Buccaneers Hero Jake Camarda
January 1st, 2023
UPDATED: 6:15 p.m. — Joe literally has watched this play 10 times and it gets more unbelievable each round.
Rookie punter Jake Camarda might have saved the Bucs’ season with 40 seconds remaining this afternoon.
Give that young man a game ball!
The dysfunctional Bucs special teams botched a low snap to Camarda on a punt with him standing at his own 41 yard line awaiting the ball. Not only did Camarda pick up the bouncing ball that squirted behind him, he sprinted to the left sideline, eluded two tacklers, and gained 10 yards before a attempting a running punt that was downed inside the Panthers’ 5 yard line.
Joe cannot express enough the difficulty level of that play for a right-footed kicker whose momentum — in traffic — was going away from his kicking foot. Unreal.
“I have never seen a punter make an athletic play like that,” head coach Todd Bowles said.
Rookie tight end Ko Kieft was flagged on the play for being downfield when he shouldn’t have been. But Camarda’s damage was done. Carolina declined the penalty and Camarda lined up to re-kick after burning time off the clock.
The next snap was good and Camarda dropped a high beauty downed around the 10 yard line.
Ballgame.
A lot of fans scoffed and laughed when general manager Jason Licht drafted a punter in Round 4, some wanted the slimy Punt God, others hated the idea and were fine with a punter off the street.
Today Camarda showed one big benefit to having fresh, athletic legs at punter, and to drafting a savvy player with a lot of balls, too.
WOW
Bucs punter Jake Camarda may have just saved Tampa Bay's season with this punt!
(via @NFL) pic.twitter.com/SV36SzcM1z
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) January 1, 2023
January 1st, 2023 at 5:08 pm
He’s the best athlete on the team by far….
January 1st, 2023 at 5:09 pm
Yes, great play. How about some boos for the long snapper that hiked a low ball at such a crucial time.
January 1st, 2023 at 5:09 pm
Imagine that …..a ….
……PUNTER saving the game
January 1st, 2023 at 5:09 pm
Getting right, at the right time…..L F G !
January 1st, 2023 at 5:10 pm
An incredible play.
He’s been a hidden weapon all year.
January 1st, 2023 at 5:10 pm
Amazing play. We should still fire the coaching staff after the season
January 1st, 2023 at 5:10 pm
Give him the Angry Runs Scepter too.
January 1st, 2023 at 5:12 pm
I agree
Fire everyone except Todd Bowles…..his Defense truly held the game close
January 1st, 2023 at 5:13 pm
That had all the makings of a vintage Buc play…until Camarda’s high wire act. That was the opposite of a Garo Y. move…clutch.
January 1st, 2023 at 5:14 pm
Absolutely the play of the game!
Kid deserves the game ball for sure.
January 1st, 2023 at 5:14 pm
🍻
January 1st, 2023 at 5:14 pm
If you live long enough, you’ll see everything in football…
January 1st, 2023 at 5:15 pm
Can we fire Todd yet?
January 1st, 2023 at 5:16 pm
Todd Bowles DEFENSIVE is what kept the game close…..why would you fire him?
It’s Byron Leftwich that needs to go
January 1st, 2023 at 5:16 pm
Who knew you could pick up a loose ball, run towards the sideline, then suddenly unleash a punt?
Camarda did. That was an awesome play.
You know who else was awesome today? The Bucs O-line.
January 1st, 2023 at 5:18 pm
we froze our own longsnapper by taking that delay of game penalty.
You could see the guy flinching a bit.
January 1st, 2023 at 5:20 pm
Still can’t figure out why the Bucs haven’t found a way to utilize his athleticism on fake punt plays yet.
January 1st, 2023 at 5:21 pm
At least we have one guy in the kicking room we can be proud of
January 1st, 2023 at 5:21 pm
That was an amazing play by Camarda to even have the presence of mind to attempt to punt it in that position.
January 1st, 2023 at 5:22 pm
It was incredible, too bad there was one Bucs player downfield (besides the gunners), or it would’ve stood.
January 1st, 2023 at 5:23 pm
He’s been must see TV all season. Never thought I’d ever say that about a punter.
January 1st, 2023 at 5:24 pm
Jake Camarda should eat pineapple for that play alone!
January 1st, 2023 at 5:26 pm
It took a good amount of remaining time off the clock as well the re-kick pinned the Panthers at the 8. National Champion last year at Georgia…winning mindset.
January 1st, 2023 at 5:30 pm
His nickname: Brightspot
January 1st, 2023 at 5:31 pm
Hey like running backs Jason licht finally got drafting ST player correct this year.
We could have possibly lost 2 games this year without him.
Can’t remember the last time a punter made this much of a difference on any football team.
January 1st, 2023 at 5:35 pm
Camarda’s sky high punt helped cause the muffed return also……..he has some hang time…….
Kid can play….
January 1st, 2023 at 5:42 pm
Succop on the other hand. Jesus Christ. I’m over him. Succop is 100% the reason why it was still a game in the finals seconds. Panthers had a chance to win because of our feeble legged kicker
January 1st, 2023 at 5:46 pm
GFTF:
It’s a fair point…he’s o’fer forever from 50 yards or longer…quit trying those. His claim to fame was accuracy…he’s rattled…it’s a concern now.
