Bucky Irving Had Offseason Shoulder Surgery
February 16th, 2026
Listeners to the Ira Kaufman Podcast and the JoeBucsFan Show on WDAE radio heard this discussed last week, but now Joe is typing it up for the record.
Bucs running back Bucky Irving missed seven consecutive games last season — Weeks 5 through 12 — with ankle and shoulder injuries. Per in-season comments from the Bucs, the ankle healed before the shoulder did.
And now it seems the shoulder was never quite right. Irving had offseason shoulder surgery, JoeBucsFan.com has learned.
Recovery and rehab are not expected to significantly impact his offseason preparation.
What those post-surgery specifics look like should get clarity when head coach Todd Bowles and Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht hold news conferences next week at the NFL Scouting Combine.
With Rachaad White repeatedly telling the world he’s not returning to the Bucs, replacing White with a quality running back in free agency seems more urgent given Irving’s situation.
Irving had a rough time mentally after getting injured in Week 4 against the Eagles. Bowles acknowledged weeks later that Irving had challenges dealing with what was his first-ever significant injury. It’s fair now to speculate that perhaps Irving was told then he eventually would need surgery, and that reality was difficult.
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