Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Pittsburgh Steelers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Pittsburgh Steelers faced off in a tightly contested preseason matchup on August 16, 2025, at Acrisure Stadium, with the Buccaneers edging out a 17–14 victory. Teddy Bridgewater led the way for Tampa Bay, throwing two first-quarter touchdown passes that gave his team an early advantage and intensified the competition for the backup quarterback role behind starter Baker Mayfield. The early offensive rhythm set the tone for the Buccaneers, forcing the Steelers to play catch-up for much of the night.

Wide receiver Emeka Egbuka helped extend the Buccaneers’ lead with a 15-yard touchdown reception from Bridgewater, highlighting his ability to create separation and make plays in traffic. Tampa Bay’s defense complemented the offense with impactful plays, most notably cornerback Zyon McCollum intercepting a Mason Rudolph pass, marking his second preseason interception—both against the Steelers—and swinging momentum back to the Buccaneers at key moments.

The Steelers showed flashes of resilience despite falling behind. Mason Rudolph threw a touchdown pass to Brandon Johnson and rookie running back Kaleb Johnson contributed 50 yards on 11 carries, keeping drives alive and testing Tampa Bay’s defensive depth. Linebacker Derrick Harmon recorded his first sack of the preseason, and several young pass-catchers, including Scotty Miller and Roc Taylor, made strong cases for roster spots with consistent effort and production in limited snaps.

Injuries were a concern for both teams throughout the contest. Buccaneers rookie wideout Jalen McMillan suffered a back injury and underwent a concussion evaluation, ruling him out for the remainder of the game. On the Steelers’ side, rookie linebacker Nick Herbig exited early with a hamstring injury, and long snapper Christian Kuntz left with a chest injury, highlighting the physical toll even in preseason action. These setbacks forced both teams to rely on depth players and adapt their rotations in real-time.

Tampa Bay’s defense finished strong, with cornerback Antonio Grier Jr. adding an interception, and kicker Chase McLaughlin sealed the game with a 42-yard field goal as time expired. The Steelers struggled with third-down efficiency, turnovers, and penalties, but young players like Wilson, Johnson, and Harmon stood out with solid performances. In the end, the Buccaneers left with a confidence-boosting win and the Steelers walked away with valuable lessons, setting the stage for continued preseason evaluation and depth battles ahead of the regular season.