The wait is almost over, Bucs fans.

The 2024 NFL schedule will be released next Wednesday, May 15, according to Ben Fischer of the Sports Business Journal. The league sent out a memo on Tuesday, May 7 informing all teams that the long-awaited schedule will be announced publicly in one week.

There is plenty of intrigue surrounding this year’s Bucs schedule for a myriad of reasons that I’ll explain in a moment. But first let’s take a look at which opponents Tampa Bay will face in the upcoming season and then I’ll explain how the intrigue plays into some of these games.

While the Bucs’ 2024 opponents have been known since the 2023 regular season ended, the exact dates and times of those games aren’t revealed until the NFL releases the full schedule. Here are the teams Tampa Bay is slated to play in 2024.

Bucs’ 2024 Home Opponents

Philadelphia Eagles
Washington Commanders
Denver Broncos
Las Vegas Raiders
Atlanta Falcons
Carolina Panthers
New Orleans Saints
San Francisco 49ers
Baltimore Ravens

Bucs’ 2024 Away Opponents

Dallas Cowboys
New York Giants
Kansas City Chiefs
Los Angeles Chargers
Atlanta Falcons
Carolina Panthers
New Orleans Saints
Detroit Lions

Now let’s take a deeper dive into some of these matchups and how they could play out in the 2024 Bucs schedule.

Will Tampa Bay Start 2024 In Prime Time In Kansas City?

Bucs FS Antoine Winfield, Jr. and former Chiefs WR Tyreek Hill – Photo by: USA Today

The league typically kicks off each season with the defending Super Bowl champion hosting an opponent on Thursday Night Football. The Chiefs have won back-to-back Super Bowls and that could mean the Bucs travel to Arrowhead to begin the 2024 season. Kansas City has home games against Tampa Bay, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Houston, New Orleans, Denver, Las Vegas and the Los Angeles Chargers.

While games against the Bengals, Ravens and Texans would be significant Week 1 matchups in the AFC, pitting the Chiefs against an up-and-coming NFC team like the Bucs could also draw plenty of interest. Last year, the Chiefs hosted the Lions in Week 1 and Detroit stunned the home crowd with a hard-fought, 21-20 win that helped kick-start their NFC North-winning season.

Could the NFL be seeking another clash of AFC and NFC playoff teams in 2024? With Tampa Bay being the only team to deny Patrick Mahomes a win in any Super Bowl, and Baker Mayfield’s star power after a career resurgence last season combined with a prime time playoff win over the Eagles, don’t count out the Bucs as the Chiefs’ first opponent in 2024.

How Many Prime Time Games Will Be On The Bucs Schedule?

Bucs WR Mike Evans – Photo by: USA Today

The maximum number of prime time games that any NFL team could draw is five, and that happened each year that Tom Brady was in Tampa Bay. Last year without Brady, the Bucs weren’t expected to be good, evidenced by Las Vegas oddsmakers setting the team’s over-under at 6.5 wins. As a result, Tampa Bay only had two prime time games – a Week 3 home loss to Philadelphia on Monday Night Football, and a Week 8 loss at Buffalo on Thursday Night Football.

Yet the Bucs defied the odds and won nine games last year, in addition to a franchise-record third straight divisional title. A playoff win on Monday Night Football over the Eagles, 32-9, added some credibility to the Bucs, who are viewed as a potential playoff team this year.

That, along with the star power that Baker Mayfield, Mike Evans and Lavonte David bring to the table, could get the team an extra prime time game – or more – this year. It would be a surprise if the 2024 Bucs don’t have at least three prime time games on the schedule.

Will The Bucs Play On Thanksgiving?

Bucs HC Todd Bowles – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

This year more than any previous year, Tampa Bay could be playing on Thanksgiving. The NFL’s two traditional Thanksgiving teams – Detroit and Dallas – will both host Tampa Bay this year. The Lions and the Cowboys hosting games on Thanksgiving has been an annual occurrence for decades.

Not only do the Bucs have an increased chance of playing on Thanksgiving this year because they have to go on the road to play both the Cowboys and the Lions, but the league introduced a third Thanksgiving game in prime time that all NFL teams are eligible to play in. So the Bucs’ schedule could see the team bound for Detroit or Dallas on Thanksgiving, or perhaps hosting its first ever Thanksgiving game, or playing somewhere else on Thursday night, November 28.

