The Bucs are elevating two defenders from the practice squad ahead of Sunday’s Week 16 game against the Panthers in Charlotte, the team announced Saturday afternoon.

Veteran outside linebacker Jason Pierre-Paul is one of the elevations, meaning he’s set to make his official return to the NFL after two years out of the game. He last played for the Dolphins on Dec. 11, 2023, but he was re-signed to Tampa Bay’s practice squad on Dec. 9 and will now be starting his second stint with the team at 36 years old.

Over the course of his NFL career with the Giants, Bucs, Ravens, Saints and Dolphins, Pierre-Paul has appeared in 182 games with 150 starts and has 622 tackles, 127 tackles for loss, 167 quarterback hits, 94.5 sacks, 66 passes defensed, 21 forced fumbles, 10 fumble recoveries and five interceptions.

Bucs OLB Jason Pierre-Paul – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

With the struggles of the Bucs’ pass rush, Pierre-Paul could very well find himself in the mix right away on Sunday afternoon at Bank of America Stadium as part of the rotation on the outside. Despite being signed to the practice squad less than two weeks ago, he could provide a spark for a defense that badly needs one after allowing 29.3 points per game in six games since the bye week.

As for the other elevation from the practice squad for Sunday’s Week 16 contest, it’s veteran defensive lineman Adam Gotsis. The 33-year-old was previously elevated in Weeks 1 and 15, with Week 15 being his first game action of the 2025 season. He played eight defensive snaps in that Thursday night loss to the Falcons, and with this being his third elevation of the season, he has reached the limit and would have to be signed to the 53-man roster for any future appearances with the team.

Over 127 career games with the Broncos, Jaguars, Colts and Bucs, Gotsis has made 55 starts and has totaled 223 tackles, 25 tackles for loss, 42 quarterback hits, 22 passes defensed, 10.5 sacks, four fumble recoveries and three forced fumbles.

Jason Pierre-Paul Now Begins A Second Act With The Bucs

It was quite the surprise when the Bucs re-signed Jason Pierre-Paul to their practice squad earlier this month, as he hadn’t played in the NFL in two years and last suited up in a Tampa Bay uniform during the 2021 season. But with his elevation from the practice squad, the soon-to-be 37-year-old pass rusher has a chance to add on to his legacy in red, white and pewter.

Pierre-Paul certainly has a strong NFL resume as a whole, and his four years with the Bucs are a big part of that. Originally acquired via trade with the Giants in 2018, the former USF Bull returned to the Bay Area as a one-time All-Pro, two-time Pro Bowler and a Super Bowl champion. And from 2018-2021, he added onto that success in a big way.

First came a 12.5-sack 2018 season, which saw him become the Bucs’ first double-digit sacker since Simeon Rice in 2005. He followed that up with 8.5 sacks in an abbreviated 2019 season in which he played on the opposite side of Shaq Barrett, who led the NFL with 19.5 sacks.

Bucs OLB Jason Pierre-Paul and Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes – Photo by: USA Today

That duo then helped lead the way for the 2020 Buccaneer defense that worked alongside Tom Brady and the offense to bring home the franchise’s second-ever Lombardi Trophy. Pierre-Paul totaled 9.5 sacks that season and was somehow the champions’ only Pro Bowler, giving him the third selection of his career. He was limited to 2.5 sacks over 10 games in his final season with the Bucs in 2021, but overall, he finished his first stint in Tampa Bay with 33 sacks, which has him tied with Brad Culpepper for the 10th-most in franchise history.

Now, JPP has a chance to build on his Buccaneer legacy with a second stint, however brief it might be. He will be wearing No. 91 this time around, as the No. 90 he previously wore currently belongs to Logan Hall. But knowing the intensity Pierre-Paul always brings to the field, it’s fair to assume it won’t be hard to find him on Sunday afternoon despite the new number.