The NFL career of former Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Sterling Shepard somehow continues to chug along.
“The Texans are signing veteran WRs Sterling Shepard and Zay Jones,” NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo wrote on his official X account on Friday. “Both impressed in a workout today and join the mix in Houston after the loss of Jayden Higgins to a torn ACL.”
“Texans workout for veteran receiver Sterling Shepard went well, per league source,” NFL reporter Aaron Wilson wrote on his official X account on Friday. “Team is signing him and Zay Jones, per league sources.”
Shepard, 33, played for the Buccaneers the last 2 seasons.
“Sterling Shepard continues his career,” Tampa Bay Times NFL reporter Rick Stroud wrote on his official X account.
Bucs Made Classy Move With Shepard’s Contract
Despite coming up short on several bonus clauses in his contract, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers still paid Shepard an extra $500,000 in incentives for the 2025 season — mainly as a “Thank You” for being such an incredible team player this season.
“Cool move by the Bucs — receiver Sterling Shepard was inactive the last four games as other WRs got healthy, and finished one catch and 29 yards short of $125,000 incentives as a result,” Fox Sports NFL reporter Greg Auman wrote in a series of posts on X. “Team paid out both, and an additional $250k for $500k as a separate bonus … Shepard finished with 39 catches for 371 yards, and had incentives paying $125k each for reaching 40 and 50 catches, and 400 and 500 receiving yards. They paid out all four as a new $500k bonus as a gesture for his hard work when other WRs were injured.”
While the Buccaneers finished 8-9 overall and missed the playoffs for the 1st time since 2019, without efforts like Shepard’s things could have been much worse.
Shepard Has Almost $40 Million in Career Earnings
Shepard’s bonus from the Bucs pushes his career earnings to a well-earned $39.52 million over 10 seasons.
The path to Tampa Bay for Shepard actually began long before he ever showed up on the roster in 2024 — back to when he was teammates with Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield in 2015 at the University of Oklahoma.
In Shepard’s final college season and Mayfield’s 1st as the starter for the Sooners, Shepard had a breakout year with 86 receptions for 1,288 yards and 11 touchdowns in 13 games.
That big year propelled Shepard into the 2nd round of the NFL draft, where he was taken No. 40 overall by the New York Giants — where he spent his first 8 seasons before coming to the Buccaneers.
Ex-Bucs $41 Million WR Signs With AFC Contender