The Tampa Bay Buccaneers opened their 2025 season on Sunday with a thrilling 23-20 victory over the Falcons in Atlanta**. It marked the fifth straight season that the Buccaneers have won in Week One, extending the longest such streak in franchise history.** Only the Buccaneers and Philadelphia Eagles, who beat the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night, have won their last five season-openers.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield completed 17 of 32 passes for 167 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions, for a passer rating of 99.3. It marked the 13th time in 38 starts for the Buccaneers, playoffs included, that Mayfield has thrown three-plus touchdown passes in a game. In just two seasons plus one game, Mayfield is already third in team history in three-TD passing games.
Most Games with 3+ Passing Touchdowns, Buccaneers History
1. Tom Brady, 2020-22: 20
2. Jameis Winston, 2015-19: 15
3. Baker Mayfield, 2023-25: 13
4. Brad Johnson, 2001-04: 8
5t. Trent Dilfer, 1994-99: 6
5t. Josh Freeman, 2009-13: 6
In his first season with the Buccaneers in 2023, Mayfield set a career high with 28 touchdown passes; he then obliterated that personal best with 41 more scoring tosses in 2024. Since the start of the 2023 season, Mayfield leads all NFL quarterbacks in touchdown passes.
Most Touchdown Passes, NFL, 2023-25
1. Baker Mayfield, Buccaneers: 72
2. Jared Goff, Lions: 68
3. Lamar Jackson, Ravens: 67
4t. Josh Allen, Bills: 59
4t. Joe Burrow, Bengals: 59
4t. Jordan Love, Packers: 59
Two of Mayfield's three touchdown passes went to rookie wideout Emeka Egbuka, who was making his NFL debut. The first was a 30-yard strike in the second quarter that gave the Buccaneers a 10-7 lead. The second was the game-winner, a 25-yard grab in the back of the end zone with 59 seconds remaining that put the Bucs up for good, 23-20. According to NFL Communications, Egbuka is just the second player since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger to catch a game-winning touchdown pass in the final minute of regulation or overtime in his first career game. Previously, the only player to do that was Ernest Wilford of the Jacksonville Jaguars on September 12, 2004.
Egbuka is the first NFL player to catch two touchdown passes in his NFL debut since Jahan Dotson with Washington in 2022. He is just the second Buccaneer to accomplish that feat, joining tight end Alex Smith, who caught two touchdown passes in a 24-13 win at Minnesota on September 11, 2005. The Buccaneers have seen a rookie receiver score in Week One in two straight years, after 2024 third-round pick Jalen McMillan did the same thing against Washington.