The month of December has been pretty wonderful to Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie wide receiver Jalen McMillan — you might even call it career changing.
McMillan continued his incredible late season run with his fourth consecutive game with a touchdown, scoring twice in a 48-14 win over the Carolina Panthers in Week 17.
McMillan had 5 receptions for 51 yards and 2 touchdowns in the win and has 6 touchdowns in the last 4 games. It also nabbed him his own piece of NFL history and put his name in the league’s record books.
From the Buccaneers’ official X account: “J Mac’s 4 straight games with a TD grab is tied for the fourth-longest streak by a rookie in NFL history.”
The Buccaneers are now 9-7 headed into their regular-season finale at home against the New Orleans Saints in Week 18.
McMillan Seemed Like Lost Cause Most of Season
The Buccaneers drafted McMillan in the third round (No. 92 overall) out of Washington in the 2024 NFL draft with the hopes he could step in and be a third option at wide receiver behind Pro Bowlers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin.
McMillan passed 1,000 receiving yards in 2022 and came back from an early-season injury to help lead the Huskies to the College Football Playoff championship game in 2023.
McMillan wowed in rookie minicamp and the preseason, where he seemed to make an immediate connection with quarterback Baker Mayfield.
“Just finished the Bucs’ first day of rookie camp and Jalen McMillan is gonna be super fun to watch,” ESPN’s Jenna Laine wrote on May 10. “The ball just kept finding him. Had one particularly impressive leaping catch but caught five of five targets, no drops. He said his sprained MCL from last year is 100% now.”
CBS Sports’ Pete Prisco singled out McMillan on his “Better-Than Team” ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft — putting together the players at every position he thought were better than NFL scouts thought they were.
“McMillan reminds me of former NFL receiver Keenan McCardell … but McMillan is faster,” Prisco wrote. “(McMillan) is a good route runner, ran 4.45 at the combine and has a knack for getting open.”
McMillan got off to a fast start in the regular season with a touchdown in a Week 1 win over the Washington Commanders but hit a wall after that. He missed 3 games due to hamstring issues and had just 29 receptions for 145 receiving yards and 1 touchdown headed into a Week 14 game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
McMillan’s Scorching Finish to Regular Season
Over the last 4 games, McMillan has 19 receptions for 242 yards and an incredible 6 touchdowns — bringing his rookie numbers to 48 receptions for 387 yards and 7 touchdowns.
According to The Pewter Plank, the Buccaneers now must win in Week 18 to clinch their fifth consecutive NFC playoff berth. Tampa Bay can win the NFC South if they defeat the Saints and the Commanders defeat the Atlanta Falcons in Week 17.
The Buccaneers could also earn a playoff berth if they defeat the Saints and the Commanders lose both of their last 2 games to the Falcons and Dallas Cowboys — a much less likely scenario.
“If things truly get chaotic, then there’s a path for the Bucs where they get in if the Falcons tie either of their last two games,” The Pewter Plank’s Josh Hill wrote. “In that scenario Tampa Bay would win the division and clinch as the No. 4 seed.”
Buccaneers Rookie WR Grabs Piece of NFL History in Week 17