Inside The Panthers

Buccaneers Sign Pitt DT Calijah Kancey to Rookie Contract

Pitt Panthers defensive tackle Calijah Kancey has signed his rookie deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Stephen Thompson

Buccaneers Sign Pitt DT Calijah Kancey to Rookie Contract
Buccaneers Sign Pitt DT Calijah Kancey to Rookie Contract /
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PITTSBURGH -- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers made it two years in a row that a Pitt Panther had been selected in the first round of the NFL Draft when they used the 2023 19th overall pick on defensive tackle Calijah Kancey. 

Kancey officially made the transition from Panther to Buccaneer when he signed his four-year contract worth $14,493,475, with a $7,540,709 signing bonus this week. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport first reported the news. 

Before he shattered all-time records with his speed and quickness at the NFL Combine and Pitt's Pro Day, which fueled his first-round buzz, Kancey was a unanimous All-American and ACC Defensive Player of the Year this past season after recording 31 tackles, 14.5 for a loss and 7.5 sacks in 11 games this year.

He suffered a shoulder injury that kept him out of the regular season finale and sidelined him for the Sun Bowl against No. 18 UCLA, but Kancey still led all of college football's interior defensive linemen in tackles for loss.

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Stephen Thompson
STEPHEN THOMPSON

Stephen Thompson graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications and political science from Pitt in April 2022 after spending four years as a sports writer and editor at The Pitt News, the University of Pittsburgh's independent, student-run newspaper.  He primarily worked the Pitt men's basketball beat, and filled in on coverage of football, volleyball, softball, gymnastics and lacrosse, in addition to other sports as needed. His work at The Pitt News has won awards from the Pennsylvania News Media Association and Associated College Press.  During the spring and summer of 2021, Stephen interned for Pittsburgh Sports Now, covering baseball in western Pennsylvania. Hailing from Washington D.C., family ties have cultivated a love of Boston's professional teams and Pitt athletics, and a fascination with sports in general.  You can reach Stephen by email at stephenethompson00@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter. Read his latest work:

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