The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have had a strong start to the 2025 season, sitting at 6-2 through eight games. Despite their record, the team has faced significant injuries, including to star running back Bucky Irving.
Irving is a key part of Tampa’s offense, and the Buccaneers are eager to get him back on the field as soon as possible. Here’s the latest on his status and a timeline for his return.
When will Bucky Irving return for the Buccaneers?
The situation with Irving’s injury is unusual. The star running back injured his foot and shoulder in the Buccaneers’ Week 4 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. While he hasn’t been placed on injured reserve, he has missed the last four games and did not participate in practice during Tampa Bay’s Week 9 bye.
The team hasn’t given many updates on Irving’s status, but he is expected to miss the Buccaneers’ Week 10 game against the New England Patriots.
The Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud reported that the second-year running back is slated to miss Wednesday’s practice. Irving did not practice on Thursday as well, and he is unlikely to play against the Patriots.
Given that Irving isn’t placed on any sort of reserve list, it’s safe to assume that he’ll return to the field for the Buccaneers at some point this season, but for now, it remains unclear when that return date will be.
Tampa Bay’s offense has struggled without Irving, ranking 23rd in the league this season according to PFSN’s OFFi metric. Rachaad White has handled most of the running back duties but has been only average, ranking 23rd among NFL running backs in PFSN’s RBi metric.
Irving hadn’t played at an elite level before his injury, ranking 40th in the same metric. Still, he remains one of the NFL’s most talented running backs and will give a significant boost to the Buccaneers’ offense once he’s back.
The good news for Tampa Bay is that despite offensive struggles and Irving’s absence, they’ve still managed to win games. While fans are eager to see him back, the team may choose to play it safe.
Given their record at this point in the season, Tampa Bay could wait an extra week or two before returning Irving to action. This would minimize the risk of further injury and ensure he’s available for crucial games down the stretch and into the playoffs.
It’s a little strange that there haven’t been many updates on why Irving has missed so much time, but as long as he returns this season, the Buccaneers still have a chance for a deep playoff run.