Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Jalen McMillan to be sidelined during the regular season due to a severe neck injury.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are facing a significant challenge in their receiver corps, as second-year wideout Jalen McMillan and key player Chris Godwin are both on the sidelines due to injuries.
During the Bucs' second preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday night, McMillan suffered a severely strained neck. The injury occurred when he leapt to make a catch, only to be undercut by a defensive back, causing him to land clumsily on the back of his head and neck.
Despite the seriousness of the incident, McMillan was able to leave the field on his own after receiving medical attention and was then transported to a nearby hospital for assessment. The seriousness of the damage was discovered during additional testing in Tampa.
As a result of the injury, McMillan has been placed on injured reserve (IR), which will sideline him for at least four weeks and likely beyond the Week 9 bye, indicating a recovery timeline extending several months.
Coach Todd Bowles announced the news, stating that the injury is not career-threatening but serious enough to require extended time off. For the Bucs, this means they will need to rely more heavily on other receivers like Emeka Egbuka and Mike Evans, especially since Godwin is also sidelined due to ankle surgery recovery.
Godwin, a key wide receiver for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, is on the active/PUP list as he recovers from ankle surgery. His return date is not yet clear.
The Bucs have depth at receiver, with Trey Palmer, Rakim Jarrett, Sterling Shepard, Kameron Johnson, Ryan Miller, and Tez Johnson already playing during the regular season. However, the injury to McMillan and the ongoing recovery of Godwin will test the team's depth.
Tez Johnson, a recently picked wide receiver by the Bucs in the seventh round, has returned from an injury layoff and shown improvement during training camp and offseason workouts. His increased role in the team could be crucial in the coming weeks.
With McMillan on IR and Godwin recovering from ankle surgery, the Bucs will need other players to step up. Coach Bowles has expressed confidence that his team can overcome this challenge, stating that they will need to focus on teamwork and resilience to navigate this period.
This represents the latest official update as of late August 2025. The Bucs still have decisions to make after their game against Buffalo regarding their receiver depth. The team will need to carefully manage their resources to ensure they can compete at the highest level despite these injuries.
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