For the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and their special teams struggles, the answer might just be somebody losing their job.
According to Fox Sports NFL reporter Greg Auman, the Buccaneers are bringing in several punters who could replace starter Riley Dixon after he had 2 punts blocked in the last 3 games.
The latest might have been the final straw after Philadelphia Eagles safety Sydney Brown returned a blocked punt 35 yards for a touchdown to open the scoring in a 31-25 win over the Buccaneers in Week 4.
It was the first loss of the season for the Buccaneers.
“Bucs will be bringing in competition at punter after Riley Dixon has had two punts blocked in the last three games,” Auman wrote in a series of posts on his official X account on September 29. “A workout Tuesday should yield a practice-squad signing, a potential elevation and a more direct threat to Dixon’s roster spot … Among the punters the Bucs are bringing in for a workout Tuesday: Ryan Stonehouse, who led NFL in punting in 2022 and 2023 with the Titans, and Brad Robbins, who was the Bengals’ punter in 2023, missed last year with a quad injury, punted for Bills in Week 1.”
Blocked Punts Have Been ‘Issue’ for Dixon
Auman deftly pointed out that Dixon’s problems with getting punts blocked is nothing new.
“One note on Bucs and blocked punts — it has been an issue with Riley Dixon in his career,” Auman wrote. “He entered 2025 as NFL’s active leader with seven blocked punts, but that’s one in every 95 punts for his career. This year, Bucs have 2 blocks in 16 punts; rest of NFL has 2 in 429 punts.”
Dixon led the NFL in total punts (89) and total punt yardage (4,068) as a rookie in 2016 with the Denver Broncos and led the NFL in punting average (48.0 yards) with the Los Angeles Rams in 2022.
The Buccaneers signed Dixon to a 2-year, $6 million contract in March 2025 after his second stint with the Broncos.
“(Dixon) can speed his process up,” Tampa Bay head coach Todd Bowles said after the loss to the Eagles. “We’re looking at all avenues to improve our special teams.”
That might mean someone on the coaching staff losing their job as well — specifically special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey.
McGauhey was the special teams coordinator for the New York Giants from 2018 to 2023. In that stretch, the Giants had 4 punts blocked, trailing only 3 teams tied with 5 punts blocked each.
“(Buccaneers) need to fire the special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey ASAP,” PFSN 365’s Alex Kennedy wrote on X on September 29. “Giants fans couldn’t believe he got another gig, and he has been horrible.”
Stonehouse Started Career Setting NFL Records
Stonehouse would seem like the favorite between himself and Robbins if someone does step in and take Dixon’s job — even if his past struggles seem to echo those of Dixon.
Dixon set the NFL record with most games averaging over 50 yards per punt in a single season (14) as an undrafted rookie with the Tennessee Titans in 2022, along with the single-season record for average yards per punt (53.1), then tied his own average yards per punt record again in 2023.