The Tampa Bay Buccaneers endured an up-and-down season in 2025, finishing 8-9. Now, one of their most important young playmakers is working his way back from the toll it took. Running back Bucky Irving battled multiple injuries during the year, and it has now been revealed that he underwent offseason surgery.
While the procedure isn’t expected to derail his preparation for next season, it sheds new light on just how difficult last year truly was.
All About Bucky Irving’s Offseason Surgery
Irving missed seven consecutive games last season, Weeks 5 through 12, while dealing with both ankle and shoulder injuries.
According to in-season comments from Tampa Bay, the ankle healed before the shoulder did. It now appears the shoulder never fully recovered during the year. Per a report from JoeBucsFan.com, Irving underwent shoulder surgery after the season concluded.
The development was first discussed on the “Ira Kaufman Podcast” and the “JoeBucsFan Show” on WDAE radio before being formally reported. The procedure addresses an issue that clearly lingered well beyond his return to the lineup.
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Despite the surgery, recovery and rehab are not expected to significantly impact Irving’s offseason program. More clarity on the specifics should come when head coach Todd Bowles and general manager Jason Licht speak at the NFL Scouting Combine next week.
Irving’s 2025 campaign was difficult beyond the physical setbacks. After suffering the injury in Week 4 against the Eagles, Bowles acknowledged that Irving struggled mentally with what was the first significant injury of his football career. Missing extended time clearly weighed on the young back.
He returned in Week 13 and appeared in the final six games of the season, making five straight starts to close the year. However, his production never quite resembled his dynamic rookie form.
As a rookie, Irving rushed for 1,122 yards and averaged 5.4 yards per carry. In 2025, those numbers dipped sharply to 588 rushing yards with a 3.4-yard average. The explosiveness that defined his first season simply wasn’t as consistent.
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Advanced metrics reflected the downturn. According to PFSN’s RB Impact Metrics, Irving finished the season ranked 51st among running backs with a 45.4 impact score and an F grade — a steep drop for a player once viewed as a rising cornerstone of the offense.
With Rachaad White widely expected to depart in free agency, Irving is projected to return as Tampa Bay’s lead back in 2026, pending offseason additions. The surgery suggests the Buccaneers believe his struggles were injury-related rather than indicative of regression — and that a healthy Irving can reclaim the form that made him one of the league’s most promising young runners.
