Bucs Rally Past Chiefs Behind Rookie Jalon Daniels

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers improved to 2-0 in the preseason with a 16-15 comeback victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday night at Raymond James Stadium. Trailing 9-0 at halftime, the Buccaneers leaned on undrafted rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels, who led three second-half scoring drives to secure the win.

Daniels, a former Kansas standout, completed 9 of 14 passes for 71 yards and a touchdown in the second half, adding 19 rushing yards on seven carries. He orchestrated scoring drives that included a 2-yard touchdown pass to Ko Kieft, a 1-yard run by Sean Tucker, and a 46-yard field goal by B.T. Potter. The performance followed an impressive preseason debut a week earlier, when Daniels went 10-of-15 for 111 yards in a 24-16 win over the New York Jets.

Daniels' emergence has put him in the conversation for the primary backup role to starter Baker Mayfield, who played two series in his first preseason action since 2024, completing 2 of 4 passes for 10 yards before giving way to Jake Browning.

Butker's Mixed Night

Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker had a standout first half, converting three long field goals, including a 69-yarder on the final play of the half and a 58-yarder. But his night soured in the second half when he missed an extra point and a potential game-winning 43-yard attempt.

"You've got to make your kicks. Miss an extra point, miss a game-winner. That's what I care about, not the 69-yarder or whatever it was," Butker said after the game. He acknowledged a pattern of struggling after big kicks, adding, "I feel like mentally I was good on that 43-yarder. It felt good off my foot. Maybe I need some more caffeine for the second half or something."

Chiefs coach Andy Reid offered a measured assessment, noting that Butker "had a heck of a day until the last field goal" and expressing confidence in the kicker's ability to learn from the misses.

Chiefs' Injury Concerns

The Chiefs came into the game without several key players, including quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who is recovering from a knee injury suffered last December, as well as Josh Simmons, Trey Smith, and Ashton Gillotte, all ruled out by Reid. Additionally, the team's final preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks on Friday will be a key test.

During the game, safety Alohi Gilman was ruled out after experiencing low-back spasms in warmups and did not play a snap. Defensive end Tyreke Smith left in the second half with a right hamstring injury and did not return; Reid said the severity was unclear. Smith, a 2022 fifth-round pick who has bounced among the Seahawks, Cardinals, and Chiefs, was fighting for a roster spot and had recorded one solo tackle before exiting.

Earlier report had indicated that cornerback L'Jarius Sneed, tight end Travis Kelce, linebacker Drue Tranquill, and wide receiver Xavier Worthy were considered unlikely to see much action due to injuries or workload management, though no official designation was made.

Daniels' Strategic Play

Daniels' performance was highlighted by a critical third-and-1 play late in the game when he drew the Chiefs offsides with a hard count. He explained that he told his teammates in the huddle they would try to get the defense to jump, and when they did, he celebrated the free five yards.

"I literally came into the huddle and said, 'All right, guys, we've got a third-and-1 right here. We're going to try to be able to get them to jump offsides,'" Daniels said. "That's exactly why you see the excitement from me as soon as they jumped offsides."

The penalty, a neutral-zone infraction on defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah, set up a field goal drive. Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles praised Daniels for his poise, saying, "He did a good job … second week in a row. He has a lot to learn but he goes out there and makes things happen and gives us a chance to win."

Daniels' college teammate-turned-rival, Buccaneers cornerback Jacob Parrish, who played at Kansas State, offered a simple endorsement: "He's a dude."

Quarterback Battle and Other Storylines

For the Chiefs, quarterback Justin Fields started and was replaced in the second quarter by rookie Garrett Nussmeier. Fields led a drive that produced Butker's first field goal. Jake Browning, who missed the Bucs' first preseason game with a back issue, completed 9 of 12 passes for 84 yards but was sacked three times, one of which led to a hard hit by Felix Anudike-Uzomah that briefly knocked him out of the game. Emmett Johnson scored a 1-yard touchdown run that put the Chiefs up 15-7, but the extra point was nullified by a penalty and the retry hit the upright.

The Buccaneers' defense showed notable depth, with outside linebacker Anthony Nelson recording a strip sack on Fields and 1.5 sacks overall. Rookie Rueben Bain Jr. made his NFL debut and generated pressure, while David Walker contributed three pressures, including a spin move, after missing 2025 with a torn ACL.

The Chiefs fell to 0-2 in the preseason and have not won a preseason game since 2023. Their final preseason matchup is at home against the Seahawks on Friday, while the Buccaneers close their preseason at the Jacksonville Jaguars on August 28.