That didn’t take long.
Just one game into his NFL career, Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver and 2025 first round pick Emeka Egbuka not only delivered his first career touchdown but the first touchdown of the season for his team.
Egbuka’s first NFL career score came on a thrilling, 30-yard touchdown pass from Pro Bowl quarterback Baker Mayfield to give the Buccaneers a 10-7 lead with 6:53 remaining in the second quarter against the Atlanta Falcons.
Egbuka was key to helping Mayfield shake off some early struggles after he began the game 1-of-6 passing before starting to heat up.
Egbuka Won Over Teammates In Preseason
The Buccaneers shocked the experts by taking Egbuka at No. 19 overall and signing him to a 4-year, $18.1 million rookie contract despite some pressing defensive needs.
Egbuka helped lead Ohio State to a College Football Playoff National Championship in 2024 and left school as the career receptions leader (205) and second in career receiving yards with 2,868 — just 30 yards behind career leader Michael Jenkins.
Egbuka had a pair of 1,000-yard receiving seasons in college, including 81 receptions for 1,011 yards and 10 touchdowns as a senior in 2024.
From rookie minicamp through team minicamp, training camp and the preseason, Egbuka continued to impress teammates and coaches alike.
“First, it was a leaping grab in front of the goalpost in the back of the end zone,” Fox Sports NFL reporter Greg Auman wrote on July 30. Then it was a toe-tap touchdown in the back right corner for another touchdown. Each day of Tampa Bay Buccaneers training camp seems to bring another head-turning play for rookie receiver Emeka Egbuka, and the only thing as consistent is the unmitigated praise from teammates and coaches.”
Social Media Reacts Quickly To Egbuka’s TD
Egbuka was one of the early rookie standouts on the first Sunday of the NFL regular season and the internet reacted accordingly.
“EMEKA EGBUKA, WELCOME TO THE LEAGUE,” Underdog NFL wrote on its official X account.
“Emeka Egbuka needed just one quarter and change to score the first touchdown of his NFL career!!,” Eleven Warriors wrote on its official X account.
“Emeka Egbuka will be a household name after today,” Sleeper NFL wrote before the game.
“Emeka Egbuka heard that he has the opportunity to be my third straight correct OROY pick,” The Ringer’s Cousin Sal wrote on his official X account. “He’s cooperating nicely.”
Egbuka’s Role Grew With Key WR Injuries
The role Egbuka was going to play with the Buccaneers grew substantially from the time he was drafted until the start of the regular season due to injuries.
NFL All-Pro wide receiver Chris Godwin has been slower to recover than expected from a dislocated left ankle suffered in Week 7 of the 2024 season and will likely miss the first month of games.
In the Buccaneers’ second preseason game on August 16, one of last year’s starting wide receivers, Jalen McMillan, suffered a severely sprained neck against the Pittsburgh Steelers that will keep him out for at least the first 8 games of the season.
Tampa Bay is also missing 3-time NFL All-Pro left offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs for the first month of the season due to a knee injury.
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