The 2022 season was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' 47th in the National Football League (NFL), their first under first-year head coach Todd Bowles, and ninth under general manager Jason Licht. Bowles was elevated from the defensive coordinator position, which he held from 2019 to 2021. Tampa Bay won the NFC South, the first time in franchise history the Buccaneers won division titles in consecutive seasons.
On February 1, 2022, quarterback Tom Brady announced his retirement from the league. Brady had one season remaining on his contract with the Buccaneers. However, on March 13, after only forty days, he reversed his decision, and announced he would return for the 2022 season. Brady's announcement triggered a flurry of free agent signings, re-signings, and restructuring, including Chris Godwin, Leonard Fournette, Shaq Mason, Russell Gage, Carlton Davis, Ryan Jensen, Julio Jones and others. Jensen, however, would be placed on IR due to a knee injury during training camp.
On March 30, a couple weeks after Brady's announcement, head coach Bruce Arians announced his second retirement from coaching and shifted to Senior Football Consultant. Defensive coordinator and former Jets head coach Todd Bowles was immediately named the successor to Arians. After two seasons with the club, Rob Gronkowski announced his second retirement on June 21.
The Buccaneers entered the 2022 season as defending NFC South champions and attempted to win their division in consecutive seasons for the first time in franchise history. They also looked to achieve a playoff berth for the third consecutive season. After starting the season 2–0, the Buccaneers lost five out of their next six games, failing to improve upon their franchise-best 13–4 record from the previous season after a Week 8 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. After a Week 15 loss to Cincinnati, quarterback Tom Brady posted his first eight-loss season as a starter. However, the Buccaneers clinched the NFC South title for the second consecutive season and a playoff berth for the third consecutive season after a Week 17 win over Carolina. The second half of the season, in particular, was highlighted by dramatic last-second victories against the Rams and Saints, an overtime victory at Arizona on Christmas, and an NFL International Series victory against Seattle.
Tampa Bay entered the playoffs as the fourth seed in the NFC and hosted the Dallas Cowboys, but lost 31−14. After a loss to the Atlanta Falcons in Week 18, Tampa Bay became the fourth team in NFL history to make the playoffs with a losing record in a full season, following the 2010 Seahawks, the 2014 Panthers, and the 2020 Washington Football Team. It would be followed by the 2025 Carolina Panthers. This marked the only losing season for Tom Brady in his career as a starter. Following a Week 8 loss to the Ravens, it also became the first time Brady lost three consecutive games since the 2002 New England Patriots season.
The 2022 season was to be the 34th and final year for longtime Buccaneers Radio Network announcer Gene Deckerhoff; however, he reversed his decision during the offseason. On February 1, 2023, one year exactly after his initial retirement, quarterback Tom Brady announced that he was retiring from the league, "for good".
The Buccaneers attempted an NFL-record 751 passes during the 2022 season.
Draft
2022 Tampa Bay Buccaneers draft Round Selection Player Position College Notes 1 27 Traded to Jacksonville 2 33 Logan Hall DT Houston From Jacksonville 57 Luke Goedeke OT Central Michigan From Buffalo 60 Traded to Buffalo 3 91 Rachaad White RB Arizona State 4 106 Cade Otton TE Washington From Jacksonville 133 Jake Camarda P Georgia 5 157 Zyon McCollum CB Sam Houston State From Minnesota via Jacksonville 170 Traded to New England 6 180 Traded to Buffalo From Jacksonville 206 Traded to the New York Jets 218 Ko Kieft TE Minnesota Compensatory pick; from LA Rams 7 235 Traded to the Los Angeles Rams from Baltimore via Jacksonville 248 Andre Anthony OLB LSU 261 Traded to the Los Angeles Rams Draft trades
+ 2022 Tampa Bay Buccaneers undrafted free agents Name Position College Ref. Ben Beise TE UW–River Falls Curtis Blackwell G Ball State Dylan Cook OT Montana Olakunle Fatukasi MLB Rutgers Don Gardner CB South Dakota State Kaylon Geiger WR Texas Tech Kyler McMichael CB North Carolina JoJo Ozougwu OLB Arkansas State J. J. Russell MLB Memphis Jerreth Sterns WR Western Kentucky Deven Thompkins Utah State Nolan Turner S Clemson Jordan Young OLB Old Dominion
Staff
Final roster
Preseason The Buccaneers' preseason opponents and schedule were announced on May 12, 2022.
Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 Miami Dolphins L 24–26 0–1 Raymond James Stadium Recap 2 at Tennessee Titans L 3–13 0–2 Nissan Stadium Recap 3 at Indianapolis Colts L 10–27 0–3 Lucas Oil Stadium Recap
Regular season Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 September 11 at Dallas Cowboys W 19–3 1–0 AT&T Stadium Recap 2 September 18 at New Orleans Saints W 20–10 2–0 Caesars Superdome Recap 3 September 25 Green Bay Packers L 12–14 2–1 Raymond James Stadium Recap 4 October 2 Kansas City Chiefs L 31–41 2–2 Raymond James Stadium Recap 5 October 9 Atlanta Falcons W 21–15 3–2 Raymond James Stadium Recap 6 October 16 at Pittsburgh Steelers L 18–20 3–3 Acrisure Stadium Recap 7 October 23 at Carolina Panthers L 3–21 3–4 Bank of America Stadium Recap 8 Baltimore Ravens L 22–27 3–5 Raymond James Stadium Recap 9 November 6 Los Angeles Rams W 16–13 4–5 Raymond James Stadium Recap 10 November 13 Seattle Seahawks W 21–16 5–5 Allianz Arena Recap 11Bye 12 November 27 at Cleveland Browns L 17–23 5–6 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap 13 New Orleans Saints W 17–16 6–6 Raymond James Stadium Recap 14 December 11 at San Francisco 49ers L 7–35 6–7 Levi's Stadium Recap 15 December 18 Cincinnati Bengals L 23–34 6–8 Raymond James Stadium Recap 16 December 25 at Arizona Cardinals W 19–16 7–8 State Farm Stadium Recap 17 January 1 Carolina Panthers W 30–24 8–8 Raymond James Stadium Recap 18 January 8 at Atlanta Falcons L 17–30 8–9 Mercedes-Benz Stadium Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries Week 1: at Dallas Cowboys
Tampa Bay visited Dallas on Sunday Night Football, the second year in a row that the Buccaneers faced the Cowboys in primetime in Week 1. Tampa Bay defeated Dallas 19–3, behind a dominating defensive performance. Quarterback Tom Brady, coming off an eventful offseason which saw him retire, unretire, then take an 11-day leave of absence during training camp, started his third season under center for Tampa Bay. Brady threw for 212 yards and one touchdown, and became the oldest starting quarterback in NFL history. Leonard Fournette, however, was the offensive star of the night. Fournette rushed for 127 yards and caught two passes for 10 yards. New head coach Todd Bowles won his debut with Tampa Bay.
