| 2023 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season | |
|---|---|
| Owner | The Glazer family |
| General manager | Jason Licht |
| Head coach | Todd Bowles |
| Home field | Raymond James Stadium |
| Results | |
| Record | 9–8 |
| Division place | 1st NFC South |
| Playoff finish | Won Wild Card Playoffs (vs. Eagles) 32–9 Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Lions) 23–31 |
| Pro Bowlers | WR Mike Evans QB Baker Mayfield T Tristan Wirfs |
| AP All-Pros | S Antoine Winfield Jr. (1st team) WR Mike Evans (2nd team) |
| Uniform | |
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The 2023 season was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' 48th in the National Football League (NFL), their tenth under the leadership of general manager Jason Licht and their second under head coach Todd Bowles.
Tampa Bay improved on their 8–9 record from the previous season, and finished with a 9–8 record to win their third consecutive NFC South division title, a franchise best streak. They also made the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season, matching a franchise-best streak from 1999–2002.
This was their first season since 2019 without quarterback Tom Brady, after he announced his second retirement from the NFL on February 1, 2023.[1] On March 15, the Buccaneers signed free agent quarterback Baker Mayfield, who subsequently earned the starting job during training camp.[2] For the first time since 2012, Tampa Bay wore their orange throwback uniforms. The Buccaneers donned their "Creamsicle" jerseys and "Bucco Bruce" helmets against Detroit in Week 6.[3]
Tampa Bay got off to a surprising 3–1 start,[4] and sat in first place in the NFC South during their bye in Week 5. After their bye week, however, they lost six out of their next seven games, including a four-game losing streak to quickly slip to 4–7. The Buccaneers rebounded, winning five out of their last six games and won the tie-breaker against division rival New Orleans to clinch the division.
In the playoffs, the Buccaneers hosted the defending NFC champion Philadelphia in the Wild Card Round, a rematch of the Week 3 meeting. Tampa Bay won in a blowout 32–9 victory. They would end up losing in the Divisional Round against the Detroit Lions, in a fairly close 23–31 loss.
- ^ "Tom Brady says he is retiring from football 'for good'". ESPN.com. February 1, 2023. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
- ^ Edholm, Eric (March 15, 2023). "Buccaneers signing QB Baker Mayfield to one-year deal". NFL.com. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
- ^ "Buccaneers unveil 'Creamsicle' throwback uniforms". NFL.com. July 12, 2023. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
- ^ Goodall, Fred (October 2, 2023). "Baker Mayfield, first-place Buccaneers head into bye week with surprising 3-1 record". Associated Press via Yahoo! News. Retrieved January 15, 2024.