Emeka Egbuka Talks Worn Down Legs
February 21st, 2026
Joe already wrote about how Emeka Egbuka admitted to crashing into the famed rookie wall last season. Egbuka, though, also noted a couple of weeks that really illustrated his struggles.
Egbuka told SiriusXM NFL Radio that his rookie wall issues were signficantly more physical than mental. And yes, for some rookies it’s a mental struggle, whether it be constant adjustments, dealing with losing they weren’t used to in college, or just not being used to intense focus for so many weeks.
Egbuka noted how he came out the bye week on fire against New England. Joe will note that Egbuka faded after that.
“One of the best weeks for me was the bye week and to be able to [get] off my legs,” Egbuka said.
“And then you know, I come off the bye week and I exploded after that, too. Even learning your process in recovery and everything like that is a very valuable lesson that I learned. Because now I know how to take care of my body the best way so I’m able to perform.”
The Bucs’ 2025 first-round draft pick had six catches for 115 yards and a touchdown against the Patriots on Nov. 9. the game following the Bucs’ bye. That was his last score of the season, and his final eight games included 21 catches for just 261 yards.
Joe thinks it’s telling how Egbuka referred to the bye as a “best” week and that he fell off two weeks after the bye.
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