It is officially the 2026 offseason, and the "Steel City" draft in Pittsburgh is officially in the books. The energy in the Tampa Bay area is one of defensive resurgence and rebuilding. After watching over 800,000 fans swarm the North Shore of Pittsburgh for the draft, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers emerged with a haul designed to fortify a defense that is officially the "Bain" of the NFC South.
This is a veteran era with a fresh outlook in Tampa. With Todd Bowles entering his fifth season as head coach, the focus is on a major defensive overhaul. After a 2025 campaign that saw the Bucs lose their divisional crown on a tiebreaker, GM Jason Licht used the Pittsburgh draft to address the pass rush and find the next generation of leadership in the middle of the field following the departure of club legend Lavonte David.
How to Get Buccaneers Tickets for the 2026 Season
Raymond James Stadium is bracing for a high-stakes season as fans look to see the debut of Pick 15 and a revamped secondary. With the schedule release coming this Thursday, May 14, the "Krewe" is expected to move at a record pace.
- Official On-Sale: Single-game tickets go live on Ticketmaster immediately following the NFL's official schedule release on May 14 at 7:30 p.m. ET.
- The "Bain" Effect: With the arrival of elite edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr., demand for the home opener and the visits from the Packers and Steelers is expected to hit record secondary market prices.
- Mobile Entry: Raymond James Stadium is a strictly digital venue. You must use the Buccaneers Official App to access your tickets; screenshots and paper tickets are not valid.
- Secondary Market: For the divisional clashes against the Falcons or Saints, check SeatGeek, the official fan-to-fan marketplace for verified resale.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Schedule
Week | Date | Opponent | Venue | Time (ET) | Network |
1 | Sept 13 | @ Cincinnati Bengals | Paycor Stadium | 1:00 PM | FOX |
2 | Sept 20 | Cleveland Browns | Raymond James Stadium | 1:00 PM | CBS |
3 | Sept 27 | Minnesota Vikings | Raymond James Stadium | 4:05 PM | FOX |
4 | Oct 4 | Green Bay Packers | Raymond James Stadium | 1:00 PM | FOX |
5 | Oct 8 | @ Dallas Cowboys | AT&T Stadium | 8:15 PM | Prime Video |
6 | Oct 18 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Raymond James Stadium | 1:00 PM | CBS |
7 | Oct 25 | @ Carolina Panthers | Bank of America Stadium | 1:00 PM | FOX |
8 | Nov 1 | Atlanta Falcons | Raymond James Stadium | 1:00 PM | FOX |
9 | Nov 8 | @ Chicago Bears | Soldier Field | 8:20 PM | NBC |
10 | — | BYE WEEK | — | — | — |
11 | Nov 22 | @ Detroit Lions | Ford Field | 1:00 PM | CBS |
12 | Nov 30 | Carolina Panthers | Raymond James Stadium | 8:15 PM | ESPN |
13 | Dec 6 | Los Angeles Chargers | Raymond James Stadium | 1:00 PM | CBS |
14 | Dec 13 | @ Baltimore Ravens | M&T Bank Stadium | 1:00 PM | FOX |
15 | Dec 20 | New Orleans Saints | Raymond James Stadium | 1:00 PM | FOX |
16 | Dec 26/27 | @ Atlanta Falcons | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | TBD | TBD |
17 | Jan 3 | Los Angeles Rams | Raymond James Stadium | TBD | TBD |
18 | Jan 9/10 | @ New Orleans Saints | Caesars Superdome | TBD | TBD |
How to Watch the Buccaneers in 2026
- Local/National:FOX (WTVT-13) remains the primary home for the Bucs. CBS (WTSP-10) will carry AFC matchups like the Steelers and Browns, while NBC (WFLA-8) handles Sunday Night Football.
- Thursday Night:Amazon Prime Video is the exclusive home for all TNF games.
- Holiday Special: Christmas 2026 falls on a Friday. Netflix will exclusively stream the NFL's holiday games this year.
- Best Choice for Local Fans:Fubo covers all local Tampa affiliates (WTVT, WTSP, WFLA, WFTS) and the NFL Network.
- Pro Tip: For out-of-market "Bucs" fans, NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube TV is the only way to catch every snap. If you're traveling, use NordVPN set to Tampa to access your local WTVF/FOX stream.
The "Steel City" Draft: Buccaneers 2026 Highlights
The Buccaneers were surgical in Pittsburgh, making 7 selections to transform a defense that struggled with its pass rush in 2025.
Round | Pick | Player | Position | School |
1 | 15 | Rueben Bain Jr. | EDGE | Miami (FL) |
2 | 46 | Josiah Trotter | LB | Missouri |
3 | 84 | Ted Hurst | WR | Georgia State |
4 | 116 | Keionte Scott | CB | Miami (FL) |
5 | 155 | DeMonte Capehart | DT | Clemson |
5 | 160 | Billy Schrauth | G | Notre Dame |
6 | 185 | Bauer Sharp | TE | LSU |
Draft Analysis:
- The New Game-Wrecker: At #15 overall, the Bucs drafted Rueben Bain Jr. The Miami standout is a physical specimen with elite "bend" who led all FBS edge rushers in pressures last season. He is expected to start immediately and wear jersey #3.
- Legacy Leadership:Josiah Trotter (#46) brings an elite pedigree to the linebacker room. He is viewed as the direct successor to Lavonte David, providing immediate run-stuffing ability and leadership in the middle of the field.
- The Speed Injection: The Bucs nabbed Ted Hurst (#84) in the third round. A unique combination of size and speed, Hurst is viewed as a developmental project who could eventually fill the void left by veteran departures in the receiving corps.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 2025 Season Recap
The 2025 season was a story of two halves. The Bucs started 6–2, tied for the most wins in the NFC at the midway point, but a wave of injuries to the receiving corps and offensive line led to a 7–9 finish. Despite Baker Mayfield throwing for over 3,600 yards and rookie Emeka Egbuka leading the team in receiving, the Bucs lost their four-year grip on the NFC South due to a tiebreaker with the Panthers.
Week | Opponent | Result | Record |
W1–W8 | Regular Season | 6–2 | NFC Leaders |
W9–W18 | Regular Season | 2–7 | The Late Slide |
Season Highlight | @ Seahawks | W, 38–35 | Week 5 Thriller |
Record | Regular Season | 8–9 | 2nd in NFC South |
Postseason | N/A | DNQ | Lost Tiebreaker |