Buccaneers wide receiver Sterling Shepard / via buccaneers.com
By – Alf Colmenar Bucs Report special to Sports Talk Florida
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers continue to strengthen their roster with players who not only bring talent, but also leadership and a winning mentality. In their latest press conference, Sterling Shepard and Anthony Walker Jr. shared their reasons for joining (or staying) with the franchise for the 2025 season.
Shepard returns to the Bucs
Shepard, who is returning for his second year in Tampa, highlighted the team’s unique chemistry and his connection with Baker Mayfield as key reasons for his decision. Walker Jr., meanwhile, emphasized his desire to play alongside Lavonte David and the impact he can have on Todd Bowles’ defense.
Sterling Shepard: “If I play again, it’s with Baker.”
After spending most of his career with the New York Giants, Sterling Shepard found a special environment in Tampa.
“In my nine years in the league, I’ve never been part of a group as close-knit as this one, especially in the receivers room,” the veteran said.
The presence of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, combined with promising young players, has created an ideal balance on offense. Shepard also emphasized the importance of continuity in the offensive system under new offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard.
“This is my second year in this offense, and we already know what they ask of us and what our role is. That was key to my decision to return.”
The most important factor, however, was Baker Mayfield. Shepard played with him at Oklahoma, and that connection remains intact.
“Last year I was practically retired, but Baker called me and convinced me. If I had to choose between football and my family, I’d only play for him.”
Shepard’s impact on the Buccaneers’ offense
Shepard’s continued presence on the team bolsters an already solid receiving corps. In 2024, Shepard recorded 33 receptions for 421 yards and three touchdowns, numbers that could improve with more time in the system.
Key factors in Shepard’s return:
Connection with Baker Mayfield
Stability in the offensive scheme
Leadership and mentoring for young receivers
Walker Jr. and his desire to prove himself
Anthony Walker Jr.: “I always wanted to play with Lavonte David”
New Buccaneers linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. made it clear that his arrival in Tampa was influenced by Lavonte David.
“We’ve been talking about playing together for years. He promised me he’d make it happen, and here we are.”
Walker Jr. stands out for his ability to read the game, cover the midfield, and stop opposing aerial play.
“My job is simple: keep the ball out of my zone. You can talk about PFF grades, but if you watch the tape, you’ll see the ball isn’t completed behind or in front of me.”
Additionally, the linebacker expressed his excitement about playing alongside Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey.
“Vita is a giant who crushes people and chases runners. Calijah has legs that feel like springs. I can’t wait to be behind them.”
Walker Jr. and his role in defending Todd Bowles
Todd Bowles’ scheme is aggressive and requires versatile linebackers. Walker Jr. fits that profile perfectly, providing cover in the middle of the field and supporting the run.
Key factors in Walker Jr.’s arrival:
Connection with Lavonte David
Ability to defend the pass and stop the running game
Fits into Todd Bowles’ aggressive scheme
Conclusion: The Buccaneers are aiming high in 2025
The return of Sterling Shepard and the addition of Anthony Walker Jr. strengthen the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ roster. Continuity on offense and solidity on defense put the team in a favorable position for next season.
With veterans like Baker Mayfield, Mike Evans, Lavonte David, and Vita Vea leading the pack, the Bucs have all the pieces to compete for something big in 2025.
What do you think about Shepard’s return and the arrival of Walker Jr.? Leave your comment and follow all the Buccaneers news at GoBucs.es.
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The International Olympic Committee has a new president. Kirsty Coventry and she is the first woman and first African to lead the IOC in its 130-year history. She beat out six others in the IOC delegate’s election and will replace Thomas Bach in the position. Winning the election was the easy part for Coventry. Running the organization is going to be difficult. When the International Olympic Committee awarded Los Angeles the 2028 Olympics in 2017, very few countries bothered to submit a bid because local citizens recoiled at spending billions upon billions of dollars or euros on a big sports party that left locals paying for the sports gala for years and sometimes decades. That has changed as countries are planning bids for the 2036 Summer Games. Salt Lake City got the 2034 winter event in much the same manner as Los Angeles, few countries wanted to host the sports party.
There are other issues facing Coventry. The role of transgender athletes in the Olympic movement. The ongoing Russia-Ukrainian war which was started during the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics which violated some International Olympic Committee rule that wars should not start during the Olympics. Russia invaded Ukraine and the Russian national team was kicked out of the Olympic movement along with Belarus. Athletes from Russia and Belarus can compete in the Olympics as neutrals. Climate change is another IOC issue. But the biggest problem is America and the sudden tariff wars with various countries and the American threats of invading sovereign territories such as Panama and Greenland. Los Angeles and Salt Lake City probably should be solid Olympic hosts but geopolitics over the past two months have made life difficult for the outgoing president, Bach, and Coventry is assuming the office with countries looking for new alliances. That will spread over into the IOC and Coventry will be looking to recreate sports alliances as job one.
Dallas Stars left wing Mason Marchment (27) shoots during an NHL hockey game against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Dallas, Thursday, March 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)
DALLAS (AP) — Gage Goncalves scored Tampa Bay’s third goal in the fourth round of the shootout and the Lightning beat the Dallas Stars 3-2 on Thursday night.
