Since Tom Brady’s retirement prior to the 2023 football season, the national media has not been too kind to the Tampa Bay Bucs when it comes to respect.

The New Orleans Saints were unanimously picked to win the NFC South last year due to the arrival of quarterback Derek Carr. That coincided with Tampa Bay signing Baker Mayfield, who had gone from the face of the franchise in Cleveland to a journeyman quarterback on to his fourth team in just one calendar year.

Yet it was Tampa Bay which surprised all but its fan base when the Bucs went 9-8 with Mayfield leading the way, capturing their third straight division title. Mayfield proved to be up to the task of replacing Brady and earned a huge, three-year $100 million contract as a result this offseason.

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: USA Today

Yet this year, the Atlanta Falcons are the trendy pick by national media pundits to win the division. After three straight 7-10 seasons cost Arthur Smith his job, Raheem Morris takes over as head coach in 2024. But the big reason why Atlanta is the favorite is because the team signed Pro Bowl quarterback Kirk Cousins in the offseason.

Once again, the Bucs don’t get the respect they deserve despite advancing to the NFC Divisional round of the playoffs last year. Las Vegas has Tampa Bay finishing either second or third in the NFC South depending on the sportsbook, and the over-under odds are set at 7.5 wins for the team in 2024.

However, there is one national media outlet that does have faith in Tampa Bay.

Actually, quite a bit of faith in the Bucs.

Pro Football Talk Has Bucs Rated No. 9 In Its NFL Power Rankings

Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio has the Bucs opening as the No. 9-rated team in his 2024 Preseason Power Rankings. Here’s what Florio had to say about Tampa Bay.

9. Buccaneers: For some reason, they still aren’t being taken seriously. They should be.

Bucs RG Cody Mauch and RB Rachaad White – Photo by: USA Today

Florio has last year’s four top teams – Kansas City, San Francisco, Detroit and Baltimore – ranked in that order to start the 2024 season, followed by Philadelphia at No. 5.

Green Bay, Buffalo and Cincinnati are the next three teams prior to Tampa Bay.

Even more impressive is the fact that Florio has the Bucs as the top-ranked team in the NFC South. Here is where Florio ranks Tampa Bay’s division rivals.

19. Falcons: They’d be even higher if they’d used the eighth overall pick on a player other than Kirk Cousins’s replacement.

24. Saints: It feels like it’s up-or-out this year for both Derek Carr and Dennis Allen.

32. Panthers: Wear a raincoat if you plan to be sitting near the owner’s box this year.

This is the first time this year that a national media outlet has thought this highly of Tampa Bay. No other national pundit has dared to put the Bucs in the Top 10 of any preseason power ranking thus far.

Tampa Bay general manager Jason Licht loves to keep receipts from the Bucs’ doubters in the media. But such a lofty ranking from Florio and Pro Football Talk certainly doesn’t classify that outlet as doubters.

Instead, it seems like Florio and PFT are believers in the Buccaneers.