January 1st, 2023 at 5:48 pm
Winny, that’s a good point. Succop is rattled. We know he can’t kick it beyond 50, but Bowels hasn’t figured that out yet. He was rattled enough to miss an extra point. We’re gonna need Succ to be automatic from 47 in when we get to the playoffs.
January 1st, 2023 at 5:49 pm
Good game bucs but defense can’t play like that in the playoffs!!
January 1st, 2023 at 5:55 pm
I believe there was a kick return where he was in on the tackle and lost a helmet in the process too.
January 1st, 2023 at 5:55 pm
I wonder if they have tried Camarda on long field gold attempts? His percentage probably couldn’t be any worse than Succups.
January 1st, 2023 at 6:00 pm
They had a former Lou Garza ( best college kicker ) Award winner in camp…Jose B. They went with the “more accurate veteran”. Hopefully it’s just an off day. Again…no more 50 yard attempts…it gives him low self esteem.
January 1st, 2023 at 6:01 pm
Joe – “A lot of fans scoffed and laughed when general manager Jason Licht drafted a punter in Round 4”
Well, given that we are constantly punting every few downs, it was a brilliant move. Genius. Guess Licht knew just how crappy Bowles and Leftwich would be and that we’d need a great punter.
January 1st, 2023 at 6:04 pm
Given Camarda’s fantastic speed, would be nice if they faked a punt every once in awhile and had him run it when all we need is a few yards. Kid’s got serious speed and agility.
January 1st, 2023 at 6:09 pm
He should get the game ball!
January 1st, 2023 at 6:18 pm
He should kick the 50 yd fgs
January 1st, 2023 at 6:21 pm
Best pick from that draft so far, without question.
And he’s fast too! If we had an even halfway competent special teams coordinator, I could see him being a huge weapon on punt fakes too.
But instead we have Keith Armstrong- the man who has inexplicably kept his job despite being responsible for the WORST special teams unit in the NFL for 4 straight years.
January 1st, 2023 at 6:22 pm
Lol smoke show u and I are thinking alike.
January 1st, 2023 at 6:24 pm
@Winny – have you been watching all season?
Succop literally can not make a FG over 48 yards this year. Incapable.
January 1st, 2023 at 6:26 pm
Ko Kieft brings nothing to this game as a blocker, receiver, or special teamer. He commits so many penalties as well,
January 1st, 2023 at 6:28 pm
Good player from Georgia national champions. I was impressed how he stopped the returner in that game.
January 1st, 2023 at 6:32 pm
It’s the greatest play by a punter in NFL history.
Patrick Mahomes would have been proud of that play.
January 1st, 2023 at 6:33 pm
I’ve already touched on the amazingness of Camarda’s punt. That’s the filthiest punter I’ve ever seen. Wioth that said, the little talked about fact was Ko Kieft can’t be downfield on a lack of awareness penalty. Fortunately didn’t hurt us in the end. He also dropped a ball and had an overall lousy game.
January 1st, 2023 at 6:40 pm
Great find in the 4th rd…..if Licht were only as consistent in rounds 1-2. Watching #9 is brutal, he’s Gaines Adam’s 2.0
January 1st, 2023 at 6:45 pm
“Rookie tight end Ko Kieft was flagged on the play for being downfield when he shouldn’t have been. But Camarda’s damage was done. Carolina declined the penalty and Camarda lined up to re-kick after burning time off the clock.”
——-
*accepted the penalty
January 1st, 2023 at 7:11 pm
Ray Guy Jr. Awesome rookie. Hope he stays consistent. Love the guy.
January 1st, 2023 at 8:05 pm
Camarda keeps looking like a very good and worthy pick. Even though the play was negated by a penalty, imagine if he hadn’t punted and went down for a loss and the stinkin’ Panzers had started inside our territory. He saved the game. He better get special teams player da week.
January 1st, 2023 at 9:07 pm
Little do you know – your punter is capable of 50 yard field goals – he’s been doing it since High School. He was the #1 punter and #4 place kicker coming out of HS. He truly is your secret weapon…
January 1st, 2023 at 9:15 pm
unbelievable play??? it was crazy watching .. slow motion.. couldnt believe the bucs fd the game up and then this guy goes rugby style?? amazing!!!! he saved the game and the boys should buy him beers tonight!! go bucs
January 1st, 2023 at 9:16 pm
winny doesnt watch, he likes to hear himself talk!! go bucs
January 1st, 2023 at 9:19 pm
You know Pat McAffee is going to have a segment on this. Amazing.
January 1st, 2023 at 11:26 pm
remember Doug Flutie’s last game ever as a patriot? he had a successful drop kick. That was 6 years ago. Before that? During WWII was the last successful one for points.
January 1st, 2023 at 11:28 pm
Maybe the bucs will let him drop kick an extra point against the falcons. That would be cool.
January 2nd, 2023 at 7:12 am
Give it up to Jason Licht for taking this kid over that punt god sicko
January 2nd, 2023 at 7:23 am
He has been awesome all season. Should be on pro bowl
January 2nd, 2023 at 12:06 pm
Honestly, that’s one of the best football plays I’ve ever seen.
January 3rd, 2023 at 1:39 pm
Finally a drafted kicker works out. I’m still upset Matt Gay kicked the winning field goal for the St.LUIS Sheep.