Shilo Sanders waived by Buccaneers within 24 hours of preseason punch

What happened on the field

A punch thrown in full view of an official cost Shilo Sanders his job in less than a day. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers waived the undrafted rookie safety on Sunday after he was ejected from the team’s preseason finale against the Buffalo Bills for striking tight end Zach Davidson.

The flashpoint came in the second quarter. After a chippy block, Davidson grabbed Sanders’ facemask. Sanders snapped back with an open-handed shot to the helmet—right in front of an official. The flag for unnecessary roughness was immediate. So was the ejection.

Head coach Todd Bowles didn’t sugarcoat it postgame. “You can’t throw punches in this league. It’s inexcusable,” he said, adding that the safety has to learn from it. The timing could not have been worse: final auditions, bubble jobs on the line, and cameras catching everything.

Before the ejection, Sanders’ night had already turned rocky. He was flagged for defensive pass interference in the first quarter, a small but costly mark in a game where every rep is part of a résumé. The punch ended his evening and, by the next day, his first shot with Tampa Bay.

Under NFL rules, punching is a personal foul that can trigger disqualification on the spot. It’s exactly the type of avoidable penalty coaches hammer all summer. The league office routinely reviews such plays and can issue fines during the week, regardless of a club’s roster decision.

Roster stakes, discipline, and what’s next

Context matters. Sanders wasn’t a roster lock. He arrived as an undrafted free agent from Colorado, trying to push for the fourth safety role behind Antoine Winfield Jr., Tykee Smith, and Christian Izien. Special teams value can tip these battles, but so can trust—especially on a defense Bowles expects to play fast and clean.

The preseason is ruthless by design. Teams carry up to 90 players through August and then must cut down to 53 before Week 1. For players on the fringe, the difference between making it and missing out is often a handful of snaps, a penalty, or one bad decision. Sanders’ ejection made the decision easier for Tampa Bay, even though Bowles had praised his energy and physicality earlier in camp.

There’s also a track record to consider. In 2023 at Colorado, Sanders was ejected for targeting after a hit on UCLA running back Carsen Ryan just before halftime. College targeting rules aren’t the same as NFL fighting standards, but the common thread—finish with control—follows players from campus to Sundays.

Online reaction ran hot. Some fans argued the move reflected bias toward the Sanders family, given the spotlight around his father, Deion, and brother Shedeur. There’s no indication the league weighed in, and Tampa Bay has kept its reasoning on football: discipline, availability, and a finite number of jobs.

So what happens now? The waiver process is straightforward. Because Sanders doesn’t have enough accrued seasons to be a vested veteran, he hits waivers for 24 hours. Any team can claim him and take on his rookie deal. If he goes unclaimed, he’s free to sign to a practice squad—Tampa Bay’s or anyone else’s.

• Waiver window: typically 24 hours from the transaction notice.
• Claim priority: based on last season’s standings during the preseason.
• Practice squad: up to 16 spots per team, with call-up flexibility on game weeks.
• Discipline review: the league can still fine players after film review.

Agents Drew Rosenhaus and Robert Bailey say they expect interest. The traits that got Sanders into the building—range, speed, and a willingness to hit—are the same ones that could get him another look. Teams short on safety depth or special teams help will kick the tires, especially after a final preseason weekend that always seems to produce new needs.

For Tampa Bay, the decision sends a clear message about margins. The Bucs have leaned into takeaway-driven defense under Bowles, and with that comes a low tolerance for penalties that extend drives or trigger ejections. Punches don’t just get players tossed; they put the entire unit in a bad spot. For a coaching staff sorting out the last five or six roster spots, one undisciplined snap can weigh more than a week of solid practice tape.

Sanders’ path to the NFL has never been quiet. He started his college career at South Carolina, transferred to Jackson State to play under his father, then followed Deion Sanders to Colorado for the program’s high-wattage 2023 season. He played through injuries, built a reputation as a downhill tackler, and drew attention from scouts who liked the frame and physical style. The flip side of that style is the line he has to manage between tone-setting and self-control.

It doesn’t help that the final preseason game doubles as a stress test. Roster hopefuls know this is the last tape in front of every pro personnel director in the league. Coaches are rotating coverages, trying guys at multiple spots, and mixing special teams units. Mistakes sometimes snowball under that pressure. The best advice veterans give rookies this week is boring but true: don’t give the staff a reason.

Inside the Bucs’ safety room, the picture now sharpens. Winfield Jr. is the centerpiece. Smith and Izien offer versatility in the slot and sub packages. Behind them, special teams-heavy roles get filled by players who can cover kicks, trigger in the alley, and tackle in space without drawing flags. That last part is non-negotiable.

As for Shedeur Sanders, the older brother’s situation won’t affect his path in Cleveland. Different teams, different needs. The family name brings attention, not roster spots. NFL front offices are practical in late August: if a player can help, they’ll find a way to keep him; if not, they move quickly so he can catch on elsewhere.

Could the Bucs bring Sanders back to the practice squad if he clears waivers? It’s possible. Teams sometimes waive players after an incident, settle things down, then revisit a reunion once emotions cool and rosters settle. But that would come with conditions: no repeat issues, steady special teams value, and trust rebuilt in meetings and practice.

More likely, the next step is a fresh start with a team that needs safety depth and is willing to work on the details. The positives on Sanders’ file are real—length, closing speed, pop on contact. Clean up the penalties, avoid the extracurriculars, and a practice squad call-up can turn into game-day snaps in a hurry. The preseason is full of those second chances; the margin is thin, but the door isn’t closed.

One more angle here: league discipline. Even if Sanders signs elsewhere this week, the NFL’s fine schedule for fighting-type fouls often lands midweek. That wouldn’t stop a team from adding him, but it raises the immediate cost and adds urgency to showing the lesson took. Every club has tape of the incident now. Any interview will start with: what happened, what did you learn, and why won’t it happen again?

For Tampa Bay, the takeaway is practical. A club trying to make a fourth straight playoff push can’t afford self-inflicted wounds from depth pieces. For Sanders, the message is just as clear: the line between making a roster and hunting for a new one can be as thin as one reaction in front of an official.