The last three games between the Bucs and Cowboys have all been in prime time. Tampa Bay hosted Dallas to open the 2021 season on Thursday Night Football as defending Super Bowl champions and prevailed in a come-from-behind thriller, 31-29. The Bucs and Cowboys opened the 2022 season in Dallas on Sunday Night Football with Todd Bowles getting his first win as the team’s head coach, 19-3. Later that year, the Cowboys got revenge in a 31-14 victory at Tampa Bay in the Wild Card playoffs.

Tampa Bay lost two games to Detroit last year, a 20-6 decision at home in Week 6 and a 31-23 defeat on the road in the NFC Divisional round of the playoffs. There’s a good chance the Bucs’ rematch with the Lions in the Motor City will be in prime time.

The Bucs have only played on Thanksgiving one time, and that was in Dallas on November 23, 2006. The Cowboys prevailed 38-10 in a Turkey Day blowout, as Tony Romo completed 22-of-29 passes for 305 yards and five touchdowns. After a Mike Alstott touchdown gave Tampa Bay an early 7-0 lead, the Cowboys outscored the Bucs 38-3.

Is Another Christmas Game On Tap For Tampa Bay?

Bucs OLB Anthony Nelson – Photo by: USA Today

The Bucs have become a holiday favorite in recent years, and if they don’t land a game on Thanksgiving this year, there is a chance Tampa Bay could wind up playing on Christmas. Remember that the Buccaneers played on Christmas night as part of an NFL triple-header back in 2022, beating the Cardinals in Arizona in overtime, 19-16.

Last year, Christmas Eve fell on a Sunday, and the Bucs and the rest of the league took the field the day before Christmas. Tampa Bay fans got an early present with a 30-12 home win over Jacksonville to celebrate Christmas a day early.

Christmas falls on a Wednesday this season, but the NFL can’t help itself to TV ratings. So the league announced that even though Christmas falls midweek this year, there will be a double-header featuring four teams. Will the NFL skip the Bucs because they played on the holiday just a few years ago? Or does the league believe that Tampa Bay fans have been recently conditioned to accept that their team will play on around Christmas?

Will The Bucs Play The Panthers Overseas?

Bucs DT Calijah Kancey and Panthers QB Bryce Young – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Carolina has already been announced as one of the host teams for the NFL International Series and will play a home game in Allianz Arena in Germany – home of FC Bayern Munich soccer team. Two years ago, the league designated four teams in the International Home Marketing Area (IHMA) in Germany, including Tampa Bay, Carolina, Kansas City and New England.

You’ll remember that the Bucs were the first NFL team to play and win a game in Germany on November 13, 2022, beating the Seahawks, 21-16. With Germany having plenty of Bucs fans prior to that game – and even more following that win – a Panthers vs. Bucs game in Munich would generate a tremendous amount of buzz as both teams are designated as Germany’s NFL teams.

Yet with Tampa Bay hosting that international game just two years ago, the NFL might want to circulate another team into the mix in Germany to expose the German audience to a different club. The Bucs swept the Panthers last year, but there is a compelling storyline this season with former Tampa Bay offensive coordinator Dave Canales taking over as Carolina’s head coach in the offseason.

Which Game Will Be The Creamsicle Throwback Game?

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: USA Today

Although the Bucs would not publicly commit to hosting a throwback game in 2024 at the NFL Annual Meeting in March, it’s hard to believe that Tampa Bay would not make playing in the old Bucco Bruce uniforms an annual tradition. The creamsicle game was a huge hit with fans despite the 20-6 loss at home to Detroit.

So if the Bucs were going to have another throwback game in 2024, which opponent would that be against? Dressing up in the creamsicles against former NFC Central opponent Detroit made a lot of sense for nostalgia purposes.

Tampa Bay has had five throwback games since 2009 with games against Green Bay (2009), Atlanta (2010), Carolina (2011), New Orleans (2012) and Detroit (2023). Since beating the Packers in the first-ever throwback game in 2009 the Bucs have lost their last four games donning the old orange and white uniforms.

Looking at the Bucs’ 2024 home opponents and assuming Tampa Bay doesn’t want to play a member of the NFC South division again in the throwbacks, the most logical candidates are the Eagles, Broncos and Raiders. Tampa Bay’s first-ever playoff win came against Philadelphia at home in 1979, so that game makes sense. The Broncos have orange in their uniform color scheme, and that could give fans a rare orange overload.

As for the Raiders, they are the only other team that has a pirate mascot and a pirate on their logo on their silver helmet. Although the Bucs currently have a battle flag on their modern day pewter helmet, Tampa Bay has a decal of Bucco Bruce the pirate on their throwback helmet. Perhaps a clash of old school pirates could be coming?