So What Happened To The Duck?
December 31st, 2024
“Quack.”
It appears the duck may have flown the coop and found a new flock.
Yeah, the Bucs duck, that’s the duck that tormented Trey Palmer on a punt return in Sunday’s beat down of the Stinking Panthers. Joe suggests the duck brought some sort of divine intervention from the football gods not wanting the poor thing to get hurt.
As a result, Joe Tryon-Shoyinka blocked the Johnny Hekker punt that J.J. Russell scooped-and-scored on a 23-yard return to put the game on ice.
The duck flew onto the field as Palmer was setting up readying for a punt return. Buccaneers Radio Network sideline reporter T.J. Rives told Joe after the game that Palmer was clearly startled by the duck and seemed to act like, with glances to the sideline, he was expecting officials to call a timeout. Or perhaps Palmer thought he should call a timeout to save the duck from being trampled.
After the score, a Bucs ball crew member was seen shooing the duck off the field. The duck danced with him, not wanting to leave as the creature seemed to enjoy the attention.
CBS TV cameras caught another Bucs employee scooping the duck up, cradling him and petting him to calm it down.
Turns out that staffer, a guy by the name of Anchor Brant, uploaded a TikTok video walking out of the stadium after the game with the duck.
A member of the Bucs flagbearers, Brant said in the video he was going to release the duck where it would be safe, but offered no specifics.
Joe hopes that didn’t happen. The duck is already a celebrity and the Bucs could have given the duck the best of nests and trotted the duck out for games (not unlike the Auburn eagle) hoping the duck would spread its wings luck to the Bucs in future games.
Releasing the duck would be a massive (marketing) opportunity lost!
Brant is a bit of a cottage local celebrity. Two years ago as a senior studying communications at South Florida, Brant was involved in a national contest to capture the title of “USA Mullet Championship.”
As far as Bucs coach Todd Bowles’ reaction to the duck, he said after the game it cost the Bucs 10 minutes because the game was delayed trying to coax the bird off the field.
Yesterday, Bowles explained what the duck means to him (not a whole lot).
“It’s like watching ‘The Flintstones’ and ‘The Jetsons,'” Bowles laughed as he raised his arms wide, shrugging his shoulders. “It’s a cartoon to me.”
The ultimate 12th man 🦆😂 https://t.co/pH8H3MQ1LJ pic.twitter.com/xcLybXICji
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) December 31, 2024
December 31st, 2024 at 12:19 am
Game Ball.
December 31st, 2024 at 12:22 am
Ring of Honor.
December 31st, 2024 at 12:23 am
Free Bird!
December 31st, 2024 at 12:45 am
You ever heard of Peking duck? I guarantee you a local Chinese restaurant already caught and cooked that bird.
BTW, good research on the mullet. That should have gotten a lot more attention. I told everyone here like 10-years ago the mullet and mustache would make a comeback, and people here doubted me. Why would anyone ever doubt me based on my record?
December 31st, 2024 at 12:56 am
It was a wounded duck.
December 31st, 2024 at 12:58 am
All things considered, probably for the best both short and long term that the bird be given freedom and anonymity.
I can think of a half dozen “bad” outcomes just off the top of my head and only a few, ‘short term’ good outcomes that could quickly devolve to bad.
Definitely better to set it free in a safe place.
Fun story, but time to move on and forget about the duck.
December 31st, 2024 at 1:07 am
Seattle – you mean like the kind of pass Kyle Trask throws? 🤣
December 31st, 2024 at 1:19 am
Most likely came from Al Lopez Park just north of the stadium. Hopefully that’s where the guy took it back to.
December 31st, 2024 at 1:35 am
Duck fantasy time
December 31st, 2024 at 1:41 am
27-26
I trust the duck more than I trust Bowles.
December 31st, 2024 at 2:03 am
Should have #7 That is Bucky the Oregon/TB Duck
December 31st, 2024 at 2:48 am
The Tampa Bay Duckaneers.
December 31st, 2024 at 3:21 am
I’ll never forget the first time I saw him. I knew there was more to this duck than just mere water-fowl. He was special. He had a quack that caused everyone in his presence to stand and cheer. His flight was majestic. His waddle was one of grace and beauty. His gait hypnotic. Every woman felt their heart skip. Every man admired his strength. His brief but powerful presence that day was felt across the globe. His legend will live on forever. Today is the day we honor “The Duck”.
-Joel Glazer
December 31st, 2024 at 3:34 am
Que the duck, we’re going to attempt to block the kick!
December 31st, 2024 at 3:58 am
Aflac sent a cease and desist.
December 31st, 2024 at 5:12 am
Brant seems like such a great guy the way he took care of the duck. Hope to hear more about what happened after. Loved the “Ultimate 12 man” pic on x. Perfect!
December 31st, 2024 at 5:18 am
maybe the duck can go live with ira and cozmo…
cozmo needs a pal…ira seems like a no nonsense guy…lol 🙂
December 31st, 2024 at 6:05 am
Agree Joe, massive marketing opportunity lost.
This duck should become a secondary mascot.
I prefer to read stories of what happened to the duck than stories of what happened in our soft zone defense lol.
On another note,
Dear Mike how you didnt know that ducks can fly that high?
