Who Is Haason Reddick?
Haason Reddick is an American professional football linebacker and edge rusher who plays for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFL. He first gained national attention at Temple University, where his speed and relentlessness off the edge turned him from a former walk-on into a first-round draft pick.
Selected 13th overall by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2017 NFL Draft, Reddick developed into a premier pass rusher with double-digit sack seasons and earned second-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors during his tenure with the Philadelphia Eagles.[2] His career has included stops with the Cardinals, Panthers, Eagles, Jets, and now the Buccaneers, giving him experience in multiple defensive systems and roles.
Known for his explosiveness, versatility, and ability to create strip-sacks, Reddick has been deployed as an off-ball linebacker, edge defender, and situational pass rusher. In Tampa Bay, his primary identity is as a high-impact outside linebacker tasked with winning on the edge and closing out games with pressure.
Move to Tampa Bay and 2025 Season Context
After a turbulent 2024 season with the New York Jets, where a contract holdout and limited playing time resulted in only one sack, Reddick entered free agency looking to re-establish himself as an elite edge threat.[2] The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, seeking a proven pass rusher, signed him to a one-year, $14 million contract in March 2025, signaling both their urgency and belief in his upside.[2][1]
Reddick arrived in Tampa as a key piece of a defensive retool, joining a front that includes interior disruptor Vita Vea and young edge players like Yaya Diaby. The expectation was that his presence would immediately boost the Buccaneers’ pressure rates, reduce the need for heavy blitzing, and help close the gap with top NFC pass-rush units.
Early in the 2025 season, Reddick showed flashes of his peak form, including a standout debut in which he repeatedly beat tackles, fought through double teams, and produced a critical sack in a key situation.[5] That performance reinforced the idea that, when healthy, he can still function as a game-changing closer off the edge.
Pass-Rush Impact, Injury Return, and Outlook
The Buccaneers’ pass rush as a whole has been under scrutiny in 2025, with stretches of ineffectiveness and missed opportunities contributing to defensive inconsistency.[3][8] Reddick’s midseason ankle injury, which sidelined him from Week 7 until his Week 13 return, magnified those issues by removing their most proven edge rusher for several games.[3]
In his first game back against the Arizona Cardinals, Tampa Bay posted one of its better pass-rushing efforts of the year, generating a strong overall pressure rate, more hurries, and multiple sacks, even though Reddick himself did not record a sack.[3] Advanced data showed his individual pressure rate was below his season average, but his hurry rate and efficiency per snap were in line with expectations, indicating he still influenced protections and quarterback timing.[3]
With the Buccaneers’ offense hampered by injuries, local commentary has emphasized that the defense must carry more of the load, and players like Reddick are central to that challenge.[8] How consistently he can stay healthy, convert pressures into sacks, and complement teammates such as Vita Vea and a potentially returning Calijah Kancey will shape both Tampa Bay’s playoff chances and Reddick’s market value when his one-year deal expires.