Former Miami defensive end Rueben Bain Jr. finally notched the first sack of his NFL career on Sunday. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie brought down Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers for an 8-yard loss late in the second quarter at Raymond James Stadium.
Another sack by the Buccaneers defense! This time by the rookie, Rueben Bain Jr. 🗣️
— NFL (@NFL) October 18, 2026
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A slow start in the NFL interrupted by injuries
Bain's professional career has included more setbacks than the Buccaneers or their first-round selection anticipated. Tampa Bay took Bain with the No. 15 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft after he emerged as one of the most disruptive defensive players in college football at Miami. He finished his Hurricanes career with 121 tackles, 33.5 tackles for loss and 20.5 sacks over three seasons before declaring for the draft.
In Bain's final college season, he was named ACC Defensive Player of the Year and earned consensus All-American recognition after posting 9.5 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss in 2025.
Bain earned a starting role ahead of the regular season, but he only logged two pressures across his first two games. Bain dealt with shoulder and groin issues early in the season and missed Tampa Bay's third and fourth games, before returning for the Week 5 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys.
Bain finished the Dallas game with two assisted tackles as Tampa Bay secured its first win of the season. Heading into Sunday's matchup against Pittsburgh, he had played in three games, recorded three total tackles and generated two pressures without a sack.
The first NFL sack took longer to arrive than many projected, but with Bain healthy, and the Bucs playing competitive football, there should be plenty of opportunities to make his presence felt in the NFL. Recording it against Rodgers also provides a memorable way to break through, and it could be a trivia question in the future.
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