Back when the Bucs signed veteran wide receiver Sterling Shepard mid-offseason last year, one wondered how much he had left in the tank. Between 2021 and 2023 with the Giants, Shepard played in just 25 games as he suffered a torn Achilles tendon in 2021 and a torn ACL in 2022.

By the time 2023 rolled around, he played in 15 games but amassed just 10 receptions for 57 receiving yards and a touchdown. Shepard seemed to be heading into retirement after a productive career in New York, until Tampa Bay (and quarterback Baker Mayfield) came calling to persuade him to trade in “daddy mode” for a second act in the NFL. Molded by his experiences in life and in the league, “Uncle Shep” has demonstrated that he still has some juice and has been a key contributor to the offense and the team as a whole this season.

Sterling Shepard Is A Perfect Fit In The Bucs WR Room – And As A Hype Man

After Sterling Shepard put himself back on the map with the Bucs last season, he has looked more like the player he did before injuries derailed his career. Shepard, a 2016 second-round pick, was a productive wide receiver with the Giants who played alongside Victor Cruz and Odell Beckham Jr.

“Shep” complimented both receivers well, fitting in any role within the offense as a consistent playmaker who Eli Manning could trust. Fast forward to now, he fits the same role within Tampa Bay’s offense catching passes from his college teammate and MVP frontrunner, Baker Mayfield.

Bucs WR Sterling Shepard and QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: USA Today

Speaking on the value that Shepard has provided last week before the Bucs played the 49ers, offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard gushed about the youthful energy one of the team’s oldest players brings.

“He brings juice anytime he makes a play,” Grizzard said. “I know he didn’t have the best celebration in the world after he scored his touchdown [against the Seahawks], but… he just talks and talks and talks non-stop, so there’s always energy. He could be picking on somebody or a younger receiver or getting on the same page on a route conversion.

“That kind of energy – I know he’s not ancient, but he’s not the youngest receiver in that room – and he has just as much juice, if not more, than all of them. Having him around has been really cool, especially on game day. He’s always amped up.”

That included on the sideline during Tampa Bay’s latest victory, when Shepard teased rookie wide receiver Tez Johnson after he thought the “MVP” chants were for him. Apparently, that interaction is only a glimpse into what unfolds at the team’s facility.

“I get a kick out of [Tez] and ‘Shep’ interacting every single day,” Mayfield said. “You guys got a little dose of that on camera, but that is everyday life here at One Buc Place.”

Sterling Shepard Has Stepped Up As A Seasoned Vet Who Embodies Resilience

It is no classified secret that the Bucs, and especially the wide receiver room, have been decimated by injuries so far this season.

Jalen McMillan.

Mike Evans.

Chris Godwin Jr.

Emeka Egbuka.

While it has seemed like they have fallen like dominoes, it is Sterling Shepard who has remained upright and healthy. Entering the year as the fifth wide receiver on the depth chart, Shepard has climbed up to as high as second in the pecking order. He will likely fill that secondary role again on Monday night, as it appears more promising that Evans will return to be Baker Mayfield’s primary target.

Bucs WR Sterling Shepard – Photo by: USA Today

Through six games, Shepard is second on the team in receiving, with 19 receptions for 242 receiving yards and a touchdown. He is already approaching last season’s totals (32 receptions, 334 receiving yards, and a touchdown), signifying just how much more he has meant to this year’s squad.

“‘Shep’ (Sterling Shepard) has been just a great addition to the room — not just to the room, he has been a great addition to the team,” wide receivers coach Bryan McClendon said this week. “The energy that he brings and all the stuff outside of what he actually has been doing over there in between the whistles… [He is] a guy that you saw had all the ability in the world. Obviously, he has had a great career, and you are getting him at a time where, quite frankly, was really benefiting us and him just because he is seasoned… and he is able to pass on the lessons and everything else.”

The “next man up” mantra is a popular phrase as it relates to football, and for the Bucs, they can count on Shepard knowing how to contribute and getting the team’s younger receivers, like Kameron Johnson and Tez Johnson, up to speed.

Bucs WR Sterling Shepard – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

“What he has done is he has done a great job of taking care of his body, he has done a great job right now of allowing me to push him,” McClendon added. “[I am] truly a believer in that he really embodies – especially at that age – everything that you want in a guy to be able to go out there on a day-to-day basis and bring as far as energy, knowing what to do, knowing how to do it, and trying to bring as many guys along with him. We are truly blessed to have the guy, but like I said way more off the field than we are on the field.”

Heading to Detroit looking to tame a Lions squad just as battered by injuries, Shepard remains a key part of the Bucs’ offense. While it once appeared that the hourglass of his career ran out, “Shep” has taken the opportunity of more playing and is running with it.

Even with Evans appearing on track to come back and McMillan, Godwin Jr., and Egbuka not far behind, Sterling Shepard is another reason why the room is so dangerous.

“I’m telling you – we just have a lot of them in the stable, literally, and we haven’t even gotten to full power yet,” Shepard said of the wide receiver room getting back to 100%. [We’re] waiting on Mike [Evans and] Chris [Godwin Jr.] to get back, and once we mix [those] two guys in there, it’s dangerous. We’ve been saying that from the beginning, but it comes down to the preparation and how we work each week, and the work that we’ve been putting in this whole season.”