May 6th, 2025
So the Buccaneers’ 2025 schedule will be revealed in eight days (May 14) and every Tampa Bay fan with a pulse is excited.
Some might be concerned.
How will NFL schedule makers treat the Bucs and what might Team Glazer be able to influence?
For Christmas Day, a Thursday, the NFL is planning a triple-header. Well, Joe knows the Bucs have been among the NFL teams volunteering to host a Christmas Day game in past seasons. Not every team is keen on hosting, in part because of staffing considerations (police, stadium attendants, etc.).
Joe assumes the NFL likely wants a cold-weather venue for a Christmas night game in hopes of snow, so might a day game on a Thursday help or hurt the Bucs? Joe’s not sure.
Then there’s the possibility of the Bucs playing a road game in Spain against the “host” Dolphins.
Man, Joe sure hopes the Bucs don’t get stuck with an international game. They have a way of screwing a team up.
The Bucs went 3-5 after leaving Germany in 2022, and Todd Bowles apparently left his mind in Munich. Anyone remember Cleveland two weeks later?
Long-time Bucs fans also remember how the Bucs imploded after a trip to England in 2011 and lost every game the rest of the season. Jameis Winston lost his mind in England back in 2019 and threw five interceptions.
And then there is the Bucs and night games. That’s an X-factor. The Bucs have lost 5 of their last 6 night games in the regular season. Coincidence? Not a chance.
Joe’s greatest hope with the schedule is for the Bucs to get the division opponents relatively early. They’re all banking on a lot of new players and are unlikely to be on solid footing.
Also, Joe would love to see the Bucs get a tough opening day opponent. Bowles has mastered having his team ready for Week 1. How about Buffalo on the road?
Bucs 2025 Opponents
Home games
Arizona Cardinals
Atlanta Falcons
Carolina Panthers
New England Patriots
New Orleans Saints
New York Jets
Philadelphia Eagles
San Francisco 49ers
Road games
Atlanta Falcons
Buffalo Bills
Carolina Panthers
Detroit Lions
Houston Texans
Los Angeles Rams
Miami Dolphins
New Orleans Saints
Seattle Seahawks