After producing the best season ever by a Tampa Bay Buccaneers placekicker, Chase McLaughlin will have multiple opportunities to chase his own records.
On Wednesday, McLaughlin signed a new three-year contract with the Buccaneers that keeps the sixth-year kicker from testing free agency. McLaughlin previously signed a one-year deal with Tampa Bay last March, but his near-perfect performance during the 2023 season led to a long-term pact this time around.
McLaughlin set a new single-season franchise record in his first year with the Buccaneers by making 93.3% of his field goal attempts (29 of 31) during the regular season. That bested the previous mark of 92.9% (26 of 28) established by Connor Barth in 2011. McLaughlin tied for seventh in field goal percentage in 2023 among all kickers with at least 15 attempts. His only two misses during the regular season were blocked kicks.
Moreover, the former Colts kicker was the long-range weapon the Bucs were specifically seeking in free agency a year ago. McLaughlin set another franchise record by making seven field goals of 50-plus yards in 2023, and he did so on just eight attempts (87.5%). Five of those seven long-distance kicks were from 55 yards or farther; not only is that a single-season record for Tampa Bay kickers, it's the most 55-plus yard field goals a Bucs kicker has in his career.
McLaughlin's accuracy from long range was not a new development. He had made nine of 12 attempts from 50-plus the year before in Indianapolis and is now 24 of 29 (82.8%). Since he entered the league in 2019, his success rate on field goals of 50 or more yards ranks first among all kickers with at least 20 attempts from that range.
McLaughlin also made all 31 of his extra point attempts during the regular season and scored a total of 120 points. In two postseason games, he made four of five field goal tries and all five of his point-after attempts. His successful field goals included a 54-yarder in a Wild Card win over Philadelphia that ranks as the longest postseason three-pointer in Bucs history. His one miss was a 50-yard attempt that hit the left upright in Detroit in the Divisional Round.
Prior to joining the Buccaneers, McLaughlin spent time with the Colts, the Cleveland Browns, the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Los Angeles Chargers, the New York Jets and the San Francisco 49ers. His career totals include 96 field goals made in 116 attempts (82.8%) and 121 extra points made in 123 attempts (98.4%). He has scored a total of 409 points. This will mark the first time in his career that McLaughlin has started consecutive seasons with the same team.
The contract agreement with McLaughlin continues a strong effort by the Buccaneers prior to the start of free agency to keep the core intact of a team that has won three straight division titles. Tampa Bay has also re-signed five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Mike Evans, reached contract agreement with Pro Bowl quarterback Baker Mayfield and retained All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr. on the franchise tag.
