Ko Kieft
Getty
Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Ko Kieft.
At least Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht has a sense of humor.
Licht announced his team was bringing back fan favorite tight end Ko Kieft via an announcement on his own social media account.
“Per source, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers agreed to terms with Ko Kieft,” Licht wrote on X on Friday.
Kieft suffered a season-ending leg injury in 2025 that cost him 14 games.
“Bucs reached a one year deal with TE Ko Kieft,” Tampa Bay Times NFL reporter Rick Stroud wrote on his official X account. “He played only three games last season before a season-ending leg fracture.
Terrible Way for Ko Kieft to End 2025
The Buccaneers dealt with an outbreak of injuries on offense in 2025, including losing a critical role player in Kieft.
Blocking on a run play for the Buccaneers in a comeback win over the New York Jets in Week 3, Kieft appeared to get his left leg rolled up on and twisted from behind.
Laying on the ground, Kieft slams his fist into the ground.
“Bucs are putting tight endKo Kieft on injured reserve with a leg injury, a key loss on special teams,” Fox Sports NFL reporter Greg Auman wrote on his official X account on September 23. “They make official the promotion of DL C.J. Brewer to the 53 and the signings of DL Desmond Watson and TE Caden Prieskorn to the practice squad.”
Tampa Bay Times reporter Rick Stroud broke news it would likely be worse for Kieft, 6-foot-5 and 265 pounds, than just missing a month’s worth of games. And he was right.
“I’m told Kieft’s season is most likely over,” Stroud wrote on his official X account. “Nothing official yet.”
Losing Kieft was just the latest in a series of body blows suffered by the Buccaneers on their offensive front in the 1st month of the season. Starting guard Cody Mauch suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 2, and $90 million starting right tackle Luke Goedeke went on injured reserve with a foot injury and missed 6 games.
Kieft Carved Out Career As Key Role Player
Kieft was a 6th round pick (No. 218 overall) by the Buccaneers in the 2022 NFL draft out of the University of Minnesota and has carved out the most unique of NFL careers — a tight end who hardly catches the ball but still has incredible value to his team.
Before his injury, Kieft had played in 53 out of 54 possible regular-season games with 19 starts and just 8 receptions for 82 yards and 2 touchdowns.
While his offensive usage has been around 20 percent of Tampa Bay’s offensive snaps each of his first 3 seasons — almost exclusively in goal line and short yardage sets — he’s been a special teams stalwart and on the field for roughly 70 percent of Tampa Bay’s special teams snaps throughout his career.
“Ko Kieft has been a very good special teams player and stout blocker since 2022,” Buccaneers fan Dijon Mustard wrote on their X account,. “To make matters worse, with him and Mauch out for the season, we are out of crazy red headed players for the first time since 2017. This season’s injury bug can get (expletive). Heal up,Ko!”