Brandon Hagel and Anthony Cirelli had a goal and an assist each for the Lightning, who have won three consecutive games. Andrei Vasilevskiy made 22 saves through overtime and two in the shootout.
Oskar Back and Mason Marchment scored for the Stars, whose eight-game home winning streak was snapped. Casey DeSmith tied a season high with 36 saves through overtime but his career-long six-game winning streak came to an end.
Goncalves scored his first shootout goal this season after Vasilevskiy made a glove save on Mikko Rantanen.
Cirelli followed Hagel’s first-period goal scoring on a rebound at 7:20 of the second period to give the Lightning a 2-0 lead. Back’s deflection 38 seconds later started Dallas’ comeback. Marchment tied the score about six minutes later with a jab over the goal line with one second left on a power play.
Takeaways
Lightning: They began with 11 forwards and seven defensemen, then lost forward Zemgus Girgensons to a hard hit early in the third period and defenseman Ryan McDonagh in the closing seconds of regulation when he took a puck to the right ear.
Stars: Wyatt Johnston’s 15-game home point streak was snapped one game short of matching the Dallas record held by Mike Modano.
Key moment
Vasilevskiy made a save on a point-blank chance by Johnston with 20 seconds left in regulation.
Key stat
Vasilevskiy is 15-4-3 against Dallas in regular-season play and was in net when the Lightning beat the Stars 4-2 in the 2020 Stanley Cup Final.
Up next
The Lightning will visit Utah on Saturday, when the Stars will host Philadelphia.
Jackson State head coach Deion Sanders glares at his players as they exit the field during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Southern University in Jackson, Miss., Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022. Jackson State won 35-0. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — In a time when programs are rethinking their annual spring football game, Deion Sanders has his own suggestion — bring in another team.
Just like the NFL sometimes does before exhibition games.
The Colorado coach figures with just about everything else changing in college football — transfer portal, name image likeness deals, roster limitations — it’s about time to find a way to make what’s usually an intra-squad scrimmage better for fans and teams alike. Such a change would require the NCAA to alter its rules on spring ball.
“To have it competitive, playing against your own guys kind of gets monotonous,” Sanders said Monday in his first news conference since last season. “You really can’t tell the level of your guys because, it’s the same old, same old — everybody kind of knows each other.”
His concept would be similar to a preseason game in the NFL, where a team comes in for a few days of joint practices before their exhibition game.
“I think the public will be satisfied with that tremendously,” Sanders said. “I think it’s a tremendous idea. I’ve told those personnel who should understand that’s a tremendous idea.”
Nebraska recently announced it is replacing its spring football game with skills competitions and 7-on-7 games at Memorial Stadium on April 26. This comes on the heels of Cornhuskers coach Matt Rhule expressing concerns about other teams scouting players in the scrimmage and possibly poaching them through the transfer portal.
While the spring game remains a big draw, some schools in recent years have started to move away from traditional scrimmages because of smaller rosters and the risk of player injuries. Nebraska, Texas, Ohio State and Southern California are among programs ending the tradition this spring.
Colorado will hold its spring game this season on April 19 at Folsom Field. It will be broadcast on ESPN2.
“We’ve got to sell this thing out and pack this thing because the way the trend is going, you never know if this is going to be the last spring game,” Sanders said. “I don’t believe in that. I don’t really want to condone that. I would like to play the spring game. Actually, I like to play against another team in the spring.”
All in the family
Plenty of mock NFL drafts have QB Shedeur Sanders slipping down in the first round next month after he chose not to throw at the scouting combine and his brother, DB Shilo Sanders, not hearing his phone ring for any of the 257 picks.
Deion Sanders wonders what his own draft experience — he was selected fifth overall by the Atlanta Falcons in 1989 — would have been like in today’s world.
“They receive a lot more ignorance than I did,” Sanders said of his sons. “I received some, but we didn’t have the social media channels and all the different things that’s privy today … I mean, you’ve got to understand, I was a two-sport guy at the time, so you could imagine what it would have been like with all the hate and the naysayers.”
Sanders said he knows his sons can handle any and all flack coming their way as the NFL draft approaches.
“You’ve got to take a shot at somebody and you might as well take a shot at a Sanders,” he said. “We’re built for this.”
Contract extension
Sanders downplayed talk about his contract extension, saying “there may be” discussions. “I don’t know.”
What he’s lobbying for is raises for his staff.
“Let’s get everybody else straight first, then I’m good,” he said,
Sanders signed a five-year, $29.5 million deal before the 2023 season. The Buffaloes went 4-8 that year and 9-4 last season.
Pro days
Deion Sanders plans to attend the Big 12 Pro Day this week in Frisco, Texas. Shedeur and Shilo Sanders, and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter are among the Buffaloes who are expected to attend. Sanders said some of his players may not participate and wait for Colorado’s pro day — which the Buffs are now calling a “skills showcase” — on April 4.
Livingston’s deal
A top priority for the Buffaloes was retaining defensive coordinator Robert Livingston. They rewarded the architect behind the defensive unit’s turnaround with a new two-year deal that makes him the highest-paid assistant in program history. Livingston will earn $1.5 million next season and $1.6 million in 2026.
“Rob was on everybody’s list to try to secure his services, and he deserves everything he got coming and then some,” Sanders said. “When you win, you expect your staff to be ravaged. You expect that.”
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AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Stapleton contributed to this report.
