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Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Jalen McMillan.
When Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Jalen McMillan took the field for the first time this season in Week 15 against the Atlanta Falcons, it represented much more than just an injured football player returning to his job.
For McMillan, as we now know, it represented the end of a life-changing period that began when he fractured three vertebrae against the Pittsburgh Steelers in a preseason game on August 16.
McMillan’s injury, originally disclosed as a “severe neck sprain” ended up being much more serious than the Buccaneers initially let on.
According to a story from ESPN’s Jenna Laine, doctors initially told McMillan there was a chance he could have been paralyzed for life.
“I mean, it was dark for me at first,” McMillan told Laine. “First I felt good and I thought it was just a minor injury and then the doctor said I almost got paralyzed, so it kind of scared me a little bit. And then there was doubt too because I didn’t know if I was going to be playing again.”
While McMillan had 2 receptions for 38 yards in a 29-28 loss to the Falcons — including a catch that probably should have been a touchdown — the Buccaneers are in desperate need of help down the stretch.
Tampa Bay is still in first place in the NFC South with 3 regular season games remaining but has lost 5 of its last 6 games, including consecutive home games to the New Orleans Saints and Falcons the last 2 weeks.
McMillan Originally Projected Back in Week 9
The original prognosis for McMillan’s return was Week 9, which was before it was disclosed he’d actually fractured his neck. The fact he’s back at all this season is probably the bigger win.
Not many people remember — or care at this point — but McMillan was playing as well as anyone on the Buccaneers’ roster at the end of his rookie season in 2024.
McMillan, a 2024 third round pick (No. 92 overall), had 37 receptions for 461 yards and 8 touchdowns in his first season, but put up the bulk of those stats down the stretch with 24 receptions for 316 yards over the final 5 games of the regular season — a stretch in which he led the NFL with 7 touchdowns.
“Insane that Jalen McMillan was nearly paralyzed, didnt know if he’d ever play again and we were told for months on end it was a strain and he’d be back after the BYE,” EMT Ashlie wrote on X. “I need a 30 for 30 on the 2025 Bucs.”
Injuries Picked Apart Bucs’ WR Room
The Buccaneers have been without their 3 starting wide receivers from 2024 for the majority of the regular season.
Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and McMillan have missed a combined 30 games this season and even when Evans and Godwin have played, they’ve looked like a shell of their former selves.
The 3 players, combined, have 42 receptions for 524 yards and 2 touchdowns. That’s a pretty terrible ROI for the Buccaneers when you consider the trio is making roughly $60 million combined this year.
The person picking up the slack has been rookie wide receiver and 2025 first round pick Emeka Egbuka, who leads the Buccaneers with 58 receptions for 870 yards and 6 touchdowns.
Egbuka could be the biggest beneficiary of getting some talent back on the field around him. He hasn’t scored a touchdown or had more than 65 yards receiving since a Week 10 loss to the New England Patriots.
Tony Adame covers the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Commanders, Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos. A veteran sports writer and editor since 2004, his work has been featured at Stadium Talk, Yardbarker, NW Florida Daily News and Pensacola News Journal. More about Tony Adame
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