Buccaneers cut Shilo Sanders a day after preseason ejection
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers waived rookie safety Shilo Sanders on Sunday, less than 24 hours after he was ejected from the team’s preseason finale for throwing a punch at Buffalo Bills tight end Zach Davidson. The ejection came in the second half of Saturday’s game following a brief scuffle, and officials tossed Sanders on the spot. By the next day, Tampa Bay moved on from the undrafted defensive back.
The move lands at an unforgiving time of year. Teams are trimming rosters down to 53, and late mistakes carry extra weight. Sanders had put together a solid camp and, according to multiple reports, was in real contention for a bottom-of-the-roster role, likely as a depth safety and core special teamer. One flash of poor judgment cost him valuable ground when every rep and every note on the evaluation sheet matters.
His departure may not be the end of the story. Team officials are said to have liked his energy and approach until the incident, and he has been described as remorseful. If he clears waivers, there’s a pathway back to Tampa Bay on the practice squad. That’s a common route for undrafted rookies who show promise but need polish.
What the decision says about roster math, and what comes next
Sanders now goes through the waiver process, which gives all 32 teams a shot to claim his contract within a short window. If no one claims him, the Buccaneers can sign him to their 16-man practice squad, where players can be elevated to the game-day roster during the season. For bubble players, that’s often where development happens—special teams work, scout-team reps, and a chance to be the next man up when injuries hit.
Discipline is a big part of these decisions. Coaches want to trust rookies on special teams, where most first-year safeties cut their teeth. A penalty or ejection in that phase can wipe out good tape. Todd Bowles, a defensive-minded head coach, values assignment soundness and poise. An outburst like a punch doesn’t fit that profile, even if the rest of the camp was trending positive.
There’s also the reality of a crowded safety room. Tampa Bay already has proven talent on the back end, including an All-Pro presence in Antoine Winfield Jr. Roster spots behind a star like that usually go to players who can stack reliable special teams snaps, fill multiple roles in sub packages, and avoid mistakes in high-leverage moments. Sanders had started to check some of those boxes before Saturday undercut the momentum.
The league will likely review the ejection as part of its standard process. Preseason incidents like this typically lead to fines rather than suspensions, but any additional discipline would depend on the postgame review. Either way, the more immediate impact is on perception: when your margins are thin, coaches want to see how you respond after a lapse. The early word that Sanders showed remorse will matter in those internal discussions.
Sanders’ route to the NFL has been closely watched because of his surname and because he’s carved out his own resume. After starting his college career at South Carolina, he transferred to the University of Colorado, where his father, Deion, took over as head coach. Over the 2023 and 2024 seasons in Boulder, Sanders appeared in 21 games and totaled 137 tackles, one interception returned for a touchdown, and one sack. Those numbers put him on NFL radars despite going undrafted.
Being Deion’s son—and the brother of Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders—brings extra attention, but the league is blunt: tape and conduct win jobs. Teams will have his preseason film, his collegiate body of work, and Saturday’s ejection on file. If no one puts in a claim, the Buccaneers can still use the practice squad to keep developing a player they reportedly enjoyed having in the building.
So what would a reset look like? For a rookie safety, it usually means focusing on three things: special teams discipline (no penalties, clean lanes, reliable tackling), mental consistency (alignment, calls, and technique under pressure), and emotional control after the whistle. Stack those days, and coaches forget the worst moment and remember the best ones.
If Sanders does return on the practice squad, he’d be eligible for game-day elevations during the regular season. Those chances can arrive fast—one hamstring, one concussion, and suddenly the depth chart flips. That’s the opportunity undrafted rookies live for, and it’s still within reach if he clears waivers and the Buccaneers follow through on leaving the door open.
For now, the punch in Buffalo is the turning point everyone will remember. What matters next is whether it’s the defining chapter or just the bump that forced a different route to the same goal—getting back on an NFL field.
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