The Bucs have gotten fantastic contributions from their players this season during their 4-1 start. Quarterback Baker Mayfield is playing at an MVP level and rookie wide receiver Emeka Egbuka is certainly the leader in the clubhouse for the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors by far.

Mayfield is a household name and Egbuka will soon be – even for the most lackadaisical Bucs fan. But it’s someone else that has caught the eye of head coach Todd Bowles for doing the dirty work for the team.

That would be veteran wide receiver Sterling Shepard, who caught the game-tying touchdown on Sunday in the Bucs’ stunning, 38-35 win over the Seahawks.

The 32-year old Shepard has rejuvenated his NFL career in Tampa Bay in his second season with the Bucs. He has carved out much more of a role as both a mentor to the younger players coming in, the ultimate hype man for his teammates, and a key contributor in important moments for the Tampa Bay offense.

Bucs WR Sterling Shepard – Photo by: USA Today

“[He is] very underrated,” Bowles said of Shepard. “One of our most underrated players, but one of our best players. He knows what to do, how to do it. He’s very tough. He can play inside, he can play outside. He’s done a great job blocking this year as well. He finds the open spots, and him and Baker [Mayfield] have a connection that way. He kept us in the game.”

Sterling Shepard Is Making An Impact For Bucs

The Bucs have still been able to be productive on offense even without Chris Godwin Jr. for the first three games, Jalen McMillan for the whole season and then without Mike Evans for the last two games in part due to Sterling Shepard’s efforts. It was a Week 3 win over the Jets where Shepard’s 20-yard catch-and-run set kicker Chase McLaughlin up for the eventual game-winning field goal. That was a four catch for 80-yard performance.

Although having four catches for 24 yards in the win over Seattle might not be eye-popping, his touchdown to tie the game up late at 35-35 in the fourth quarter before the Bucs eventually won the game was an exclamation point on Shepard’s season so far. Shepard’s willingness to do all the little things to help Tampa Bay win is just another example of making an impact on this team that go beyond of just what the stats say.

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

Reuniting with his college teammate Baker Mayfield has been a breath of fresh air for the veteran receiver. It looked like Shepard was ready to hang it up and call it career after playing for the Giants, but the Bucs tried him out last summer partially because of his connection with Mayfield. He was involved in the offense last season, but this year it has been taken to another level. Shepard has been on the record saying he only wants to play with Mayfield, so he is not going anywhere else.

It has been a season of winning games at the last minute this year in Tampa Bay. When things get dicey late, cooler heads need to prevail. Having veteran players like Shepard, and of course Mayfield, allow the Bucs to dial it in during the biggest moments.

“Early in the year, all these games are going to be tough and they’re going to be one-score games,” Bowles said. “Last year, we didn’t pull them out. This year, we’ve been finding a way to win. That shows attention to detail and resiliency on our part.”