieces to make noise in the postseason. Instead, they’ll spend the offseason wondering how it all slipped away. For Lavonte David and the rest of the Bucs, the message is clear: the window is still open, but it won’t stay that way forever.