It is no secret that Bucs punter Riley Dixon has struggled out of the gate with his new team. Joining Tampa Bay as a free agent this past offseason, there was a lot of optimism about what Dixon could provide. Aiming to stabilize the position, it was a sound process to bring in a 10-year veteran. It just has not paid off with the kind of results he, the team, or fans have expected.

Through four games, Dixon has two blocked punts, and there have been some shorter-than-expected punts in between. He shared his mindset and approach to getting back on track ahead of Sunday afternoon’s game.

Riley Dixon: “My Mindset Doesn’t Change, I Got A Job To Do”

It is never easy to openly discuss struggles when they come about. Players are more amicable to talk about the good times, but when the bad times come, it is a true testament of character to face them. That is what Riley Dixon did when talking with Pewter Report this past Thursday.

Dixon knows that he has a job to do as the Bucs’ punter.

Bucs P Riley Dixon – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Signed to be the answer to the team’s revolving door at the position, he is working through ways of executing at the highest level.

“My mindset doesn’t change,” Dixon said when asked about his early-season struggles. “I got a job to do, and I know what that is. We as a punt team have a job to do; we know what that is. We as a group need to execute better. That starts with me and includes me.”

After putting on an impressive punting display in Week 1 after four punts for 205 yards (51.3 yards per punt) and pinning two of them within the 20-yard line, things have spiraled in a different direction. Dixon had a punt in Week 2 blocked, then had another punt blocked to begin Tampa Bay’s Week 4 game at home. His yards per punt average has dipped each week, falling to just 36.7 yards per punt last week on three attempts.

Much like a baseball player, there will be slumps and times when things are booming, and other times when it is just not clicking. Dixon has plenty of experience to glean from but admitted that he does not have it all figured out.

No one punter does.

“Every day punting is the same, and every day punting is different,” Dixon said. “Every day brings us new challenges, and that’s what I love about it. There’s always a challenge, and you’ll never figure it out fully. Everybody who says they figured it out, if that were the case, you’d play as if you were 50. Just try to keep those highs and lows closer and just be more consistent.”

Riley Dixon Staying “Process-Oriented,” Has Thomas McGaughey’s Support

As Dixon looks to bounce back when called upon, he has a steadying presence next to him. Kicker Chase McLaughlin went through his own struggles to begin the season, missing two makeable field goals in the first two games. Since then, McLaughlin has looked better than ever, making eight of nine field goal attempts over the past two games, including a 65-yarder that is tied for the second-longest in NFL history.

Bucs K Chase McLaughlin – Photo by: USA Today

There is a lot to learn from that.

“You try to stay process-oriented and stick to the task at hand,” Dixon added. “The results are — you can only do so much to control the results. We play on the field with 11 other guys; the other side of the ball gets paid too. You’ve got to stick to what you can do, control what you can control.

“I think Chase is one of the best at that. When the chips don’t fall the way you want sometimes, you don’t ride the waves, you stick to the program. Stay true to the course. He’s got a really strong faith, and I do as well. Us talking about that together helps a lot. I don’t have enough good things to say about him, he’s unbelievable.”

Special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey has come under fire for the unit’s struggles, but McGaughey provided a long opening statement acknowledging what is transpired. He also knows what kind of punter Riley Dixon is, having coached him with the Giants from 2018-2021.

Bucs ST coordinator Thomas McGaughey – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

“I’ve coached Riley for five years and I know exactly who he is and what he likes to do and how he likes to do it, and we’ve just got to make sure that he’s comfortable with the protection around [him],” McGaughey said. “We’ve got to make sure that protection is tight [and] all of that stuff, so he can have a nice, comfortable pocket.

“It’s no different than Baker [Mayfield] being back there being able to throw the ball. It’s the same thing – you can’t be flinching in a pocket, right? We’ve got to be able to just give him a nice pocket where he can punt and feel comfortable.”

After the Bucs brought in a couple of punters for a workout last week, the pressure is on Riley Dixon to perform this week. Seeing how Dixon responds is something to watch closely.