The Buccaneers wound up winning the NFC South the last two seasons, but their path to the playoffs has hardly been an overwhelming one.
They took the division with a losing record in 2022 and they scraped past the winless Panthers 9-0 to secure their ninth win and the crown last year. Those two seasons were running back Rachaad White’s first two years in the NFL and he said on The Rich Eisen Show on Tuesday that the goal for the team is to make a more compelling case for the strength of their team this time around.
“It’s nothing but good vibrations, good vibes coming in this year,” White said. “The Bucs have been a slept-on team for years. We done had our trials and tribulations. I say we now because I’m here and I know the history of it, but times have changed, and now it’s time for us to take that next step. Like I said, I won eight games my rookie year, won nine my last year. It’s time to take that step to get well over that, and not just barely make the playoffs or barely win the division. Win the division how I know we should win the division.”
The Bucs were able to win a playoff game after closing the 2023 regular season with five wins in their final six games, so they’ve shown an ability to string wins together despite lingering around .500 overall. Doing that to open the year would set the Bucs up well for making it three playoff trips in three years with White.