Buccaneers
Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield didn’t practice on Wednesday after suffering a sprained AC joint in Week 12. Mayfield admitted there’s a significant amount of pain but it’s just about how well he can tolerate it.
“It’s there. Decreasing, for sure,” Mayfield said, via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. “It’s pain tolerance and management at that point. See how it goes through the week and go from there.”
Mayfield went through something similar during his 2021 season with the Browns, when he ended up going through one of the worst stretches of his career. He expressed his utmost trust in backup QB Teddy Bridgewater and talked about learning from hurting the team by playing through injury last time.
“(I) understand that we have Teddy. I have been in this spot before, hurting the non-throwing shoulder. If it’s going to hinder how I play, then probably won’t go. But won’t know that until later in the week getting practice reps and see how that goes.”
“I don’t think I was physically able to do the things I wanted to in 2021 with the hurt shoulder, and that’s the biggest thing. I don’t want to hold this team back. Obviously, each game from here on out is extremely important. But Teddy is more than capable of handling this on his own. It’s managing that, understanding where I’m at physically and go from there.”
- Buccaneers RB Bucky Irving has missed extensive time due to a shoulder injury, but played in Week 13. Tampa Bay HC Todd Bowles planned to monitor Irving and ride the hot hand between Irving, Rachaad White, and Sean Tucker: “We’ll put him in. Once he gets in, we’ll see how he is rolling, and then between him, Rachaad [White] and Sean [Tucker], we’ll kind of go with the hot hand.” (Jenna Laine)
- Irving wound up with 17 carries and a touchdown, with the other two running backs only carrying the ball twice each.
Falcons
- Falcons TE Feleipe Franks was fined $8,111 for taunting.
Panthers
Panthers first-round WR Tetairoa McMillan has been the most productive rookie receiver so far in 2025, hauling in 56 catches for 783 yards and five touchdowns. He’s got a chance to break some team records for rookie receiving, and he’s also the current betting favorite for Offensive Rookie of the Year.
So what’s McMillan’s personal grade for his season so far? A C-plus.
“He’s definitely hard on himself with that grade. He’s one of the top receivers in the league, definitely for more years to come,” Panthers RB Rico Dowdle said via the Athletic’s Joe Person. “Definitely think he’s being hard on himself, and that’s good. Always be hard on yourself. It makes you wanna work hard and continue to improve, and it makes you better.”
The primary area of critique for McMillan is drops, as he’s had a few blatant ones this year despite being known for his tacky hands. That included a couple that would have moved the chains in Carolina’s Monday night loss to the 49ers.
“I’ve just gotta look it all the way in, stop trying to do too much,” he said. “I’m just as surprised as you are for dropping so many balls — and just routine catches. I’ve just gotta clean that up for sure.”
However, Panthers WR coach Rob Moore said the team has been thrilled with the production it’s gotten from McMillan, especially considering some of the pre-draft rumors where he was picked apart.
“I know a lot of people had concerns about him in the run game, whether he would do some of those things. He’s certainly made himself available to do some of the dirty work,” Moore said. “That’s a testament to him. I know his teammates respect that about him.”
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