They are famously migratory birds. I m pretty sure they dont migrate travelling with their feet.
December 31st, 2024 at 6:18 am
Love the rally duck! I saw on a post a call for fans to bring duck calls to the game this Sunday. I sure hope that happens.
December 31st, 2024 at 6:24 am
Bucc-y the Duck!!
December 31st, 2024 at 6:38 am
He shall return
December 31st, 2024 at 6:46 am
These duck comments have me cracking up on New Year’s Eve. Joe seems to have fixed on Trey Palmer being “startled” by the duck. I raise chickens and there is nothing funnier than watching a grown man being flogged by a rooster. But punt returner’s are supposed to be fearless. Trey Palmer needs some competition on the punt return team this week. Throw a healthy duck into the special teams room and check our guys fear level in their eyes. Look for fight or flight response. If they fear the duck they shouldn’t be returning punts.
December 31st, 2024 at 6:52 am
Durango… tho you wax poetic pretty well, petty sure that was a female mallard. The males have green heads. We have five to six varieties of duck swimming in a lake behind my house throughout the year.
As for releasing it safely, those things fly very very well. It could take off anytime it wanted to. No reason to take it anywhere. It will fly off again and find it flock whenever it feels like it. Taking it out of the stadium, though, was the right idea initially. My dog will take off after these ducks when in my backyard every now and then. She doesn’t really have a strong prey drive being an Australian Shepherd, but she just has fun watching them take off. No way that thing would have been trampled. Seeing a crowd a players running in its direction, it would have jetted straight up into the sky safely I’m sure. Mallards get into the air quickly and fly fast.
December 31st, 2024 at 6:54 am
Geese are the ones you need to fear! And any small breed of rooster. Aggressive like Cancey.
December 31st, 2024 at 7:32 am
Joe, thanks for chasing down the after-story. Except for this site, I don’t do social media of any kind (Facebook, youtube, twitter, tik tok, blah blah blah). So the Tik Tok video definitely would have eluded me.
December 31st, 2024 at 7:47 am
Bring back the At Home With Baker Mayfield and include the DUCK!
Gold Jerry! GOLD!
December 31st, 2024 at 7:47 am
Bringing duck calls to the game…… GENIUS!
December 31st, 2024 at 7:52 am
They released the duck outside the stadium. Hopefully it found its flock or a lake.
December 31st, 2024 at 7:55 am
For once there was a fowl on the plate that benefited the Bucs!
December 31st, 2024 at 8:15 am
I was in the ship end zone, so had a bird’s eye view of the duck. The Panthers ST coverage was barrelling down on the duck, but the duck stood its ground. More than I can say for Trey Palmer.
December 31st, 2024 at 8:22 am
Bucky & Ducky. The Best One Two Punch in the NFL
December 31st, 2024 at 8:31 am
Bring back the Rally Duck!
December 31st, 2024 at 8:52 am
It might be smart that the Buccaneers Fans make sure there is a duck at each game.😉
He was the best special teams player who like Harry Potter just have uses magic 🪄✨.
I think 🤔 to improve the Defense, Buccaneers Fans should make sure a turtle 🐢 is at the game( best magic defense) 😎😁
December 31st, 2024 at 9:25 am
His name is Howard.
December 31st, 2024 at 9:49 am
The ducks spirit will be recreated in many different forms in next Sundays game as fans find their way into the stadium.
IF the Bucs host the NFC CHAMPIONSHIP game, if possible, the Glazers should have the 🦆 on the traditional Red and White flags left in each seat for the game day fans.
My .02 cents
December 31st, 2024 at 10:12 am
That’s true! They will come after you, but if you have food in your hand they calm down pretty quickly.
Large geese can have a mean swing with their wings (seriously). They’ll tangle with a dog.
December 31st, 2024 at 10:23 am
DUCK THIS
December 31st, 2024 at 10:55 am
Joe’s right. The Duck is a huge marketing op, as well as a potentially fun fan event during the games. I’d want to cheer for the Buc Luck Duck! If they are remotely savvy there will be a duck next game.
December 31st, 2024 at 12:33 pm
@gp Agreed. The risk/reward analysis doesn’t pan out for keeping the wild duck
@Duraango 95 “His gait…” Hahahahahaaaa. Well done sir
December 31st, 2024 at 2:25 pm
Growing up I had a duck 🦆 and it probably could take on any football player.
She would jump on my father’s(👿) German Shorthair Pointer( bird hunting dog) and ride it while biting it’s neck.
You don’t want to know what it did to the 👿.
Just say the 👿 finally got tired of it attacking him and got rid of it
December 31st, 2024 at 3:59 pm
That duck is a female Mallard. The correct pronouns are she/her. Unless she identifies as something else. Maybe Joe can score an interview and ask her. Or she could be a guest on the Ira Kaufman podcast.
December 31st, 2024 at 4:29 pm
I bet there will be plenty of people bringing wooden ducks with them to the game from now on. They should put one in the home tunnel so the players can rub it on the way to the field.
December 31st, 2024 at 6:23 pm
Florida Man in a mullet contest, way too cliché!!!
December 31st, 2024 at 9:01 pm
Loved the comments and won’t even try to better them. Great story and was hoping someone would have kept the duck so we could have more of them.