It does not take long to scan through the Bucs’ 2025 roster and find players who fell short of expectations from outside the building or within it. That reality shaped an offseason centered around adding attitude and having a renewed focus on what comes next in 2026.

Few players are taking as much from an offseason of reflection as cornerback Zyon McCollum. Heading into last year with a fresh new contract extension, McCollum went through ups and downs before ending the season on injured reserve. It was far from how he had imagined things going. Appearing on the Pewter Report Podcast on Monday afternoon, he provided insight into his motivation to improve and how the energy around the building during offseason workouts has him working harder than ever before.

Zyon McCollum Disappointed With Last Season, Focused On The Fundamentals In 2026

When it comes to players who disappointed for the Bucs last season, Zyon McCollum is near the top of the list.

While McCollum has come a long way from being a 2022 fifth-round pick, the bar was raised after the front office gave him a three-year, $48 million extension. The dollar signs came with higher standards – to be the best cornerback on the roster. In giving him a new deal while restructuring Jamel Dean’s contract for him to hit free agency a year early, the message could not have been clearer.

McCollum was given the runway to blossom and lead the position room for years to come.

It was time to take off.

Yet, that failed to come to pass.

On the flip side, opposing quarterbacks had more success completing passes when throwing his way. His struggles were amplified just before a hip injury in Week 15 cut his season short. While McCollum allowed a 57.1% completion percentage on 70 targets for the season, that completion percentage jumped to 78.6% on 14 targets between Weeks 12 and 13. His worst performance came against Rams wide receiver Davante Adams, as he was beaten by the savvy veteran for two touchdowns in a 34-7 loss.

Rams WR Davante Adams and Bucs CB Zyon McCollum – Photo by: USA Today

How last season ended was tough on all the players, but McCollum had more time to reflect on what went wrong while sitting out and watching the team fail to make the playoffs. Everyone is hungry, but he has attacked the offseason with even more of a chip on his shoulder.

“The entire building is hungry,” McCollum said. “For me personally, going through ups and downs, I’m as hungry as ever. The training does change. You go through things throughout a season, and you start to understand and learn about yourself. ‘What do you truly need to work on? What do you truly need to hit in the offseason to become a better player?’ Being able to take all those things in and attack the offseason, tweak some minor things, get into incredible shape, and then go from there.”

Asked to provide a scouting report on himself about how last season went and what he took away from it, McCollum shared that the disappointment was not felt just by the fans. He felt it internally and is now at the point where he wants to come out of it for the better.

Bucs CB Zyon McCollum and HC Todd Bowles – Photo by: Jeffrey Jones/PR

“I was definitely disappointed in myself and my ability,” McCollum added. “It was one of those situations to where you got to go home and look at yourself in the mirror and figure out what you’re going to do – how you’re going to expect this thing to go. It was eye-opening, it’s all a blessing. To be able to go through things like that, to be able to understand and come out of that better. It really has me excited now, being able to go out and feel like I’m proving it again. To myself, to my family, of how much I love this and being able to go out there and have fun.”

Head coach Todd Bowles infamously called out McCollum at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine, stating that he felt the cornerback got “bored” at times on the field. That resulted in not playing with as much technique, which contributed to his 2025 struggles. Asked to follow up on that comment during this year’s NFL Scouting Combine, Bowles mentioned his eye concentration being the key area to improve on.

That is something McCollum has taken to heart in his offseason training.

“Big emphasis on my footwork, my eyes, being in the right place, and being able to understand the game from that standpoint,” McCollum said about his focus over the past few months. “Really, it’s about getting back to the basics and the fundamentals. The X’s and the O’s – I’ve been in the system for going on five years now. That comes pretty naturally, that comes pretty easy. Just getting back to those basics, press work, footwork, pedaling and braking.”

Bucs CBs Coach Rashad Johnson Is “An Incredible Asset” For Zyon McCollum

The difference for Zyon McCollum this offseason as in year’s past is who his cornerbacks coach is. With Kevin Ross being let go, assistant coach Rashad Johnson was promoted to take his place. McCollum is hoping to take the next step this season under Johnson’s teaching, and he spoke glowingly about what he brings coaching the room.

Bucs CBs coach Rashad Johnson and CB Zyon McCollum – Photo courtesy of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

“Super excited about him,” McCollum said. “He’s an incredible asset. Super intelligible, he understands the X’s and O’s in-and-out. One of the best things about Coach Rashad is the fact that he’s been a player, and he was just a player. He’s not too far from the game, so he’s able to relate to us as players in our communication style and the way we understand and work different techniques. He himself is a technician; he’s harping on all the little things.

“He’s harping on the footwork; he’s making sure that everybody has a plan before their plan. Super excited, we’ve been with him since my rookie year, just kind of in an assistant type of role. Now he has the ability to take the bull by the horns, and I think he is going to be a tremendous coach.”

Johnson is tasked with getting the most out of McCollum, who has the tools to be an elite, shutdown cornerback. His combination of height, speed, and athleticism are well-documented for being among the best at his position. The results have not followed the traits, but Johnson will not accept anything less than success. As an eight-year safety with 15 career interceptions, he knows what it takes to play at a high level. Expect him to push McCollum hard to reach his full potential.

“He’s going to be animated and he’s going to demand excellence,” McCollum said. “He doesn’t care who you are. You could be a rookie or you could be a 10-year vet. If he sees something, he’s going to say something. Him being a player, he can relate in a way in terms of understanding if a technique works for you, he knows how to coach that technique.

“He’s not going to force you to do anything. He has a lot of passion for this game. He loves it, and you can tell he wakes up with that fire. He comes to work and he’s a coach at heart; he’s a teacher at heart. He loves to give.”

Watch Bucs CB Zyon McCollum On The Pewter Report Podcast

Zyon McCollum shared plenty with Pewter Report’s Scott Reynolds and Matt Matera on Monday’s Pewter Report Podcast. To hear more about what McCollum said during his near hour-long appearance, click the link below to watch.