It’s rare to hear a Buccaneers coach speak for Tampa Bay’s opponent, and it’s also rare to hear a seasoned, retired quarterback talk about seeing something new on a football field.
The Bucs offense stunned a lot of fans and media Sunday in Seattle with 38 points and the first real breakthrough of rookie receiver Tez Johnson.
The seventh-round pick had four catches for 59 yards, after just one reception all season. Joe can’t imagine anyone predicting that kind of production. And it seems Seattle coaches were among the masses, per Todd Bowles.
The Tampa Bay head coach told the Buccaneers Radio Network yesterday that a Bucs plan to spread the ball around flummoxed Seattle.
“They kind of confused them since they weren’t ready for; they were trying to cover a Emeka [Egbuka] and Chris [Godwin] the whole time, but the other guys contributed,” Bowles said.
As for Johnson, Bowles said he is not surprised to see him thriving so soon.
“Confidence is 10 out of 10,” Bowles said of his Johnson feelings. “He has a lot of speed and he is a great route runner. He has outstanding hands. He has a good feel for the game and as he gets the system down you’ll see more and more Tez.”
Joe loved how CBS game analyst Trent Green, the former two-time Pro Bowl quarterback, described Johnson’s short catch and run against Seattle as the most exciting six-yard gain in history.
That’s stretching it, for sure, but Johnson was crazy slippery making two defenders miss. It’s the second play in the All-22 video below. Enjoy!
And yes, Johnson is being coached to hit the turf before his 160-pound frame can endure a hit.
Tez Johnson got extended action this past weekend against the #Seahawks and MY GOODNESS, TEZ BELONGS IN THE NFL!
He’s NASTY with the ball in-hand, accelerating & making people miss! He ran great routes and the last clip is him blocking BETTER than guys 35 lbs. heavier than him! pic.twitter.com/smVFafb7Bk
— IanM (@IannmNFL) October 8, 2025