Bucky Irving, Kenneth Gainwell Rank Among NFL’s Best Pass-Catchers Under Pressure, Per PFF
Baker Mayfield doesn’t need to panic when a pocket collapses. He has two answers built right into the huddle.
According to Pro Football Focus, Tampa Bay Buccaneers running backs Bucky Irving and Kenneth Gainwell both ranked among the NFL’s most productive safety-blanket pass-catchers under pressure during the 2025 season. The data measures how receivers performed specifically on plays where the quarterback faced pressure in the pocket — a situation that forces quick decisions and rewards players who create easy, reliable targets.
For a Bucs offense that’s leaning on Mayfield to bounce back from a rough 2025, that’s a meaningful piece of the puzzle heading into training camp.
Gainwell Brings a Track Record From Pittsburgh
Gainwell signed with Tampa Bay this offseason after posting a career year with the Pittsburgh Steelers, catching a career-high 73 passes. Sixteen of those catches came with quarterback Aaron Rodgers under pressure — more than double any other Steeler, according to PFF.
Rodgers got rid of the ball fast in 2025, posting the fifth-quickest average time to throw in the league at 2.58 seconds. That quick trigger leaned heavily on backs and short-area targets, and PFF’s Mason Cameron pointed to Gainwell as the direct beneficiary of that scheme. Now that Gainwell has moved on, Pittsburgh will need to find its next answer in the backfield — a question the Steelers didn’t have to ask a year ago.
Irving Was Even More Efficient in Limited Snaps
Irving’s 2025 season was cut short. Injuries limited him to 10 games. But in the time he did play, PFF found no one in the league more efficient out of the backfield under pressure. Irving was the only qualifying player to post over 3.1 yards per route run and a perfect 158.3 passer rating when targeted on pressure plays.
What set him apart wasn’t just catching the ball — it was what he did next. Irving racked up an NFL-leading 204 yards after the catch on those pressure-play targets, turning short completions into real gains instead of just bailouts.
| Running Back | 2025 Team | Pressure-Play Signature Stat |
|---|---|---|
| Kenneth Gainwell | Pittsburgh Steelers | 16 receptions under pressure (team-high, more than double any teammate) |
| Bucky Irving | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 3.1+ yards per route run, 158.3 passer rating when targeted, NFL-leading 204 YAC |
Why This Matters for Tampa Bay in 2026
Pass protection determines how often a quarterback even needs a safety valve. Tampa Bay’s offensive line was banged up for most of 2025 — Cody Mauch tore his meniscus and missed the year, Luke Goedeke missed six games, and even All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs sat out the first three weeks. According to Roundtable, that same starting five is expected to return healthy in 2026, and the unit is projected as one of the better lines in football if it can stay on the field.
A healthier line means fewer pressure situations for Mayfield to navigate in the first place. But every quarterback still faces pressure at some point, and that’s where Irving and Gainwell come in. Having two backs who convert those broken-pocket moments into positive plays — rather than checkdowns that die at the line — gives offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard multiple ways to keep drives alive when a play design falls apart.
It also softens the blow of losing Mike Evans, who signed with San Francisco this offseason after ranking fifth in the league in target rate under pressure last year, according to a separate PFF report on safety-net weapons. Replacing that kind of reliability at receiver is difficult in one offseason. Replacing it with two running backs who already rank near the top of the league is a reasonable answer.
The Bottom Line
Not every team enters a season with one proven safety-blanket weapon out of the backfield, let alone two. If Tampa Bay’s offensive line holds up as expected, Mayfield may not need Irving and Gainwell to bail him out as often in 2026. But if pressure does get home, PFF’s data suggests he’s got two of the better answers in the league sitting right behind him.