TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Baker Mayfield had the best statistical year of his career, Mike Evans topped 1,000 yards receiving for a record-tying 11th consecutive season and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are NFC South champions for a franchise-best fourth straight time.
It would be safe to say, though, that the Bucs (10-7) would not be in the playoffs for a NFC-high fifth year in a row without the contributions of a solid rookie class that has helped the team withstand key injuries and rebound from a four-game skid to go 6-1 over the final seven weeks of the regular season.
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Jalen McMillan (15) makes a gesture after a first down during the second half of an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving runs against the Carolina Panthers during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles calls out from the bench during the first half of an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Chris Braswell forces a fumble by Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Jalen McMillan (15) pulls in a touchdown reception against New Orleans Saints safety Jordan Howden (31) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving scores a touchdown between New Orleans Saints defensive end Carl Granderson (96) and cornerback Will Harris (5) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. The Buccaneers won 27-19. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Fourth-round draft pick Bucky Irving and third-rounder Jalen McMillan have received most of the attention, with Irving becoming Tampa Bay’s first 1,000-yard rusher since Doug Martin in 2015 and McMillan catching seven touchdown passes over the past five games.
But first-round selection Graham Barton has been the starter at center since Day 1 of training camp, solidifying an offensive line that has helped transform the NFL’s worst rushing attack into one of the most productive in the league.
Safety Tykee Smith and reserve linebacker Chris Braswell — selected in the third and second rounds — helped a decimated defense stay afloat despite injuries that sidelined safeties Antoine Winfield Jr. and Jordan Whitehead as well as cornerback Jamel Dean for significant stretches.
While coach Todd Bowles is not one for drawing comparisons between his players and those on other teams, he’s excited about the progress of this year’s rookies and the prominent role it has played in Tampa Bay’s success leading up to Sunday’s first-round playoff matchup against the Washington Commanders.
“I mean, there are great players all over,” Bowles said when asked whether he’d put the Bucs’ 2024 draft class up against any other in the league.
“I like our draft class. I think they play very well. I liked the draft class last year. I think they played very well. (We) just have to keep getting better,” the coach added. “I think longevity kind of defines a draft class, not one year, but they played well.”
Despite making only three starts, Irving rushed for 1,122 yards and eight TDs while averaging 5.4 yards per carry. The Bucs had the fourth-most productive rushing attack in the league, averaging 149.2 yards per game after ranking dead last in 2022 and 2023.
McMillan blossomed after Tampa Bay’s Week 11 bye, earning the trust of Mayfield and offsetting the loss of injured receiver Chris Godwin, who was leading the NFL in receptions when he went down in October.
“The biggest thing for him, you look for in any rookie, is progression throughout the year, and that’s what he’s done,” said Mayfield, who finished with career bests of 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns passing.
“He’s a very talented player. He understands the offense, he’s very comfortable right now and playing with a lot of confidence,” Bowles said of McMillan, who had 37 receptions for 461 yards and eight TDs.
“When guys went down early in the year, he got a chance to get his feet wet and understand where he needs to be on the field from a spot standpoint,” the coach added. “The older guys have helped him a lot, and he’s playing really fast right now.”
McMillan enters the playoffs having caught at least one TD in five consecutive games. Irving’s 11-yard scoring run ensured last week’s NFC South-clinching victory over the New Orleans Saints.
Sunday night’s wild-card round game against Jayden Daniels and the Commanders begins a new chapter.
Tampa Bay and Washington also met in Week 1 of the regular season, with the Bucs winning 37-20. Watching film of that game reminded Barton of how far he’s come since September.
“There was some good stuff, but obviously some sloppier stuff,” the center said.
“It’s fun to see, kind of, where I’m at now vs. where I was then. … It’s almost like we’re playing them in a new season,” Barton added. “They’ve evolved, as all teams have this time of year, so we’ve got to be ready for some new wrinkles and stuff like that.”
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Jalen McMillan (15) makes a gesture after a first down during the second half of an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving runs against the Carolina Panthers during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles calls out from the bench during the first half of an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Chris Braswell forces a fumble by Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Jalen McMillan (15) pulls in a touchdown reception against New Orleans Saints safety Jordan Howden (31) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving scores a touchdown between New Orleans Saints defensive end Carl Granderson (96) and cornerback Will Harris (5) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. The Buccaneers won 27-19. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Gaza's Health Ministry said Thursday that more than 46,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israel-Hamas war, with no end in sight to the 15-month conflict.
The ministry said a total of 46,006 Palestinians have been killed and 109,378 wounded. It has said women and children make up more than half the fatalities, but does not say how many of the dead were fighters or civilians.
The Israeli military says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. It blames Hamas for their deaths because it says the militants operate in residential areas.
Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are now packed into sprawling tent camps along the coast with limited access to food and other essentials. Israel has also repeatedly struck what it claims are militants hiding in shelters and hospitals, often killing women and children.
The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people and abducting around 250. A third of the 100 hostages still held in Gaza are believed to be dead.
In Lebanon, the parliament voted Thursday to elect the country’s army commander, Joseph Aoun, as head of state, filling a more than two-year-long presidential vacuum.
The vote came weeks after a tenuous ceasefire agreement halted a 14-month conflict between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and at a time when Lebanon’s leaders are seeking international assistance for reconstruction.
