After two weeks of training camp – including two joint practices with the New York Jets this week – the Bucs got their three-game preseason slate underway Friday night against those same Jets at MetLife Stadium. Tampa Bay went with its second- and third-teamers from the jump in the 2026 exhibition opener, while New York opted to roll out its starters for their collective preseason debuts.

The Jets got out to a 10-0 lead in the first quarter, but once the game got to depth against depth, the Bucs started to control things. A pick-six by rookie Ayden Garnes sparked a 10-0 run for Tampa Bay in the second quarter, then the visitors grabbed their first lead of the game in the third quarter on a Josh Williams touchdown run. They rode it out from there, adding a late touchdown from Jalon Daniels for some cushion on their way to a 24-16 win.

Here’s a recap of all the action from Tampa Bay’s 2026 preseason opener in East Rutherford:

Bucs 24, Jets 16

The Jets won the coin toss and deferred, opting to kick off to the Bucs to open things up. Connor Bazelak got the start with Baker Mayfield (rest) and Jake Browning (back) out, and the offense quickly went three-and-out after Will McDonald IV beat Justin Skule for a third-down sack.

The Jets offense, led by rookie quarterback Cade Klubnik with Geno Smith (foot) sidelined, took it to the Bucs’ second-team defense from the jump. A couple of third-down conversions from Klubnik to Garrett Wilson helped the drive along before a Pepe Williams sack and a third-down incompletion inside the 10 forced a field goal. Cade York’s 27-yarder was good, capping off a 12-play, 65-yard drive that took 6:05 off the clock and gave the home team a 3-0 lead.

Bucs QB Connor Bazelak – Photo by: IMAGN Images via Reuters Connect

Rookie Kadarius Calloway dropped the ensuing kickoff, setting the offense back before it took the field for the second time. A completed pass from Bazelak to rookie Ted Hurst got Tampa Bay its first first down of the night, but the drive stalled there after Bazelak missed a couple of wide-open receivers. An Ayden Garnes penalty then negated a 62-yard Riley Dixon punt, and the re-kick was much worse, going just 43 yards before an 18-yard return making it a net of just 25 yards.

The Jets took advantage of the short field, keeping the pressure on the Buccaneer defense before Braelon Allen broke free for a 31-yard touchdown run to extend the lead to 10-0.

Bazelak got the offense going a little more near the end of the first quarter and into the second, working across midfield before hitting Hurst on a slant for a 12-yard gain to the 28-yard line on 3rd & 5. Another third-down conversion – this one to Dennis Houston for 19 yards – set up 1st & Goal, but the drive didn’t end in a touchdown after Bazelak threw behind Hurst on third down and left the visitors to settle for a 23-yard field goal by Chase McLaughlin.

Just a few plays into the next drive, the Buccaneer defense struck. David Walker got pressure on Bailey Zappe, who got rid of the ball only for Ayden Garnes to pick it off and return it 47 yards for a touchdown. Just like that, it was a tie game.

Bucs OLB David Walker – Photo by: IMAGN Images via Reuters Connect

The Tampa Bay defense kept the momentum going on the next New York possession, too. After an Elijah Roberts sack, Zappe was picked off again, this time by Rashad Wisdom off a deflection.

That takeaway set Bazelak and the Bucs offense up at the Jets’ 38, but they couldn’t take advantage after a penalty on Luke Haggard set them back and eventually led to another punt. The two sides traded punts from there before New York put just enough together for a half-ending field goal from Cade York. That made it a 13-10 lead for the home team heading into the locker room.

A Jack Pyburn third-down sack stopped the Jets’ opening possession of the second half, and that brought on rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels to make his NFL and Bucs debut. It didn’t take long for him to show off his live arm, firing a dart to Garrett Greene for a 35-yard gain on 3rd & 13 to pick up a first down to New York’s 37. Josh Williams got the run game going from there before Daniels connected with fellow rookie Bauer Sharp for a 13-yard gain down to the 12.

One play later, Williams found the end zone from 12 yards out to give the Bucs their first lead of the night at 17-13.

Tampa Bay carried that 17-13 lead into the fourth quarter and while New York got within 17-16 at the 9:48 mark after it was given a short field on a Riley Dixon punt, but Daniels and the Buccaneer offense responded. After eating up some clock, the rookie quarterback converted a fourth down with a 7-yard pass to Sharp, then hit Dean Patterson for 6-yard gain on 3rd & 6. After an 11-yard pass to Greene and a defensive penalty, Daniels wound up finding the end zone himself from a yard out to extend the Tampa Bay lead.

Tampa Bay’s defense closed it out from there, with Jack Pyburn notching his second sack of the night and fellow rookie Keionte Scott breaking up a pass on 4th & 13 to close things out. The offense killed some more clock from there before the defense got one final stop, sealing a 24-16 preseason-opening win over the Jets.

Friday’s win featured a number of impressive performances from Tampa Bay’s rookies. Offensively, it was Jalon Daniels stealing the show, coming in and showing great command of the offense in going 10-of-15 for 111 yards and rushing for a 1-yard touchdown.

On defense, it was Ayden Garnes early with a tackle for loss and a 47-yard pick-six. Damarion “Pepe” Williams had his moments, too, racking up 12 tackles (eight solo), with a sack and a pass defensed. And then there was Jack Pyburn tallying two sacks in the second half.

Bucs DT Elijah Roberts – Photo by: IMAGN Images via Reuters Connect

Elsewhere, second-year defensive tackle Elijah Roberts came up with a sack of his own while Rashad Wisdom added an interception as well.

The Bucs will now return to Tampa after a long week up north. They’re off for the weekend before returning to practice Monday morning at the AdventHealth Training Center. That starts the prep for Week 2 of the preseason, which will see Tampa Bay host the Kansas City Chiefs next Saturday, Aug. 22, at Raymond James Stadium. Kickoff for that game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.