Dallas took the opening kickoff and drove 54 yards in 14 plays to the Tampa Bay 32. Brett Maher kicked a 51-yard field goal for an early 3–0 lead. It would be the only points of the night for Dallas. Tampa Bay answered with a 44-yard field goal by Ryan Succop and a 3–3 tie. The drive was sparked by a 24-yard catch and run by Chris Godwin, his first game back after suffering an ACL injury in 2021. Dallas went three-and-out and punted on their second drive. Brady found Mike Evans on a 19-yard gain, then two plays later Fournette blasted for 17 yards to the Dallas 25. The drive stalled, however, and Succop's second field goal gave Tampa Bay a 6–3 lead.
Offensive futility plagued Dallas, as they went three-and-out again. Later, Dak Prescott was intercepted by Antoine Winfield Jr. deep in Cowboys territory. However, Tampa Bay struggled in the red zone, and once again had to settle for a field goal. Leading 9–6, the Buccaneers got the ball with 1:46 left in the second quarter. Brady's 48-yard bomb to Julio Jones set the Buccaneers up at the Dallas 29 yard line. Succop's fourth field goal with 19 seconds remaining gave Tampa Bay a 12–3 halftime lead.
Brady's 5-yard touchdown pass to Mike Evans in the third quarter was the only touchdown of the night. Brady found Evans on the left side of the endzone. Evans, falling backwards, reached up and grabbed the ball with one hand, and pulled it into his chest for the score.
Trailing 19–3, Dallas was unable to mount any sort of comeback. Quarterback Dak Prescott left the game in the fourth quarter with a fractured thumb, and was replaced by Cooper Rush. The 3 total points by Dallas was their worst opening day score since 1989. Tampa Bay started the season off 1–0, and Brady himself improved to 7–0 all-time against the Cowboys. This was also Tampa Bay's first win at AT&T Stadium, and only their second ever road win over the Cowboys, with their first coming in 2001.
Week 2: at New Orleans Saints
Tampa Bay snapped a six-game regular season losing streak to division rival New Orleans. A chippy, defensive struggle through three quarters, the Buccaneers capitalized on five second half Saints turnovers to pull away for a 20–10 victory. Quarterback Tom Brady had just an average performance, throwing for only 190 yards and one touchdown pass. Leonard Fournette was held to only 65 yards rushing on 24 carries. But the Buccaneers won the turnover battle, and two clutch field goals and a "pick-6" put the game out of reach. The Buccaneers offense was missing Julio Jones (knee), Chris Godwin (hamstring), and Donovan Smith (elbow), all out with injuries.
The Saints took the opening kickoff, and drove 63 yards in 11 plays. The Tampa Bay defense stiffened in the red zone, and New Orleans settled for a Wil Lutz field goal and a 3–0 lead. Tampa Bay's first drive looked promising, as they drove to the Saints 26 yard line. Facing 3rd-and-1, Brady fumbled a bad snap, and the Saints recovered. The Saints managed one first down, but a Taysom Hill run on third down was tackled a for a loss and the Saints were forced to punt.
On the first play of the second quarter, Mike Evans broke free on a busted coverage, and was wide open for a 41-yard gain down to the Saints 31. Facing a 4th & inches at the 8 yard line, Leonard Fournette was stuffed for no gain. Tampa Bay's second drive came up empty, as they turned the ball over on downs. Neither team was able to get much going on offense in the second quarter. New Orleans led 3–0 at halftime.
Tampa Bay finally got on the board in the second half. Ryan Succop kicked a 47-yard field goal to tie the game at 3–3 with 6:49 left in the third quarter. On the ensuing drive, New Orleans drove to the Tampa Bay 20. Mark Ingram II took a handoff for 9 yards to the 11 yard line, but the ball came loose and was recovered by Tampa Bay. The score remained 3–3.
The fourth quarter began with Tampa Bay driving. The Saints forced a three-and-out, but were flagged for Too Many Men on the Field during the punt, and Tampa Bay got a free first down. Facing 3rd-and-5 at their own 29, Brady's pass attempt to Scotty Miller fell incomplete. After the play, an argument broke out on the field, which escalated into a melee. Marshon Lattimore exchanged heated words with Tom Brady, then traded shoves with Leonard Fournette. Mike Evans tackled Lattimore to the turf and a fight between the two teams ensued. It was the second such altercation between Evans and Lattimore, after a previous one in 2017. Both Evans and Lattimore were ejected, the penalties offset. Jake Camarda's punt went off the side of his foot and netted only 26 yards.