Here's the latest:
BEIRUT — Lebanon’s parliament voted Thursday to elect the country’s army commander, Joseph Aoun, as head of state, filling a more than two-year-long presidential vacuum.
The session was the legislature’s 13th attempt to elect a successor to former President Michel Aoun — no relation to the army commander — whose term ended in October 2022.
The vote came weeks after a tenuous ceasefire agreement halted a 14-month conflict between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and at a time when Lebanon’s leaders are seeking international assistance for reconstruction.
Aoun was widely seen as the preferred candidate of the United States and Saudi Arabia, whose assistance Lebanon will need to ensure that Israel withdraws its forces from southern Lebanon as stipulated in the agreement and to fund the post-war rebuilding.
More than 46,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israel-Hamas war, Gaza’s Health Ministry said Thursday. The ministry said a total of 46,006 Palestinians have been killed and 109,378 wounded.
It has said women and children make up more than half the fatalities, but did not say how many of the dead were fighters or civilians.
The Israeli military says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. It says it tries to avoid harming civilians and blames Hamas for their deaths because the militants operate in residential areas. Israel has also repeatedly struck what it claims are militants hiding in shelters and hospitals, often killing women and children.
On Thursday, dozens of people took part in funeral prayers outside the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the central Gaza city of Deir al-Balah for people killed in Israeli strikes the day before.
In the hospital morgue, a man could be seen kneeling and bidding farewell to a relative before slamming a refrigerator door in an outburst of grief.
Palestinian health officials said Israeli airstrikes killed at least nine people in Gaza on Wednesday, including three infants — among them a 1-week-old baby — and two women.
ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey’s interior affairs minister says a total of 52,622 refugees have returned to Syria from Turkey in the first month following Bashar Assad’s removal from power on Dec. 8.
Speaking at the Cilvegozu border crossing between Turkey and Syria on Thursday, Ali Yerlikaya said that more than 40,000 Syrians had returned with family members while some 11,000 individuals crossed into Syria alone.
“The voluntary, safe, honorable and regular returns have started to increase,” Yerlikaya said.
Turkey has hosted the largest number of Syrian refugees since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011 — more than 3.8 million at its peak in 2022.
JERUSALEM — The Israeli military has further tightened restrictions on media coverage of the war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip amid mounting concerns that soldiers could face legal action abroad.
The restrictions announced late Wednesday mainly apply to media interviews, and include a requirement that soldiers holding the rank of colonel or below only be filmed from behind and identified by their first initial. Those ranked brigadier general or above can be identified, but must receive prior guidelines.
Any filming in combat zones also must be approved by the military’s legal department.
Israel has barred foreign journalists from entering Gaza outside of embeds organized by the military.
The military recently warned soldiers against posting on social media after legal action over alleged war crimes was initiated against a soldier who was visiting Brazil.
Israel says it is operating in accordance with international law in Gaza and makes every effort to avoid harming civilians. But soldiers have posted dozens of photos and videos that appear to show them rummaging through homes and burning or blowing up residential buildings.
The military says it investigates and punishes any violations of military conduct. It says Hamas has built extensive military infrastructure in civilian areas, necessitating the demolition of buildings.
The army says it is working on additional guidelines for soldiers on what they can post to social media.
NEW YORK — Family members of Americans being held hostage in Gaza are planning to attend President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration later this month.
Representatives for the family members said they plan to meet with officials in the incoming Trump administration and members of Congress to urge them to prioritize the safe return of the hostages.
Seven Americans are among the dozens of hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza.
Trump has sent his incoming special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, to Qatar this week for additional talks to work on their release. The Republican president-elect has threatened Hamas by warning that “All hell will break out” if the hostages aren't released.
Israeli soldiers attend the funeral of 1st Sgt. Matityahu Ya'akov Perel, who was killed in a battle in the Gaza Strip, at the Mount Herzl military cemetery in Jerusalem, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)
Destroyed buildings stand inside the Gaza Strip, as seen from southern Israel, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)
Palestinian women look at a damaged residential building following an overnight Israeli strike in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
Members of the Bedouin community, part of Israel's Palestinian minority who have Israeli citizenship, attend the funeral of Yosef Al Zaydani in Rahat, southern Israel, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025 after the Israeli military said his body of was recovered in an underground tunnel in southern Gaza Strip. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)
Kareem Al-Dabaji mourns his brother Anas Al-Dabaji, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike that hit an apartment in Deir Al-Balah, at Al-Aqsa Hospital morgue in Deir Al-Balah, Gaza, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
Lebanese lawmakers count the votes after casting their ballots to elect a new president, at the parliament building in downtown Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, right, casts his vote to elect a new president, at the parliament building in downtown Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (Lebanese Parliament media office via AP)
Smoke rises following an explosion in the Gaza Strip, as seen from southern Israel, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)
Members of the Bedouin community, part of Israel's Palestinian minority who have Israeli citizenship, attend the funeral of Yosef Al Zaydani in Rahat, southern Israel, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025 after the Israeli military said his body of was recovered in an underground tunnel in southern Gaza Strip. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)
Members of the Bedouin community, part of Israel's Palestinian minority who have Israeli citizenship, attend the funeral of Yosef Al Zaydani in Rahat, southern Israel, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025 after the Israeli military said his body of was recovered in an underground tunnel in southern Gaza Strip. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)
A Palestinian looks at a damaged residential building following an overnight Israeli strike in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
Palestinians look at a damaged residential building following an overnight Israeli strike in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
